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Elsevier

Books in Agricultural engineering and technology

  • Quantum Computing and Instrumentation for Smart Agriculture

    • 1st Edition
    • Shubham Mahajan + 2 more
    • English
    Quantum Computing and Instrumentation for Smart Agriculture provides a detailed overview of quantum technologies and their applications in agriculture, exploring its transformative potential in improving agricultural practices Organized in five parts, the first section of the book introduces quantum technologies, their historical context, and the need for innovation in agriculture. The following sections discuss specific applications, including quantum computing for data analysis, quantum and nano-enabled sensors for precision farming, and quantum imaging for crop monitoring. In addition to addressing technological advancements, the book highlights sustainable practices and the future of quantum agriculture. This book is a valuable resource for researchers, scientists, and professionals interested in the integration of quantum and nanoscience with agricultural innovation, offering insights into innovative solutions that improve productivity while minimizing environmental impact.

  • Sustainable Agriculture

    Technologies, Application, and Practices
    • 1st Edition
    • Wasswa Shafik
    • English
    Sustainable Agriculture: Technologies, Application, and Practices provides readers with a foundational understanding of sustainable agriculture principles alongside the cutting-edge capabilities of artificial intelligence. Structured into six well-organized sections, the book begins with foundational concepts of sustainability and the enabling technologies that support them. This includes in-depth discussions on the principles of sustainability, the role of technology in enhancing agricultural practices, and the socioeconomic impacts of sustainable farming. Subsequent chapters look into practical applications, showcasing how smart irrigation, crop monitoring, and supply chain optimization can significantly bolster sustainable operations.Each chapter provides case studies and practical strategies to ensure a thorough understanding of how artificial intelligence can revolutionize sustainable agriculture. This book serves as an essential resource for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students studying sustainable agriculture, agricultural technology, and environmental science.

  • Precision Technologies for Digital Agriculture

    Harnessing IoT, Big Data, Crop Modeling, and AI for Agricultural Production
    • 1st Edition
    • Sushil Kumar Himanshu + 2 more
    • English
    Precision Technologies for Digital Agriculture investigates the growing role of computational and connected approaches in contemporary agricultural environments, bringing together recent findings in artificial intelligence, sensing infrastructures, agroecosystem modeling, and data analytics to illustrate decisive shifts toward more accurate, forward-looking, and responsive decision-making.Earl... chapters set out the theoretical and technical underpinnings of digital and precision agriculture, addressing automation, data stewardship, privacy, and the development of dependable AI‑based tools. These foundations support a detailed overview of key technological building blocks, including remote and proximal sensing, geospatial platforms, machine vision, digital twins, and the Internet of Living Things, with emphasis on their contribution to integrated system management and optimized resource allocation.Later sections concentrate on applied methods across field operations. Topics include climate‑adaptive, smart irrigation, soil and microbial diagnostics, UAV‑enabled monitoring, and algorithmic frameworks for yield estimation and nutrient regulation. Across these chapters, attention is given to both implementation constraints and enabling factors, including interoperability, data security, and scalability.The volume concludes with regionally grounded case studies and economic assessments that explore adoption strategies, governance arrangements, and cost–benefit considerations across diverse crops and production settings. Together, these cutting-edge analyses provide a structured assessment of how digital technologies are being translated into transformative agricultural practice, and of the contextual conditions under which their effective use can be fully realized.

  • Machines of the Farm

    Theory and Practice
    • 1st Edition
    • Divaker Durairaj Chelladurai
    • English
    Machines of the Farm: Theory and Practice is a comprehensive textbook designed to provide a thorough understanding of farm machinery, its mechanics, and management. It dives deeply into practical concepts related to agricultural equipment, including calibration and adjustments essential for agricultural engineers. By blending theoretical insights and practical applications, the book covers topics such as mechanics, materials, selection, and performance evaluation. Each chapter includes worked examples and exercises to ensure a broad and practical understanding of the subject.The book not only details specific machines and scientific principles but also includes chapters on primary and secondary tillage equipment, machinery for sowing, weed control, crop protection, manure application, and harvesting. It reviews the testing of farm machines, earth-moving equipment, and considers performance against cost. This textbook is a valuable resource for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in Agricultural Engineering, as well as professionals in the field, farm machinery designers, and agricultural consultants. Additionally, it offers a full solutions manual for instructors and worked examples for students to further their learning objectives.

