A wide range of pests, diseases, and nutrient deficiencies can zap the vitality of any cannabis garden. Inexperienced gardeners often rely on pesticides that are not registered for edibles, as well as other harmful or ineffective techniques that can render plants unusable. This resourceful guide comes to the rescue, showing gardeners how to win back a garden and nurture plants to their full potential, using safe, organic, and integrated pest management techniques. In addition to providing readers with the know-how to get their plants healthy, Marijuana Pest and Disease Control highlights design and garden practices to prevent future infections. Author Ed Rosenthal gears the book to gardeners at every level of experience and in any growing situation from indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse to hydro and terrace gardens. Extensive color photographs and illustration help identify the exact problem.

Why call an exterminator? Save thousands of dollars every year. Protect your family and property, and keep yourself safe from disease. This guide will teach you the art of responsible pest elimination. Have you stared at shelves of pesticides wondering which to buy, which are safe, which treatment will eliminate your pest, and how to apply it? If so, this book is for you. You only lack the trade secrets and the knowledge, such as safe application methods, how to prevent an attack in the first place, when killing is not necessary, and how all of this affects our environment. Before you buy your next can of bug spray, before you get bitten again, before you buy or sell a house, or before you go outdoors, read this book and learn how to: Kill all types of household and yard pests; Select the appropriate pesticides and use them safely; Kill responsibly; Kill without chemicals; Affordably protect your home or apartment from pests; Minimize environmental impact; Decide when to use residual or non-residual pesticides; Select the appropriate equipment; Prevent insect bites; Inspect a property before buying; Design a pest-proof house; Kill noxious weeds; Prevent your pets from getting ticks; Avoid deadly house explosions during flea treatments; Find vitamins that help prevent insect-borne diseases; Kill bedbugs or prevent infestations; Kill fire ants with only water; Kill head lice safely; Prevent deer and rabbits from eating your garden; Kill termites for only a few dollars instead of thousands. YOU are smarter than a bug! The book's first half explains pesticides in layman's terms, advises which to purchase, and how to use them safely. The second half explains how to control insects, fungus and animals with or without pesticides. After reading, any layperson becomes an expert pest controller saving thousands of dollars and providing a pest free environment to live in.

Pedigo and Rice expertly combine basic and applied entomology in this reader-friendly, pedagogically rich text. Assuming only a background in elementary biology, the authors present the major elements of general entomology before moving on to concepts in insect biology and ecology necessary for understanding insect pest management. Both theory and practice are emphasized as readers explore pertinent topics. The authors discuss pest-management issues—both preventive and curative—as aspects of applied ecology, with solutions considering environmental quality, profitability, and durability. Insect diagnostic boxes with detailed information on distribution, importance, appearance, and life cycles of particular species and groups appear throughout the text. Readers will come away with a comprehensive introduction to applied, sustainable pest management appropriate for whatever commodities they must handle.

The brown recluse is a fascinating spider very well adapted to dwelling in houses and other buildings. Because of this very quality and the ghastly reputation associated with the medical consequences of its bite, it has become infamous throughout North America. Although recluse spiders can cause serious skin injuries and, in very rare cases, death, the danger posed by this spider is often exaggerated as a result of arachnophobia and the misdiagnosis of non-spider-related conditions as brown recluse bites. These misdiagnoses often occur in areas of North America where the spider does not exist, making legitimate bites improbable. One of the greatest factors that keeps the myths alive is misidentification of common (and harmless) spiders as brown recluses. With this book, Richard S. Vetter hopes to educate readers regarding the biology of the spider and medical aspects of its bites, to reduce the incidence of misdiagnoses, and to quell misplaced anxiety.

In The Brown Recluse Spider, Vetter covers topics such as taxonomy, identification, misidentification, life history characteristics and biology, medical aspects of envenomations, medical conditions misdiagnosed as brown recluse bites, other spider species of medical consideration (several of which have been wrongly implicated as threats to human health), and the psychology behind the entrenched reasons why people believe so deeply in the presence of the spider in the face of strong, contradictory information. Vetter also makes recommendations for control of the spider for households in areas where the spiders are found and describes other species of recluse spiders in North America. Although The Brown Recluse Spider was written for a general audience, it is also a valuable source of information for arachnologists and medical personnel.

