Contaminants in agricultural soils

It’s been estimated that around 24 billion tonnes of fertile topsoil is lost each year due to historic and ongoing pollution. With increasing pressure placed upon land as a resource, there is an urgent need to make better use of existing agricultural land, as well as remediate contaminated land f...

Achieving sustainable cultivation of temperate zone tree fruits and berries volume 2

The second volume in this collection reviews advances in breeding and cultivation of key stone fruits (peach, cherry, plum and apricot), pome fruits (pear and apple), and berry fruits (strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and blueberry).

Current crop models

Whilst crop models have made significant progress in recent years, different models still diverge and struggle to predict the complex effects of genetic, environmental and management (G x E x M) variables in optimising crop production in the face of climate change.Current crop models: State-of-th...

Achieving sustainable cultivation of tropical fruits

This collection reviews current advances in the breeding and cultivation of key tropical and subtropical fruits. Part 1 discusses citrus fruits whilst Parts 2 and 3 cover soft, stone and other fruits.

Developing drought-resistant cereals

This collection explores the challenge of achieving improved drought tolerance in key cereal crops such as wheat and barley and reviews key research and strategies which address how to overcome this challenge in order to mitigate the effects of climate change on cereal production.

Embryo development and hatchery practice in poultry production

This collection reviews the latest research on embryo development, as well as the effects of incubation and the hatching stage on chick health, welfare and production traits.

Key issues in agricultural ethics

This collection explores key ethical debates surrounding agriculture and agri-food supply chains, including issues such as animal welfare, use of labour, the effects of new technologies and the overall impact of agriculture on the environment. It considers the ways these ethical dilemmas may be b...

Achieving sustainable cultivation of grain legumes volume 2

Grain legumes are characterised by their nutritional value, an ability to grow rapidly and improve soil health. This makes them a key rotation crop in promoting food security. However, yields are constrained by factors such as pests and diseases as well as vulnerability to poor soils, drought and...

Biostimulants for sustainable crop production

Biostimulants stimulate natural processes in crops to enhance nutrient uptake, nutrient use efficiency (NUE), resistance to abiotic stress and quality traits. This collection reviews key advances in understanding and using biostimulants.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of soybeans volume 1

Soybeans are widely grown for use in food, animal feed and other products such as biodiesel. The first of this two-volume collections reviews advances in understanding of soybean physiology and genetics as well as breeding and more efficient methods of cultivation.

Advances in precision dairy and beef farming technologies

Precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies are gaining significant momentum due to their remarkable ability to measure and monitor physiological and behavioural traits in individual animals. With this data in hand, farmers are equipped with the tools to make more informed decisions which can ...

Achieving sustainable production of milk volume 2

Safety remains a key issue for the dairy industry. This book reviews current research on understanding and managing pathogens in dairy farms. It also discusses more recent concerns about the environmental impact of dairy farming and ways it can be made more sustainable, including in developing co...

Achieving sustainable production of milk volume 1

This book provides a detailed review of current research on key components and quality traits of milk as well as ways of measuring milk quality. It then discusses genetic factors affecting these traits and how they can be used to improve breeding of dairy cows.

The science and practice of agroecology

This book provides a detailed overview of key developments in agroecology – the theoretical foundation for more sustainable approaches such as regenerative agriculture. It focuses on how agroecological knowledge can be translated into farming practices across distinct agroecosystems.

Modelling climate change impacts on agricultural systems

This collection summarises the wealth of research on ways to improve models predicting the impact of climate change on agricultural systems, as well as their application to understanding impacts in particular regions.

Advances in conservation agriculture volume 1

By focussing on soil health, Conservation Agriculture (CA) is seen as more sustainable than conventional production. This volume summarises research on key components for successful CA including no-till techniques, soil cover and cropping systems as well as the role of livestock and agroforestry.

Developing alternative animal feed ingredients

This book provides a detailed overview of the range of alternative animal feed ingredients, ranging from plant co-products and food waste, to single-cell proteins and seaweed and algae. The book also addresses the key issues and challenges facing their development, such as the need to meet nutrit...

