The majority of meat, milk, and eggs consumed in the United States are produced in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO). With concentrated animal operations, in turn comes concentrated manure accumulation, which can pose a threat of contamination of air, soil, and water if improperly managed. Animal Manure: Production, Characteristics, Environmental Concerns, and Management navigates these important environmental concerns while detailing opportunities for environmentally and economically beneficial utilization.
By the year 2050, the world's population is expected to reach nine billion. To feed and sustain this projected population, world food production must increase by at least 50 percent on much of the same land that we farm today. To meet this staggering challenge, scientists must develop the technology required to achieve an "evergreen" revolution-one
Controlled Release Fertilizers for Sustainable Agriculture provides a comprehensive examination of precision fertilizer applications using the 4-R approach—the right amount of fertilizer at the right time to the right plant at the correct stage of plant growth. This volume consolidates detailed information on each aspect of controlled release fertilizers, including up-to-date literature citations, the current market for controlled release fertilizers and patents. Presenting the tremendous advances in experimental and theoretical studies on sustainable agriculture and related areas, this book provides in-depth insight into state-of-the-art controlled release mechanisms of fertilizers, techniques, and their use in sustainable agriculture. Conventional release mechanisms have historically meant waste of fertilizers and the adverse effects of that waste on the environment. Controlled release delivery makes significant strides in enhancing fertilizer benefit to the target plant, while protecting the surrounding environment and increasing sustainability. - Presents cutting-edge interdisciplinary insights specifically focused on the controlled release of fertilizers - Explores the benefits and challenges of 4-R fertilizer use - Includes expertise from leading researchers in the fields of agriculture, polymer science, and nanotechnology working in industry, academics, government, and private research institutions across the globe - Presents the tremendous advances in experimental and theoretical studies on sustainable agriculture and related areas
This book is a review of the recent literature on the key scientific and technical subjects of fertilization management in vegetable crops. In the last decades, research on fertilization management in vegetables was aimed at producing economical yields with reduced fertilizer inputs by the development and implementation of cropping systems, nutrient management approaches and crop varieties. Examples of the interventions in cropping systems included adequate crop rotations, inter-cropping, double cropping, and other strategies for a better soil organic matter management; nutrient management approaches included modelling, Decision Support Systems, crop nutritional status testing and precision agriculture technologies; amelioration of crop varieties has been directed toward higher nutrient/fertilizer use efficiency.
Nutrient imbalance in soils is an emerging threat to sustainable agriculture: intensive cultivation, use of poor quality groundwater, depletion of soil organic matter and excessive use of fertilizers are major reasons for poor soil fertility worldwide. This necessitates correct diagnosis of plant nutrient deficiencies to avoid further use of pesticides in cases where pests or pathogens that are not in fact the cause of poor crop health. Richly illustrated with 600 colour photographs, this book is a visual field identification guide for symptoms of most common nutrient deficiencies in field crops, covering all their stages of occurrence. Detailed descriptions and suggested for management practices are given with each entry.