  • Engineered Nanomaterials for Agricultural Sustainability

    Current Status, Methods, and Future Strategies
    • 1st Edition
    • Sanghamitra Majumdar + 1 more
    • English
    Engineered Nanomaterials for Agricultural Sustainability: Current Status, Methods, and Future Strategies offers an in-depth exploration of how nanotechnology is transforming agriculture by enhancing crop productivity and environmental sustainability. The book addresses the bottleneck between the development and the implementation of nanotechnology in agriculture, focusing on the knowledge gaps related to environmental fate, standardization of characterization methods, mechanism of biological interaction, safety concerns, and the lack of consensus in regulatory guidelines.A volume in the Nanomaterial-Plant Interactions series, Engineered Nanomaterials for Agricultural Sustainability covers the design and application of nanomaterials for critical agricultural applications, such as nano-fertilizers, nano-pesticides, soil remediation, and nutrient management. It discusses key considerations regarding the fate and transport of the nano-enabled agrochemicals for their safe and effective commercialization. Subject matter experts provide comprehensive insights into the characterization techniques for studying nanomaterials in an agricultural context and advancements in understanding their mechanism of action and toxicity using multi-omics tools. The chapters present the latest research alongside regulatory challenges, offering a structured approach that enables readers to design nanomaterials for specific agricultural applications while avoiding undesirable impacts.With a strong focus on sustainability, this volume provides a roadmap for responsible and effective implementation of nanotechnology in agriculture. It will be a go-to reference for those looking to harness nanomaterials to enhance agricultural productivity and ensure food security.

  • Remote Sensing in Precision Agriculture

    Transforming Scientific Advancement into Innovation
    • 1st Edition
    • Salim Lamine + 4 more
    • English
    Remote Sensing in Precision Agriculture: Transforming Scientific Advancement into Innovation compiles the latest applications of remote sensing in agriculture using spaceborne, airborne and drones’ geospatial data. The book presents case studies, new algorithms and the latest methods surrounding crop sown area estimation, determining crop health status, assessment of vegetation dynamics, crop diseases identification, crop yield estimation, soil properties, drone image analysis for crop damage assessment, and other issues in precision agriculture. This book is ideal for those seeking to explore and implement remote sensing in an effective and efficient manner with its compendium of scientifically and technologically sound information.

  • Urban and Regional Agriculture

    Building Resilient Food Systems
    • 1st Edition
    • Peter Droege
    • English
    Urban and Regional Agriculture: Building Resilient Food Systems explores the sustainable integration of food provision, distribution and consumption through urban farms, agricultural systems, user communities and structural facilities designed to optimize food production and consumption. The book addresses the fundamental and pressing challenges of urban planning problems, waste minimization, food sourcing, access and equity issues, and multiple land use optimization. Sections cover the need and opportunities of urban agriculture, discuss tradition and transition, space and regulatory topics, explore the range of urban agriculture options (aquaculture to urban permaculture), discuss support structures and constructs of physically creating urban agricultural areas, and much more. Edited and authored by leading experts in the field, this volume will be valuable for those working to address issues of food security in urban environments.

  • Carbon Dots in Agricultural Systems

    Strategies to Enhance Plant Productivity
    • 1st Edition
    • Raju Khan + 2 more
    • English
    Carbon Dots in Agricultural Systems integrates and crystallizes the emerging knowledge and application strategies of carbon dots as a powerful tool in agriculture systems. The book includes practical insights into the synthesis of carbon dots from indigenous raw materials and how to employ them in agriculture systems to increase crop productivity and provide renewable and cost-effective strategies that meet agricultural needs. Presented by an international team of experts, this resource updates on the latest in synthesis, physical, chemical and optical properties, along with the effects and mechanisms of carbon dots, all further explained in real-world studies. Finally, the book highlights emerging innovative topics which are of great relevance to scientists, academicians and innovators in agriculture (soil science, agricultural chemistry and agronomy) and biotechnology for further research and development.