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from livestock production

This collection reviews measurement and modelling of methane emissions and current mitigation strategies, including improving breeding and health, manure management as well as the role of grassland and feed supplements.

Optimising poultry flock health

This collection reviews the range of recent research on improving our understanding of the mechanisms of disease transmission and how this understanding can be used to improve poultry flock health.

Advances in conservation agriculture volume 3

Conservation Agriculture (CA) seeks to understand the ecological basis of sustainability, whilst making better use of soil as a key resource in farming. Following on from previous volumes that discussed the systems, science, practice and benefits of CA, Volume 3 reviews the adoption and spread of...

Achieving sustainable cultivation of sugarcane volume 1

Sugarcane is the source of 80% of the world’s sugar. This volume reviews key research on improving sugarcane production, focussing on enhancing cultivation techniques such as irrigation and nutrient management as well as measuring and improving sustainability.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of sorghum volume 1

Sorghum is the fifth most important cereal crop (after rice, maize, wheat and barley). The first volume in this two-volume collection reviews advances in understanding sorghum physiology and genetics as well as developments in breeding new varieties and their more efficient cultivation.

Optimising pig herd health and production

This collection summarises the wealth of research on optimising pig health to prevent the occurrence and spread of major diseases known to the pig industry, such as African Swine Fever (ASF) and Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS).

Achieving net zero dairy farming

To meet the targets outlined in the 2015 Paris Agreement, many countries are actively working towards reaching climate neutrality and achieving net zero by 2050. With the livestock sector estimated to contribute approximately 11-17% of global greenhouse gas emissions, more research and innovation...

Smart farms

This collection reviews recent advances in processing and analysing data to provide actionable outcomes for farmers to be able to achieve a more sustainable agriculture and reduce the sector’s contribution to climate change.

Advances in breeding of dairy cattle

Dairy cattle breeding faces challenges such as reduced genetic diversity and the improvement of production over functional traits. This collection reviews the latest research on genetics, genetic diversity and advanced methods of genetic evaluation and selection.

Biopesticides for sustainable agriculture

Part 1 of this collection reviews research on developing and assessing new biopesticides. Part 2 summarises advances in different types of entomopathogenic biopesticide. Part 3 assesses semiochemical, peptide-based and other natural substance-based biopesticides.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of barley

This collection reviews advances in understanding barley physiology and genetics, molecular breeding and cultivation techniques, as well as disease and weed management. It also discusses advances in improving barley for end uses such as malting and brewing.

Advances in monitoring of native and invasive insect pests of crops

Early detection of insect pests is critical to successful integrated pest management (IPM) programmes. This collection reviews the wealth of research on improving monitoring techniques for the detection of both native and alien insect pests.

Advances in postharvest management of cereals and grains

Part 1 of this collection assesses the causes of postharvest losses. Part 2 reviews advances in storage technologies, including management of insect pests using techniques such as fumigation, controlled atmospheres and biopesticides, as well as control of fungal contamination.

Improving the quality of apples

This collection reviews the wealth of recent research undertaken on the factors which can determine the quality of apples, focussing on attributes such as texture and nutritional content. The book also considers how these attributes can be optimised at both the pre- and postharvest stages in the ...

Seaweed and microalgae as alternative sources of protein

This collection summarises current developments in utilising seaweed and microalgae as alternative sources of protein. Chapters focus on identifying the different types of macroalgae and microalgae, cultivation and processing, as well as the practical application in human and livestock diets.

Advances in sensor technology for sustainable crop production

This collection reviews key advances in sensor technology, including developments in proximal and remote sensing techniques to measure and monitor crop health, weeds and diseases.

Improving organic animal farming

This collection addresses recent research on challenges facing organic animal farming such as more targeted breeding, improved grazing and feed rations, better methods of health and disease management as well as ways of enhancing animal welfare.

