Research Developments in Saline Agriculture

Research Developments in Saline Agriculture
Author: Jagdish Chander Dagar
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 918
Release: 2019-06-21
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 981135832X

Soil and water salinity is a major challenge for the agricultural community and policy makers in terms of meeting the burgeoning population’s demand for food and other agricultural commodities. In coastal regions, climate change and sea level rise will aggravate the problem with more and more areas becoming saline due to intrusion of sea water. As such there is a pressing need for modern tools and innovative techniques for the identification of salty soils and poor-quality waters, crop production, soil reclamation and lowering the water table in waterlogged areas. Tackling next-generation problems such as contamination of soil and underground water due to fluoride and arsenic, as well as developing multi-stress tolerant crops is also a high priority. Further, techniques for domesticating halophytes, mangrove-based aquacultures, using seaweed cultures as agricultural crops and integrated farming systems need to be perfected. This book addresses all these aspects in detail, highlighting the diverse solutions to tackle the complex problem of salinity and waterlogging and safer management of poor-quality waters. With chapters written by leading experts, it is a valuable resource for researchers planning future investigations, policy makers, farmers and other stakeholders, and for students wanting insights into vital issues of environment.

Irrigation and Soil Salinity in the Indian Subcontinent

Irrigation and Soil Salinity in the Indian Subcontinent
Author: N. T. Singh
Publisher: Lehigh University Press
Total Pages: 408
Release: 2005
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9780934223782

This book deals with the development of irrigation in the subcontinent since the beginning of settled agriculture, and its possible connections with the occurrence of salinity and alkalinity in irrigated lands.

Agroforestry

Agroforestry
Author: Jagdish Chander Dagar
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 869
Release: 2018-04-06
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9811076502

Agroforestry (AF) is a dynamic, ecologically based, natural resources management system that, by integrating trees on farms, ranches, and in other landscapes, diversifies and increases production and promotes social, economic, and environmental benefits for land users. Further, it is receiving increasing attention as a sustainable land-management option worldwide because of its ecological, economic, and social attributes. Advances have been achieved by building on past research accomplishments and expanding AF’s stakeholder base, which now includes private/public partnerships, communities, ecologists, farmers, indigenous peoples, and policymakers in both temperate and tropical countries. AF has now been recognized as a valuable problem-solving approach to ensuring food security and rebuilding resilient rural environments. Recent studies have shown that more than 1 billion hectares of agricultural land have more than 10% tree cover. Of this area, 160 million hectares have more than 50% tree cover. Agricultural ecosystems can be further improved through AF to achieve environmental restoration, greater farm productivity, and key ecological services, including climate change mitigation and adaptation for improved rural livelihood. In fact, it is largely considered synonymous with climate smart agriculture and a remedy for many modern environmental challenges. Consequently, AF’s knowledge base is being expanded at a rapid rate, as illustrated by the increasing number and quality of scientific publications on various forms and different aspects of AF. This book offers state-of-the-art information on the fundamental concepts and history of AF and its evolution as a science, presenting a wealth of advanced research results and evaluations relating to different aspects of AF. Accordingly, it will be useful for a broad readership, including students, foresters, farmers, local communities, indigenous peoples, civil society institutions, media, policymakers and the general public.

Contribution

Contribution
Author: Hawaii Institute of Geophysics
Publisher:
Total Pages: 946
Release: 1957
Genre: Geophysics
ISBN:

Sustainable Biofuels

Sustainable Biofuels
Author: Ajay Kumar Bhardwaj
Publisher: Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG
Total Pages: 324
Release: 2015-04-24
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3110381338

With oil resources approaching their limits, biofuels have become increasingly attractive. This book provides a detailed description of the ecological implications of second and third generation biofuel feedstock production systems, beginning with an introduction to the importance of ecological sustainability alongside economic viability. The book is divided into sections describing theoretical foundation and benefits of various biofuel cropping systems, and providing a description of practical ecological limitations to achieve those fundamental benefits. The book covers such critical issues as greenhouse gas emissions, carbon balance, water cycle components, other biogeochemical and socioeconomic interactions alongside life cycle analysis principals for achieving sustainability. These are some of the most important sustainability, environmental and economic issues which biofuel industry and scientific community is seeking answers to.

Agroforestry for the Management of Waterlogged Saline Soils and Poor-Quality Waters

Agroforestry for the Management of Waterlogged Saline Soils and Poor-Quality Waters
Author: Jagdish Chander Dagar
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 214
Release: 2016-02-11
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 8132226593

Land degradation caused by salinity and waterlogging is a global problem afflicting about one billion hectares and endangering the food security of at least 75 countries. Since the social, economic and environmental costs of on and/off-farm reclamation techniques are high, agroforestry is now emerging as a potential tool, not only for arresting salinity and waterlogging, but also for other environmental services like mitigating climate change, sequestering carbon and restoring biodiversity. This publication addresses the vital issues, principles and practices related to rehabilitation using agroforestry and includes many site-specific case studies from a number of the world’s typical catchments. Written by leading researchers, the book is a must, not only for scientists whose research interests lie in soil salinity, waterlogging and poor-quality waters, but also policy makers, environmentalists, students, and educationists alike. More importantly, it contributes to reversing the salinity trends and ensuring the livelihoods of resource-poor farming families living in these harsh agro-ecosystems.

Sustainable Management and Conservation of Environmental Resources in India

Sustainable Management and Conservation of Environmental Resources in India
Author: Sumit Chakravarty
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 526
Release: 2024-11-22
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1040013821

The concept of natural resource sustainability has taken on new importance in today’s world, and community participation in the conservation of forest resources is essential for generating innovative sustainability solutions. This new book looks at some of the important issues in sustainability and natural resource conservation, including pollution, agroforestry, forest fire detection and monitoring, sericulture-based agroforestry, soil quality preservation and restoration, and remote sensing and machine learning for improved agriculture.

Agroforestry Systems in India: Livelihood Security & Ecosystem Services

Agroforestry Systems in India: Livelihood Security & Ecosystem Services
Author: Jagdish Chander Dagar
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 404
Release: 2013-11-26
Genre: Science
ISBN: 8132216628

Agroforestry, the word coined in early seventies, has made its place in all the developed and the developing countries of the world and is now recognized as an important approach to ensuring food security and rebuilding resilient rural environments. India has been an all-time leader in agroforestry. The South and Southeast Asia region comprising India is often described as the cradle of agroforestry. Almost all forms of agroforestry systems exist across India in ecozones ranging from humid tropical lowlands to high-altitude and temperate biomes, and perhumid rainforest zones to parched drylands. The country ranks foremost among the community of nations not only in terms of this enormous diversity and long tradition of the practice of agroforestry, but also in fostering scientific developments in the subject. Agroforestry applies to private agricultural and forest lands and communities that also include highly erodible, flood-prone, economically marginal and environmentally sensitive lands. The typical situation is agricultural, where trees are added to create desired benefits. Agroforestry allows for the diversification of farm activities and makes better use of environmental resources. Owing to an increase in the population of human and cattle, there is increasing demand of food as well as fodder, particularly in developing countries like India. So far, there is no policy that deals with specifics in agroforestry in India. But, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research has been discussing on the scope of having a National Agroforestry Policy in appropriate platforms. However, evolving a policy requires good and reliable datasets from different corners of the country on the subject matter. This synthesis volume containing 13 chapters is an attempt to collate available information in a classified manner into different system ecologies, problems and solutions, and converging them into a policy support.