  • Agricultural Nanobiotechnology

    Biogenic Nanoparticles, Nanofertilizers and Nanoscale Biocontrol Agents
    • 1st Edition
    • Sougata Ghosh + 2 more
    • English
    Agricultural Nanobiotechnology: Biogenic Nanoparticles, Nanofertilizers and Nanoscale Biocontrol Agents presents the most up-to-date advances in nanotechnology to improve the agriculture and food industry with novel nanotools for the controlling of rapid disease diagnostic and enhancement of the capacity of plants to absorb nutrients and resist environmental challenges. Highlighting the emerging nanofertilizers, nanopesticides and nanoherbicides that are being widely explored in order to overcome the limitations of conventional agricultural supplements, the book provides important insights to enable smart, knowledge-driven selection of nanoscale agricultural biomaterials, coupled with suitable delivery approaches and formulations will lead to promising agricultural innovation using nanotechnology. Agricultural Nanobiotechnology: Biogenic Nanoparticles, Nanofertilizers and Nanoscale Biocontrol Agents explores emerging innovations in nanobiotechnology for agriculture, food, and natural resources to address the challenges of food security, sustainability, susceptibility, human health, and healthy life. The book is ideal for the multidisciplinary scientists whose goal is to see the use of nanomaterials in agriculture to reduce the amount of spread chemicals, minimize nutrient losses in fertilization and to generate increased yield through pest and nutrient management.

  • Plant Factory Basics, Applications and Advances

    • 1st Edition
    • Toyoki Kozai + 2 more
    • English
    Plant Factory Basics, Applications, and Advances takes the reader from an overview of the need for and potential of plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs) in enhancing food production and security to the latest advances and benefits of this agriculture environment. Edited by leading experts Toyoki Kozai, Genhua Niu, and Joseph Masabni, this book aims to provide a platform of PFAL technology and science, including ideas on its extensive business and social applications towards the next-generation PFALs. The book is presented in four parts: Introduction, Basics, Applications, and Advanced Research. Part 1 covers why PFALs are necessary for urban areas, how they can contribute to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals, and a definition of PFAL in relation to the term "indoor vertical farm." Part 2 presents SI units and radiometric, photometric, and photonmetric quantities, types, components, and performance of LED luminaires, hydroponics and aquaponics, and plant responses to the growing environment in PFALs. Part 3 describes the indexes and definition of various productivity aspects of PFAL, provides comparisons of the productivity of the past and the present operation of any given PFALs, and compares PFALs with one another from the productivity standpoint by applying the common indexes. Part 4 describes the advances in lighting and their effects on plant growth, breeding of indoor and outdoor crops, production of fruiting vegetables and head vegetables, and concluding with a focus on a human-centered perspective of urban agriculture. Providing real-world insights and experience, Plant Factory Basics, Applications, and Advances is the ideal resource for those seeking to take the next step in understanding and applying PFAL concepts.

  • AI, Edge and IoT-based Smart Agriculture

    • 1st Edition
    • Ajith Abraham + 4 more
    • English
    AI, Edge, and IoT Smart Agriculture integrates applications of IoT, edge computing, and data analytics for sustainable agricultural development and introduces Edge of Thing-based data analytics and IoT for predictability of crop, soil, and plant disease occurrence for improved sustainability and increased profitability. The book also addresses precision irrigation, precision horticulture, greenhouse IoT, livestock monitoring, IoT ecosystem for agriculture, mobile robot for precision agriculture, energy monitoring, storage management, and smart farming. The book provides an overarching focus on sustainable environment and sustainable economic development through smart and e-agriculture. Providing a medium for the exchange of expertise and inspiration, contributions from both smart agriculture and data mining researchers around the world provide foundational insights. The book provides practical application opportunities for the resolution of real-world problems, including contributions from the data mining, data analytics, Edge of Things, and cloud research communities working in the farming production sector. The book offers broad coverage of the concepts, themes, and instruments of this important and evolving area of IOT-based agriculture, Edge of Things and cloud-based farming, Greenhouse IOT, mobile agriculture, sustainable agriculture, and big data analytics in agriculture toward smart farming.

