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

A comprehensive review of the recent developments in microbial bioprotectantsCovers key classifications of bioprotectants: bacterial (e.g. Bacillus spp.), fungal (e.g. Trichoderma spp.), and viral (e.g. bacteriophages)Discusses the general issues that arise with the use of key bioprotectants throughout agriculture (e.g. risk of development of resistance against bioprotectants)

Comprehensive review of key topics in root science, including root architecture, root growth regulators, root anatomy and nutrient acquisitionCoverage of root response to both biotic and abiotic variablesDiscusses the range of techniques to optimize root function, from phenotyping to identify desirable root traits and exploiting the genetics of root traits to the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AM)

Reviews latest research in tree fruit physiologyDiscusses latest developments in genetics and their implications for improved breeding techniquesComprehensive coverage of key stages in cultivation from nursery plants to water, nutrient and pest management

Plant Defense provides an overview of all major aspects of plant defence, including defence against pathogens, parasites, and invertebrate and vertebrate herbivores. The book looks at defense mechanisms including structural and chemical defences, and constitutive and inducible defences. Including details of how plants 'sense' attack and how this is communicated within the plant and also to neighbouring plants, how plants coordinate defence responses to simultaneous multiple attack...

Discusses ways of ensuring genetic diversity, advances in wheat breeding and their use to improve properties such as drought resistance and cold tolerance;Summarises research on factors affecting nutritional and other aspects of wheat quality;Reviews advances in understanding wheat pests and diseases together with ways of controlling them such as disease-resistant varieties, integrated pest and weed management

Reviews key recent research on the main fungal diseases, their modes of infection and potential strategies for dealing with themSummarises the range of techniques for breeding more resistant varietiesAssesses ways to manage fungicide resistance and the range of methods in developing integrated disease management of cereals

Insects have evolved very unique and interesting tactics using chemical signals to survive. Chemical ecology illustrates the working of the biological network by means of chemical analyses. Recent advances in analytical technology have opened the way to a better understanding of the more complicated and abyssal interactions of insects with other organisms including plants and microbes. This book covers recent research on insects and chemical communications and presents the current status a...

Reviews key steps in biopesticide product developmentComprehensive coverage of the range of biopesticides, from microbial to natural substance-based biopesticidesStrong focus on pheromone and allelochemical semiochemicals as well as peptide-based biopesticides

Soils into which crop plants root and from which they obtain essential minerals and water contain huge arrays of microbes. Many have highly beneficial effects on crop growth and productivity, others are pathogens causing diseases and losses to yield and quality, a few microbes offer protection from these pathogenic forms and others have little or no effect. These intimate and often complex inter-relationships are being explored with increasing success providing exciting opportunities for i...

More than a century has passed since the first bioformulations were introduced to the market. But there is still much to be done, explored and developed. Though bioformulations offer green alternatives and are important for sustainable agriculture, they make up only a small fraction of the total additions used to enhance crop yields or protect them from pests. There is a great need to develop bioformulations that can promote confidence among end users; accordingly, it is imperative that bi...

Assesses the viability of management strategies implemented to improve soil health, e.g. intercropping and zero tillageProvides a comprehensive coverage of the dimensions of soil healthReviews the role of organic and other amendments in improving soil health