Summarises the current advances in IWM, such as the use of technology to allow for more informed decision making (e.g. decision support systems (DSS) and sensor technology)Discusses the challenges continually faced by the sector, including herbicide resistance, invasive species, climate change and how best to deploy the range of non-chemical control methods availableProvides examples of the practical application of IWM and its optimisation in the field on differen...

This open access book, written by world experts in aquaponics and related technologies, provides the authoritative and comprehensive overview of the key aquaculture and hydroponic and other integrated systems, socio-economic and environmental aspects. Aquaponic systems, which combine aquaculture and vegetable food production offer alternative technology solutions for a world that is increasingly under stress through population growth, urbanisation, water shortages, land and soil degradatio...

More than half the world's population now lives in cities. Creating sustainable, healthy and aesthetic urban environments is therefore a major policy goal and research agenda. This comprehensive handbook provides a global overview of the state of the art and science of urban forestry.It describes the multiple roles and benefits of urban green areas in general and the specific role of trees, including for issues such as air quality, human well-being and stormwater management. It rev...

Building on the extremely successful and popular Russell’s Soil Conditions and Plant Growth, Wiley-Blackwell is pleased to publish this completely revised and updated edition of the soil science classic. Covering all aspects of the interactions between plant and soil, Peter Gregory and Stephen Nortcliff, along with their team of internationally-known and respected authors, provide essential reading for all students and professionals studying and working in agriculture and soil sci...

Biodiversity offers great potential for managing insect pests. It provides resistance genes and anti-insect compounds; a huge range of predatory and parasitic natural enemies of pests; and community ecology-level effects operating at the local and landscape scales to check pest build-up. This book brings together world leaders in theoretical, methodological and applied aspects to provide a comprehensive treatment of this fast-moving field.Chapter authors from Europe, Asia, Africa, ...

Reviews advances in cultivation practice such as seed establishment and more efficient irrigation techniques;Summarises developments in ‘climate smart’ agriculture such as conservation tillage and organic wheat cultivation;Discusses ways of supporting smallholders improve wheat cultivation in North Africa and other regions in the developing world

Insect parasitoids are a fascinating group of animals in many respects. Perhaps the most fascinating point is that these insects, in the course of the evolutionary time, have developed an impressive way to use chemical compounds to dialogue with the different protagonists of their environment (i.e., conspecifics, their hosts and the plants on which their hosts are living). Unravelling the evolutionary meaning of such chemical communication networks can give new insights into the e...

Detailed coverage of the latest research on plant physiology, including flowering and pollination in trees, apple fruit development and ripening;Reviews current best practice in tree training, pruning and thinning operations, including the use of growth regulators and new areas such as mechanisation and automation;Discusses the range of fungal and viral diseases affecting apples

Reviews advantages and disadvantages of different protected cultivation systems, from greenhouses and net houses to aquaponic and vertical farming systems.Detailed assessment of current research on optimising the two main variables in protected cultivation: the aerial environment and root development.Particular focus on systems control to optimise product quality and environmental impact.

Focuses on advances in understanding forest ecophysiology which underpin good management, including mechanisms of root and canopy development.Explores the key challenges in ensuring forest management is consistent with forest ecosystem services, particularly managing the transition from monocultures to complex standsHighlights ways of diversifying forest products, including novel uses of timber, biomass, non-timber products and recreational services.

This book provides an up-to-date coverage of green (vegetated) roof research, design, and management from an ecosystem perspective. It reviews, explains, and poses questions about monitoring, substrate, living components and the abiotic, biotic and cultural aspects connecting green roofs to the fields of community, landscape and urban ecology. The work contains examples of green roof venues that demonstrate the focus, level of detail, and techniques needed to understand the structure, func...

Summarises current good agricultural practice in maize cultivation, from seed selection to nutrient management, conservation agriculture, rotations and intercropping;Reviews advances in understanding and managing diseases and pests such as viruses, nematodes and weeds;Discusses ways maize cultivation can be made more ‘climate smart’