  • Agricultural Internet of Things and Decision Support for Precision Smart Farming

    • 1st Edition
    • Annamaria Castrignanò + 5 more
    • English
    Agricultural Internet of Things and Decision Support for Smart Farming reveals how a set of key enabling technologies (KET) related to agronomic management, remote and proximal sensing, data mining, decision-making and automation can be efficiently integrated in one system. Chapters cover how KETs enable real-time monitoring of soil conditions, determine real-time, site-specific requirements of crop systems, help develop a decision support system (DSS) aimed at maximizing the efficient use of resources, and provide planning for agronomic inputs differentiated in time and space. This book is ideal for researchers, academics, post-graduate students and practitioners who want to embrace new agricultural technologies.

  • Intelligent Data Mining and Fusion Systems in Agriculture

    • 1st Edition
    • Xanthoula-Eirini Pantazi + 2 more
    • English
    Intelligent Data Mining and Fusion Systems in Agriculture presents methods of computational intelligence and data fusion that have applications in agriculture for the non-destructive testing of agricultural products and crop condition monitoring. Sections cover the combination of sensors with artificial intelligence architectures in precision agriculture, including algorithms, bio-inspired hierarchical neural maps, and novelty detection algorithms capable of detecting sudden changes in different conditions. This book offers advanced students and entry-level professionals in agricultural science and engineering, geography and geoinformation science an in-depth overview of the connection between decision-making in agricultural operations and the decision support features offered by advanced computational intelligence algorithms.

  • Handbook of Farm, Dairy and Food Machinery Engineering

    • 3rd Edition
    • Myer Kutz
    • English
    Handbook of Agricultural and Farm Machinery, Third Edition, is the essential reference for understanding the food industry, from farm machinery, to dairy processing, food storage facilities and the machinery that processes and packages foods. Effective and efficient food delivery systems are built around processes that maximize efforts while minimizing cost and time. This comprehensive reference is for engineers who design and build machinery and processing equipment, shipping containers, and packaging and storage equipment. It includes coverage of microwave vacuum applications in grain processing, cacao processing, fruit and vegetable processing, ohmic heating of meat, facility design, closures for glass containers, double seaming, and more. The book's chapters include an excellent overview of food engineering, but also regulation and safety information, machinery design for the various stages of food production, from tillage, to processing and packaging. Each chapter includes the state-of-the art in technology for each subject and numerous illustrations, tables and references to guide the reader through key concepts.

  • Light and Video Microscopy

    • 3rd Edition
    • Randy O. Wayne
    • English
    Light and Video Microscopy, Third Edition provides a step-by-step journey through philosophy, psychology and the geometrical and physical optics involved in interpreting images formed by light microscopes. The book addresses the intricacies necessary to set up light microscopes that allow one to visualize transparent specimens and, in the process, quantitatively determine various physico-chemical properties of specimens. This updated edition includes the most recent developments in microscopy, ensuring that it continues to be the most comprehensive, easy-to-use, and informative guide on light microscopy. With its presentation of geometrical optics, it assists the reader in understanding image formation and light movement within the microscope.

  • Operations Management in Agriculture

    • 1st Edition
    • Dionysis Bochtis + 2 more
    • English
    Operations Management in Agriculture bridges the knowledge gap on operations management for agricultural machinery. It complements traditional topics (cost of using and choosing machinery) with advanced engineering approaches recently applied in agricultural machinery management (area coverage planning and sequential scheduling). The book covers new technologies in bio-production systems (robotics, IoT) and environmental compliance by employing a systems engineering perspective with focuses on sub-systems, including advanced optimization, supply chain systems, sustainability, autonomous vehicles and IT-driven decision-making. It will be a valuable resource for students studying decision-making and those working to improve the efficiency, effectiveness and sustainability of production through machinery choice.

