Collaboratively written by top international experts and established scientists in various fields of agricultural research, this book focuses on the state of food production and sustainability; the problems with degradation of valuable sources of land, water, and air and their effects on food crops; the increasing demand of food resources; and the challenges of food security worldwide. The book provides cutting edge scientific tools and methods of research as well as solid background information that is accessible for those who have a strong interest in agricultural research and development and want to learn more on the challenges facing the global agricultural production systems.
Table of Contents
ForewordPreface
Section 1: Agricultural biodiversity, organic farming and new crops
1. Functional Agrobiodiversity: The Key to Sustainability?
2. Organic Agriculture
Driving Innovations in Crop Research
3. Guar-an industrial crop from marginal farms
Section 2: Effective management of resources (nutrients and water) and crop modelling
4. Nitrogen use as a component of sustainable crop systems
5. Potential of Management Practices and Amendments for Preventing Nutrient Deficiencies in Field Crops under Organic Cropping Systems
6. Effective management of scarce water resources in the North West India
7. Modelling for Agriculture Sustainability: A Review
Section 3: Molecular, biotechnological and industrial approaches for enhancement of crop production and quality
8. Biotechnological approaches for increasing rice productivity and sustainability: Progress and future outlook
9. Biofortification of staple crops
10. Nutrient focused processing of rice
11. Virus Resistance Breeding in Cool Season Food Legumes: Integrating Traditional and Molecular Approaches
Section 4: Expert advice on policy and developmental aspects
12. Talking agricultural sustainability issues
an interview with Dr Gurdev Khush
13. Economics and politics of Farm Subsidies in India
14. Public-Private Partnership and Policy Reforms for Effective Agricultural Research, Development and Training: A Viewpoint
15. Contract Farming