Advances in ensuring the microbiological safety of fresh produce

This collection reviews the wide range of research on preventing microbial contamination of fresh fruit and vegetables, from understanding key pathogens to ways of detecting and preventing contamination across the supply chain.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of oil palm volume 2

The second in this two-volume sequence discusses advances in understanding and managing pests and diseases. It also reviews ways of assessing its nutritional qualities as well as in measuring and minimising its environment impact.

Advances in biocontrol of crop insect pests

The biocontrol sector continues to expand and diversify. This collection reviews some of the key developments in the creation of new sustainable solutions to manage crop insect pests without the need for synthetic pesticides.

Protecting natural capital and biodiversity in the agri-food sector

This collection considers the importance of accounting for and protecting natural capital and biodiversity in the agri-food sector. The book reviews recent advances in natural capital, biodiversity and extinction accounting and how these methods are being applied in different sectors and regions ...

Managing soil health for sustainable agriculture volume 2

Soil health is critical to a successful agriculture. This second volume reviews ways of classifying and measuring soils and their properties. It then discusses ways soil health can be maintained or enhanced to ensure sustainable agricultural production, as well as regional case studies of managin...

Integrated management of insect pests: current and future developments

This volume reviews current developments in integrated pest management (IPM), focussing on insect pests. It discusses advances in understanding species and landscape ecology on which IPM is founded, as well as advances in cultural, physical and biological methods of control.

The european spruce bark beetle

This book reviews current research on understanding and controlling the European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus), one of the most important threats facing forests in Europe and North America.

Managing biodiversity in agricultural landscapes

This collection reviews the wealth of research on ways to promote biodiversity within agricultural landscapes, focussing on the range of conservation, restoration and rewilding practices farmers and landowners can adopt.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of tree nuts

This collection reviews the wealth of research addressing key issues facing the cultivation of tree nuts. Part 1 discusses the health benefits of tree nuts. Part 2 addresses safety issues. The remaining parts assess advances in breeding, cultivation and the management of pests and diseases.

Developing smart agri-food supply chains

This collection provides an authoritative assessment of the current issues challenging the safety of agri-food supply chains and the recent technological developments implemented to improve safety and quality at all levels.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of bananas volume 1

Bananas are the world’s most popular fruit and the fourth most important crop in the developing world after rice, wheat and maize. The volume reviews current production around the world and how developments in cultivation practice can be used to improve yields sustainably.

Preventing food losses and waste to achieve food security and sustainability

Around one third of all food production is lost or wasted. This book provides a comprehensive review of the causes and prevention of food losses and waste at key steps in the supply chain, for different commodities and across particular regions.

Robotics and automation for improving agriculture

Robotics has great potential in improving productivity and precision in agriculture. The book reviews advances in technologies such as machine vision and control systems, as well as applications from crop planting, fertilisation, pest and weed management to livestock production.

Achieving sustainable turfgrass management

This collection summarises and reviews the wealth of recent research addressing key challenges facing the turfgrass industry, including the need to reduce its carbon footprint and contribution to climate change.

Ensuring safety and quality in the production of beef volume 2

Volume 2 reviews developments related to quality, starting with the way breeding and growth affect meat quality. The book then discusses cattle nutrition and management before concluding with an assessment of factors determining individual quality traits such as colour and flavour.

Understanding the behaviour and improving the welfare of pigs

This collection reviews the genetic and developmental factors that affect pig behaviour and assesses ways of optimising pig welfare at different stages of production, from breeding to slaughter.

Achieving sustainable production of sheep

Sheep have long been a feature of farming. This collection reviews the latest research on issues such as meat quality, genetics and breeding. It also discusses animal nutrition, health and welfare as well as ways of improving the sustainability of sheep production.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of hemp

The global industrial hemp market is estimated to reach $18.6 billion by 2027, with hemp now recognised as a more sustainable crop due to its ability to absorb and store up to twice as much carbon as trees. Despite its versatility, there remains significant concerns surrounding its regulation, as...

Achieving sustainable cultivation of rice volume 1

This collection reviews advances in breeding techniques as well as improving traits such as flood or drought resistance. It also discusses advances in understanding the nutritional role of rice and ways this can be enhanced to feed a growing population.