  • Water Quality Monitoring and Management

    Basis, Technology and Case Studies
    • 1st Edition
    • Daoliang Li + 1 more
    • English
    Water Quality Monitoring and Management: Basis, Technology and Case Studies presents recent innovations in operations management for water quality monitoring. It highlights the cost of using and choosing smart sensors with advanced engineering approaches that have been applied in water quality monitoring management, including area coverage planning and sequential scheduling. In parallel, the book covers newly introduced technologies like bulk data handling techniques, IoT of agriculture, and compliance with environmental considerations. Presented from a system engineering perspective, the book includes aspects on advanced optimization, system and platform, Wireless Sensor Network, selection of river water quality, groundwater quality detection, and more. It will be an ideal resource for students, researchers and those working daily in agriculture who must maintain acceptable water quality.

  • Smart Technologies for Sustainable Smallholder Agriculture

    Upscaling in Developing Countries
    • 1st Edition
    • David Chikoye + 2 more
    • English
    Smart Technologies for Sustainable Smallholder Agriculture: Upscaling in Developing Countries defines integrated climate smart agricultural technologies (ICSAT) as a suite of interconnected techniques and practices that enhance quantity and quality of agricultural products with minimum impact on the environment. These ICSAT are centered on three main pillars, increased production and income, adaptation and resilience to climate change, and minimizing GHG emissions. This book brings together technologies contributing to the three pillars, explains the context in which they can be scaled up, and identifies research and development gaps as areas requiring further investigation. It stresses the urgency in critically analyzing and recommending ICSAT and scaling out the efforts of both developing and disseminating these in an integrated manner. The book discusses, synthesizes, and offers alternative solutions to agriculture production systems and socio-economic development. It brings together biophysical and socioeconomic disciplines in evaluating suitable ICSAT in an effort to help reduce poverty and food insecurity.

  • Agricultural Engineering Soil Mechanics

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 10
    • E. McKyes
    • English
    This book provides an introduction to classical soil mechanics and foundation engineering, and applies these principles to agricultural engineering situations. Theoretical design formulae are given, plus tables and graphs dealing with bearing capacity factors, wall pressure factors, soil cutting numbers and soil mechanical properties. Many example problems of design and analysis are solved in the text, and there are unsolved problems given for each chapter.The text begins with descriptions of soil origins and classification systems, including agricultural classification schemes, and then introduces classical concepts of soil strength and strength measurement techniques in the laboratory and in the field. Soil mechanics is applied to the design of shallow foundations, and the design formulae as well as tables of bearing capacity factors for design use are provided. New research and design findings in the specialized area of tall and heavy farm silos are also given, in addition to deep pile foundation design for heavy structures on very soft soils. Water flow in soils is treated, together with stability of ditch bank slopes and small earth dams, design of retaining walls and pressure pressures in bins and silos, soil erosion and protection methods, soil cutting and tillage design methods, soil compaction analysis, the use of geotextiles and problems of soil freezing.The book is directed primarily at professional university students in Agricultural Engineering, but will also be of interest to scientists working in other engineering branches, landscape architecture, soil physics and the like.

  • Controlled Atmosphere Storage of Grains

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 1
    • J. Shejbal
    • English
    Controlled Atmosphere Storage of Grains emerged from the International Symposium on Controlled Atmosphere Storage of Grains held at Castelgandolfo, near Rome, Italy, from May 12-15, 1980. The event was organized by ASSORENI (Association of ENI Companies for Scientific Research) and co-sponsored by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), ICC (International Association for Cereal Chemistry) and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event was the first international symposium ever held on the subject and the entire breadth of the field of grain storage in controlled atmospheres was included in the six sessions, from naturally produced oxygen-poor atmospheres in underground pits to sophisticated automatic inert gas industrial storage facilities. The present volume is organized into seven parts corresponding to the six Sessions of original papers and the Round Table Discussion Session. Parts I-VI contain papers presented during the sessions on natural air-tight storage, entomology of controlled atmosphere storage, microbiology of controlled atmosphere storage, artificial controlled atmosphere storage, preservation of quality in controlled atmospheres, and facilities for artificial controlled atmosphere storage and economic aspects. The Round Table Discussion in Part VII presents the wrap-up reports for the six Sessions followed by a general discussion.

