Advances in Agronomy

Advances in Agronomy

Contributors

Preface

Chapter One Agronomic and Ecological Implications of Biofuels

1 Introduction

2 Ecosystem Functions and Services

3 Land Use Change

4 Soil Erosion and Water Quality

5 Nitrogen Cycling

6 Human Impacts on Biodiversity

7 Biofuels and the Soil Carbon Budget

8 Invasive Potential of Bioenergy Crop Species

9 Food versus Fuel

10 Conclusions

11 Future Challenges

Chapter Two Food Safety Issues for Mineral and Organic Fertilizers

1 Introduction

2 Concentrations of Trace Elements in Fertilizers and Soil Amendments

3 Risk Assessment Pathways

4 Natural Controls on Trace Element Transfer from Soil to Plants

5 Element Risks

6 Trace Elements in Other Common Soil Amendments

7 Long-Term Reactions of Trace Elements in Soils

8 Other Elements in Fertilizers and Soil Amendments of Possible Concern

9 Monitoring and Control of Trace Elements in Mineral Fertilizers

10 Need for Regulatory Enforcement on Composition of Soil Amendments

Chapter Three Mechanisms of Nickel Uptake and Hyperaccumulation by Plants and Implications for Soil Remediation

1 Introduction

2 Status of Nickel in Soils

3 Nickel Effects on Plants

4 Nickel-Hyperaccumulator Plants

5 Mechanisms of Nickel Hyperaccumulation by Plants

6 Phytoremediation

7 Conclusions

Chapter Four Conservation Agriculture in the Semi-Arid Tropics

1 Introduction

2 Conservation Agriculture as a Part of Solution

3 Conservation Agriculture: Concept and Definition

4 Conservation Agriculture Worldwide and Lessons Learnt

5 Conservation Agriculture for SAT: Perspective, Challenges and Opportunities

6 A Paradigm Shift in SAT Agriculture Through Conservation Agriculture

7 Constraints in Scaling Up Conservation Agriculture in SAT

8 Up Scaling Conservation Agriculture in SAT

9 Concluding Remarks

Chapter Five Green and Brown Manures in Dryland Wheat Production Systems in Mediterranean-Type Environments

1 Introduction

2 Survey of Farmers on the Use of Green or Brown Manuring

3 Species Options for Green or Brown Manures

4 Advantages and Disadvantages of Green or Brown Manuring

5 Integration of Green or Brown Manuring Within a Farming System

6 Economics of Green and Brown Manuring

7 Conclusions

Chapter Six Productivity and Sustainability of the Rice–Wheat Cropping System in the Indo-Gangetic Plains of the Indian subcontinent

1 Introduction

2 Problems

3 Opportunities and Strategies

4 Conclusions

Index