Achieving sustainable production of poultry meat volume 2

There have been significant advances in poultry breeding and nutrition. This books discusses key developments such as marker-assisted breeding and improvements in poultry feed such as the use of enzymes to optimise nutritional efficiency.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of soybeans volume 2

The second volume in this two-volume collection focusses on ways of improving the management of pests and diseases of soybean. It also reviews research on improving the nutritional value and shelf-life of soybeans as well as its uses in animal feed and biodiesel.

Rice insect pests and their management

This book uses the unique expertise of leading rice entomologists from Africa, Asia and the Americas to provide the first global coverage of rice insect pests. The groups of insects discussed are : Root and stem feeders, Stem borers, Rice gall midges, Leafhoppers and planthoppers, Foliage feeders...

Achieving sustainable production of pig meat volume 3

Maintaining animal health and high standards of animal welfare are seen as key to sustainable livestock production. This volume reviews the effective management of diseases affecting pigs as well as ways of defining and promoting animal welfare in pig production.

Achieving sustainable production of eggs volume 2

Welfare and sustainability are now major issues in egg production. This book reviews nutrition and other aspects of husbandry affecting laying hens as well as the environmental impact of egg production and how it can be made more sustainable.

Advances in poultry nutrition

This collection provides a comprehensive overview of the range of research on recent advances in poultry nutrition, focussing primarily on broilers for meat production. The book also reviews the development of novel feed sources and their role in optimising gut function in poultry.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of cassava volume 2

Volume 2 reviews genetic resources and breeding techniques as well as their use to produce varieties with traits such as enhanced resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. It also discusses key pests and diseases and their management in making cultivation more efficient and sustainable.

Transforming food systems

This book assesses one of the great global challenges of our time: how to reform food systems so they are more sustainable but still able to produce the food we need. It reviews the pros and cons of reformist, progressive and radical solutions and how we might choose between them.

Improving data management and decision support systems in agriculture

Part 1 reviews general issues underpinning effective decision support systems (DSS) such as data access, standards, tagging and security. Part 2 contains case studies of the practical application of DSS in areas such as crop planting and nutrition, livestock feed and pasture management as well as...

Agriculture, land use and the path to net zero

This book provides a comprehensive review of the contribution of land use for farming to global greenhouse gas emissions and how agricultural land use can be optimised to achieve net zero.

Integrated disease management of wheat and barley

Diseases remain a serious problem in cereal cultivation. The first parts of the book review current research on fungal diseases of cereals and the challenge of fungicide resistance. The book then discusses breeding resistant varieties and methods for integrated disease management of cereals.

Water management for sustainable agriculture

There is increasing competition for water resources with declining aquifer reserves and lower rainfall in some areas due to climate change. This volume reviews research into topics such as more sustainable use of groundwater, more efficient irrigation techniques and water management.

Understanding and optimising the nutraceutical properties of fruit and vegetables

This collection reviews research on phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables, their health benefits and ways these benefits can be optimised to improve human health.

Achieving sustainable production of pig meat volume 2

Pig production faces many hurdles in meeting increasing global demand sustainably. This volume discusses advances in breeding to improve both productivity and quality. It also reviews key developments in improving animal nutrition.

Achieving sustainable cultivation of sorghum volume 2

Volume 2 in this sequence summarises key research on the wide range of uses of sorghum as food, animal feed and for biofuel. It also assesses the challenges of growing sorghum in different parts of the world and how these are being addressed.

Developing animal feed products

This volume reviews key research and the challenges faced in developing new livestock feed products that promote growth whilst also enhancing both product quality and safety. This collection also summarises recent key developments in the sector, including a better understanding of gut function an...

Achieving sustainable cultivation of sugarcane volume 2

Sugarcane cultivation faces a range of challenges to improve yields sustainably. This volumes reviews how these challenges can be addressed through developments in breeding as well as better management of pests and diseases.