  • Energy in Farm Production

    • 1st Edition
    • R.C. Fluck
    • English
    This last volume of the Energy in World Agriculture series is in many ways the series' Alpha and its Omega. It addresses the broad issues related to the use of energy in agricultural production, and also characterizes and quantifies the energy involvements of many agricultural production technologies. It is a compilation of descriptive and analytical information and design principles and data of energy use in this field. A significant aspect is the relationship between energy and agricultural productivity, increased knowledge and resulting improved management of energy-consuming operations on the farm. Information provided here has not been published elsewhere before. Throughout the book are examples of the important role that energy inputs have played in increasing productivity of the world's agricultural systems. Together with a revived interest in energy for agricultural production due to increases in energy costs, this volume meets that interest with valuable information and insights.

  • Grain Handling and Storage

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 5
    • G. Boumans
    • English
    Here, for the first time, is a single source of ordered, coherent information about the handling and storage of grain, grain derivatives and substitutes. The author has had a lifetime's experience in this field and the book is the culmination of six years spent compiling the valuable technical information gained from his extensive know-how. The book surveys various techniques and practical engineering options for the study, design, construction, safety, operation and maintenance of grain handling and storage facilities. An extensive bibliography permits direct access to the primary literature and the text is supplemented throughout by numerous illustrations, line drawings and photographs.With its complete and comprehensive coverage and systematic layout, the book provides a wealth of information on the basic technology and the latest developments in this field. It will be welcomed by a wide readership, including general managers, plant and engineers, manufacturers, insurance companies and all technicians and professionals involved in the daily operation, maintenance and safety of such facilities.

  • Controlled Atmosphere and Fumigation in Grain Storages

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 5
    • B.E. Ripp
    • English
    The symposium was organised by Co-operative Bulk Handling Limited and the Australian Grain Institute Incorporated in collaboration with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations. The meeting attracted 270 participants from 28 countries, and as it was devoted to the practical aspects of the subject, it included a field trip to sites in various stages of the sealing exercise in order to provide coverage of the broad aspects of grain handling, storage, transport and quality control. These proceedings contain the 49 papers presented, together with a description of the field visits, plus records and discussions.

  • Soil Compaction in Crop Production

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 11
    • B.D. Soane + 1 more
    • English
    This book provides a global review of the mechanisms, incidence and control measures related to the problems of soil compaction in agriculture, forestry and other cropping systems. Among the disciplines which relate to this subject are soil physics, soil mechanics, vehicle mechanics, agricultural engineering, plant physiology, agronomy, pedology, climatology and economics.The volume will be of great value to soil scientists, agricultural engineers, and all those involved with irrigation, drainage and tillage. It will help to facilitate the exchange of information on current work throughout the world, as well as to promote scientific understanding and stimulate the development, evaluation and adoption of practical solutions to these widespread and urgent problems.

  • Mechanics of Agricultural Materials

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 8
    • G. Sitkei
    • English
    The importance of economical production of agricultural materials, especially crops and animal products serving as base materials for foodstuffs, and of their technological processing (mechanical operations, storage, handling etc.) is ever-increasing. During technological processes agricultural materials may be exposed to various mechanical, thermal, electrical, optical and acoustical (e.g. ultrasonic) effects. To ensure optimal design of such processes, the interactions between biological materials and the physical effects acting on them, as well as the general laws governing the same, must be known.The mechanics of agricultural materials, as a scientific discipline, is still being developed, and therefore has no exact methods as yet, in many cases. However, the methods developed so far can already be utilized successfully for designing and optimizing machines and technological processes.This present work is the first attempt to summarize the calculation methods developed in the main fields of agricultural mechanics, and to indicate the material laws involved on the basis of a unified approach, with all relevant physico-mechanical properties taken into account.The book deals with material properties, gives the necessary theoretical background for description of the mechanical behaviour of these materials including modern powerful calculation methods and finally discusses a large number of experimental results. Many of them can only be found in this book. Special attention is paid to the unified approach concerning theory and practice.The systematic treatment of the material makes the book useful to a wide circle of designers, researchers and students in the field of agricultural engineering. The book can also be used as a textbook at technical and agricultural universities.