Integrated Pest Management: Current Concepts and Ecological Perspective presents an overview of alternative measures to traditional pest management practices using biological control and biotechnology. The removal of some highly effective broad-spectrum chemicals, caused by concerns over environmental health and public safety, has resulted in the development of alternative, reduced risk crop protection products. These products, less toxic to the environment and easily integrated into biological control systems, target specific life stages or pest species. Predation — recognized as a suitable, long-term strategy — effectively suppresses pests in biotechnological control systems.

Integrated Pest Management covers these topics and more. It explores the current ecological approaches in alternative solutions, such as biological control agents, parasites and predators, pathogenic microorganisms, pheromones and natural products as well as ecological approaches for managing invasive pests, rats, suppression of weeds, safety of pollinators, role of taxonomy and remote sensing in IPM and future projections of IPM. This book is a useful resource to entomologists, agronomists, horticulturists, and environmental scientists.

Fills a gap in the literature by providing critical analysis of different management strategies that have a bearing on agriculture, sustainability and environmental protection Synthesizes research and practice on integrated pest managementEmphasizes an overview of management strategies, with critical evaluation of each in the larger context of ecologically based pest management

From nibbling on fruit bushes to destroying flower beds, unwanted deer pose a frustrating and challenging obstacle to even the most patient gardeners. Rhonda Massingham Hart provides insights into deer behavior and offers a variety of proven techniques to keep your deer problem under control. Learn how to choose the best fence types, landscape with plants deer detest, make effective homemade repellents, and much more. You’ll have all the information you need to maintain a pristine, deer-free landscape. 

At 4:00 am, Leonida Wanyama lit a lantern in her house made of sticks and mud. She was up long before the sun to begin her farm work, as usual. But this would be no ordinary day, this second Friday of the new year. This was the day Leonida and a group of smallholder farmers in western Kenya would begin their exodus, as she said, “from misery to Canaan,” the land of milk and honey.Africa’s smallholder farmers, most of whom are women, know misery. They toil in a time warp, living and working essentially as their forebears did a century ago. With tired seeds, meager soil nutrition, primitive storage facilities, wretched roads, and no capital or credit, they harvest less than one-quarter the yields of Western farmers. The romantic ideal of African farmers––rural villagers in touch with nature, tending bucolic fields––is in reality a horror scene of malnourished children, backbreaking manual work, and profound hopelessness. Growing food is their driving preoccupation, and still they don’t have enough to feed their families throughout the year. The wanjala––the annual hunger season that can stretch from one month to as many as eight or nine––abides.But in January 2011, Leonida and her neighbors came together and took the enormous risk of trying to change their lives. Award-winning author and world hunger activist Roger Thurow spent a year with four of them––Leonida Wanyama, Rasoa Wasike, Francis Mamati, and Zipporah Biketi––to intimately chronicle their efforts. In The Last Hunger Season, he illuminates the profound challenges these farmers and their families face, and follows them through the seasons to see whether, with a little bit of help from a new social enterprise organization called One Acre Fund, they might transcend lives of dire poverty and hunger.The daily dramas of the farmers’ lives unfold against the backdrop of a looming global challenge: to feed a growing population, world food production must nearly double by 2050. If these farmers succeed, so might we all.