Lessons from reforestation of agricultural landscapes in south-eastern australia

Extensive areas spanning billions of hectares within the world’s arable landscapes are heavily degraded, have suffered losses of biodiversity, and require major restoration efforts. Indeed, the United Nations declared 2021-2030 to be the decade of restoration. The restoration challenges facing so...

Advances in understanding and improving the use of enzymes in broiler nutrition

The supplementation of exogenous enzymes in diets is a common practice in the poultry industry. Different enzymes are used to target specific substrates: phytase acts on phytate, protease acts on proteins of peptides, xylanase acts on arabinoxylan, and amylase acts on starch. The utilization of t...

Integration of organic dairy cows into a whole farm context

Integration within natural cycles and between farmed enterprises are routes through which we can develop organic dairy farming into an ecologically principled form of food production with animal and human welfare benefits. Integration requires relationships of varying degrees of synergy and compl...

Advances in understanding the cellular basis of feed efficiency in poultry muscle

Feed efficiency is a complex and very important genetic trait in broiler production. Content in this chapter is an overview of over 20 years of research of investigating mitochondrial physiology, gene and protein expression that enables a ‘proteogenomic picture’ to be ‘painted’ to aid in understa...

Molecular interventions for improving crop nitrogen use efficiency: trends, opportunities and challenges in rice

Crop improvement for nitrogen (N) use efficiency (NUE) has been complicated by too many definitions for NUE, different forms of N inputs and different harvested outputs, apart from the large number of genes and processes involved. The recent characterization of the NUE phenotype in rice and the a...

Developments in the use of enhanced efficiency nitrogen fertilizers

To sustainably feed a growing population, we need to increase the efficiency of nitrogen (N) fertilizers while reducing their negative impacts on the environment. Enhanced efficiency fertilizers (EEFs) show promise in reducing the loss of reactive N (Nr: all species of N except N2) to the environ...

The role and range of voluntary standards and certification systems governing sustainable agricultural practices

This chapter charts the development and progressive broadening of sustainability as a concept, focusing on the particular role of voluntary sustainability standards set up by individual companies as well as sectors such as coffee and palm oil. It discusses the challenges of coordinating the multi...

Sustainability standards and certification for agriculture: an overview

The number of sustainability standards and certifications applied in agricultural supply chains has grown considerably in the past decade, creating confusion for consumers and challenges for producers, particularly small-scale producers in developing countries. This chapter provides an overview o...

Advances in understanding and exploiting the pig genome

In recent years, pig genetics and breeding has been revolutionized by advances in genomics. This chapter outlines current developments in pig genetics and genomics including long-read sequencing, telomere-to-telomere assembly, low-pass sequencing for genomic prediction, functional genomics, fine-...

Soil health and ecological restoration

Soil health is central for provisioning and supporting ecosystem services for both agriculture and restored natural lands. Agricultural systems create different challenges for soil health that can degrade land and require implementation of restoration strategies. It is important that restoration ...

Understanding and optimizing the use of exogenous enzymes in pig nutrition

For more than 30 years, feed enzymes have been used to reduce ration formulation costs by saving on costly nutrients. In this chapter, the authors discuss how the enzymatic capacity of neonate and mature pigs can be augmented through the addition of protease and amylase in respect to the contrast...

Genetic engineering of insects to inhibit insect pest reproduction

This chapter reviews key few methods of genetic biocontrol focusing on those systems that have been developed for crop insect pests. These include “sterile release systems” where e.g. sterilized males produce sperm which carries dominant lethal mutations that result in their offspring failing to ...

Developing decision support systems for irrigation/water management on farms

This chapter reviews basic considerations in the development of tools to assist a decision-maker in making informed decisions and improve decision outcomes. This chapter reviews software engineering guidelines that facilitate the development of easily maintainable software tools. Water in the far...

Ensuring pig feed safety

This chapter covers the safety of feed for pigs. Reducing the risk of biological hazards in feed manufacturing facilities is an important part of the complete biosecurity plan for livestock producers. Research in the past several years has demonstrated the ability of pathogens to survive in feed ...

Developing plant-based insect biocontrol agents

Botanical pesticides and specifically essential oils have gained popularity as novel, safe pesticides to replace the traditional synthetic products. They are well known to act throughout different modes-of-action against insects causing different neurotoxic effects ranging from repellency to toxi...

Understanding and improving global agri-food supply chains in an interconnected world: a systems approach

Agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) are complex, interconnected networks that span the world, yet they are highly influenced by regional contexts, as the chapters from this book have illustrated. From large-scale farming in countries like the United States to small and medium-sized farmers in Latin A...

Crop physiological responses to irrigation and regulatory mechanisms

Irrigated croplands are especially productive but increasing costs of irrigation infrastructure, and political pressures on abstraction, requires enhanced irrigation efficiency. Farmers may be risk-averse to growing with less irrigation, requiring that the irrigation science community develop tec...

Nutrient requirements of broilers: an overview of factors affecting feed formulation

The information available on the nutrient requirements of broilers to maximize production or economics returns, is abundant but the data are often inconsistent because of factors such as the methodology used to estimate bird requirements and the differences in the nutritional value attributed to ...

Organic dairy farming in europe: building on the past to develop the future

The founding principles of organic farming (health, ecology, fairness and care) guide the overall ethos of organic farming in an ever-changing environment. Using these principles, this introductory chapter discusses the key environmental, welfare, economic and other challenges facing contemporary...

The effects of no-till and related practices in preventing soil erosion

This chapter discusses the effects of no-till (NT) and related practices in preventing soil erosion. It starts by first focusing on the effects NT practices have on soil properties related to erosion risk, such as bulk density, pore size distribution, saturated hydraulic conductivity, available w...

Agri-food supply chains in western and northern europe

Western and Northern Europe are important regions for food production and supply for Europe and globally. With a combination of new supply chain management techniques and technological advancement, there are useful insights from the region on modern food production, value addition and associated ...

The economics of nitrogen in farming systems and beyond

Nitrogen fertilizer is a key factor determining the physical and economic productivity of agriculture. Decisions about nitrogen involve various economic considerations, at the farm, regional or national level. Beyond the farm level, the economics of nitrogen are important in designing policies to...

Accelerating genomic improvement in pigs by using reproductive biotechnologies

To meet the food demand of the growing population, there's a need to increase the amount of protein produced from animals. Pork is the second largest contributor of global meat consumption. Identifying ways to increase the efficiency of pig production is pivotal to meeting the US and global deman...

Using macroalgae/seaweed and microalgae in poultry feed

This chapter describes the main nutritional characteristics of algae and the current knowledge on their effects in poultry production with consideration to their impacts on animal health, growth performance, and product quality (eggs and meat). The chemical and nutritional value of algae is explo...

Advances in proximal instrumental techniques for measuring gully and rill erosion of agricultural soils

Ephemeral gully and rill erosion have significant effects on agricultural land around the world. The characterization and quantification of these phenomena require us to determine their geometry and evolution, through either 3D or 2D approaches. 3D techniques are able to cover large areas at the ...

Measuring and modelling on-farm greenhouse gas emissions : the basis for achieving climate-neutral farming

Greenhouse gas emissions on the farm have different sources: livestock, soils, plants on crop- and grasslands, and fuel and energy consumption. For livestock, methane emissions are most relevant, whereas on crop- and grasslands, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide show the most impact. There are a r...

The role of ammonium transport proteins in improving nitrogen use efficiency in crop production

Nitrogen (N) is a key macronutrient required for plant growth and reproduction. Ammonium (NH4+) is a readily available nitrogen source for plant growth and an important contributor to net plant nitrogen uptake and utilisation. It is suggested that members of the high-affinity ammonium transporter...

Fulfilling the promise of sustainability certification: reflections from the rainforest alliance

Since the emergence of voluntary sustainability standards in the 1990s, certification has gone mainstream, boosting traceability, providing a platform for diverse stakeholders to collaborate, accelerating corporate due diligence policies and driving many on-farm improvements such as higher crop y...

Advances in understanding and improving the use of amino acids in poultry nutrition