Biological Control in Agricultural IPM Systems covers the proceedings of the 1984 symposium on Biological Control in Agricultural IPM Systems, held in the Citrus Research and Education Center of the University of Florida at Lake Alfred. The symposium summarizes the status and practical use of biological control in agricultural integrated pest management (IPM) systems in the United States. The book is organized into seven parts encompassing 31 chapters that cover the biological control of arthropods, weeds, plant pathogens, and nematodes.
After briefly discussing the status and issues of biological control in IPM, the book deals with the basic principles of IPM programs and their related costs, risks, and benefits in biological control. The text also describes the compatibility of plant resistance with biological control of arthropods and the chemical mediated host or prey selection behaviors of entomophagous insects attacking herbivorous insect pests. It explains the development of microbial insecticides; the genetic improvement of insect pathogens; the use of entomogenous nematodes in cryptic and soil habitats; and the techniques for integrating the influences of natural enemies into models of crop/pest systems. The fourth part of the book focuses on the biological control of weeds. The following part considers the general concepts relating to the unique characteristics of plant diseases affecting aerial plant parts. This part also examines the biological control of soil plant pathogens in IPM systems and the use of soilborne viruses, bacteriocins, and hypovirulent strains of fungi as biological control agents. The concluding parts describe the biological control of nematodes and the status and limits to biological control in selected commodity IPM systems, such as citrus, grapes, alfalfa, cotton, and soybean.
Entomologists, plant pathologists, weed scientists, nematologists, toxicologists, and economists will find this book invaluable.

Arthropods are the most numerous and diverse group of animals and studying them requires the use of specialized equipment and specific procedures. This text describes effective methods and equipment for collecting, identifying, rearing, examining, and preserving insects and mites, and explains how to store and care for specimens in collections. It also provides instructions for the construction of many kinds of collecting equipment, traps, rearing cages, and storage units, as well as updated and illustrated keys for identification of the classes of arthropods and the orders of insects. Such information not only aids hobbyists and professionals in preparing insect collections, but it has become essential in documenting and standardizing collections of entomological evidence in forensic as well as pest management sciences.

* Over 400 professionally drawn illustrations
* Identification keys to find arthropod orders
* Comprehensive reading list
* Detailed glossary of terms

Learn the difference between a farrow and a barrow, and what distinguishes a weanling from a yearling. Country and city mice alike will delight in Julia Rothman’s charming illustrated guide to the curious parts and pieces of rural living. Dissecting everything from the shapes of squash varieties to how a barn is constructed and what makes up a beehive to crop rotation patterns, Rothman gives a richly entertaining tour of the quirky details of country life. 
 

This book is a timely compilation of synthesized information on behaviourally fascinating and economically important mites.

The book gives much attention to fundamental aspects of eriophyoid anatomy, behaviour, ecology and even systematics, as bases for understanding the ways of life of eriophyoid mites and their effects on host plants; in turn, this will lead to developing the most appropriate means of regulating mites as detrimental or beneficial organisms. It presents new views intended to stimulate interest in eriophyoids and their enemies, and it points to areas where further research is needed.

This book is intended for extension workers, experts of acarology and plant protection as well as students, teachers and researchers. It stimulates readers to critically test the view presented and aimes ultimately toward environmentally safe, sustainable and economically efficient means of regulating detrimental and beneficial eriophyoid mites.

Biological control of weeds has been practised for over 100 years and Australia has been a leader in this weed management technique. The classical example of control of prickly pears in Australia by the cactus moth Cactoblastis cactorum, which was imported from the Americas, helped to set the future for biocontrol of weeds in many countries. Since then there have been many projects using Classical Biological Control to manage numerous weed species, many of which have been successful. Importantly, there have been no serious negative non-target impacts – the technique, when practised as it is in Australia, is safe and environmentally friendly. Economic assessments have shown that biocontrol of weeds in Australia has provided exceedingly high benefit-to-cost ratios. This book reviews biological control of weeds in Australia to 2011, covering over 90 weed species and a multitude of biological control agents and potential agents. Each chapter has been written by practising biological control of weeds researchers and provides details of the weed, the history of its biological control, exploration for agents, potential agents studied and agents released and the outcomes of those releases. Many weeds were successfully controlled, some were not, many projects are still underway, some have just begun, however all are reported in detail in this book. Biological Control of Weeds in Australia will provide invaluable information for biological control researchers in Australia and elsewhere. Agents used in Australia could be of immense value to other countries that suffer from the same weeds as Australia. The studies reported here provide direction to future research and provide examples and knowledge for researchers and students.

Raising cattle in the 21st century can be a complicated process. Starting with the way you feed your cattle, you need to know exactly what is best both for your animals and the milk and meat they produce. With the public conscious slowly turning more toward organic food choices, there are numerous reasons why deciding to grass feed your animals can be not only an effective means of feeding your cattle, but also a way to make more money in the long run.
This book will guide you through the process of knowing exactly how to switch your methods to effectively raise your cattle on grass feed. You will learn the essential basics of raising your cattle with natural feed and care sources, including how the farming shift in this millennium has changed how things are done.
You will learn the various differences between raising cattle for milk and meat production and what you can expect from your cattle. You will learn how to improve your overall farm efficiency while ensuring natural feeding, and how to start analyzing your soil to better improve your livestock and their lifestyle. You will learn the basics of breeding, heredity, the environment you should raise your livestock, and what feed requirements your animals all require. Dozens of interviews have been conducted with top small farmers and cattle experts and their insight have been included here to help you learn how to properly house your cattle and rear their young. You will learn the basics of cattle health care and what you can expect from your livestock. Finally, you will learn some of the most common misconceptions about raising cattle and how you can overcome them. This book, for anyone seeking to raise cattle on grass, is ideal for getting a small farm started or renovating an existing farm.
Atlantic Publishing is a small, independent publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. Founded over twenty years ago in the company president s garage, Atlantic Publishing has grown to become a renowned resource for non-fiction books. Today, over 450 titles are in print covering subjects such as small business, healthy living, management, finance, careers, and real estate. Atlantic Publishing prides itself on producing award winning, high-quality manuals that give readers up-to-date, pertinent information, real-world examples, and case studies with expert advice. Every book has resources, contact information, and web sites of the products or companies discussed.

By the year 2050, Earth's population will double. If we continue with current farming practices, vast amounts of wilderness will be lost, millions of birds and billions of insects will die, and the public will lose billions of dollars as a consequence of environmental degradation. Clearly, there must be a better way to meet the need for increased food production. Written as part memoir, part instruction, and part contemplation, Tomorrow's Table argues that a judicious blend of two important strands of agriculture--genetic engineering and organic farming--is key to helping feed the world's growing population in an ecologically balanced manner. Pamela Ronald, a geneticist, and her husband, Raoul Adamchak, an organic farmer, take the reader inside their lives for roughly a year, allowing us to look over their shoulders so that we can see what geneticists and organic farmers actually do. The reader sees the problems that farmers face, trying to provide larger yields without resorting to expensive or environmentally hazardous chemicals, a problem that will loom larger and larger as the century progresses. They learn how organic farmers and geneticists address these problems. This book is for consumers, farmers, and policy decision makers who want to make food choices and policy that will support ecologically responsible farming practices. It is also for anyone who wants accurate information about organic farming, genetic engineering, and their potential impacts on human health and the environment.

Dirt, soil, call it what you want—it's everywhere we go. It is the root of our existence, supporting our feet, our farms, our cities. This fascinating yet disquieting book finds, however, that we are running out of dirt, and it's no laughing matter. An engaging natural and cultural history of soil that sweeps from ancient civilizations to modern times, Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations explores the compelling idea that we are—and have long been—using up Earth's soil. Once bare of protective vegetation and exposed to wind and rain, cultivated soils erode bit by bit, slowly enough to be ignored in a single lifetime but fast enough over centuries to limit the lifespan of civilizations. A rich mix of history, archaeology and geology, Dirt traces the role of soil use and abuse in the history of Mesopotamia, Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, China, European colonialism, Central America, and the American push westward. We see how soil has shaped us and we have shaped soil—as society after society has risen, prospered, and plowed through a natural endowment of fertile dirt. David R. Montgomery sees in the recent rise of organic and no-till farming the hope for a new agricultural revolution that might help us avoid the fate of previous civilizations.

Pigs are a very special breed of animal in that they can be almost as much a pet as they are a potential source of meat and income. The proper raising of pigs is much disputed for this reason and there are multiple ways to go about it. To be an effective pig farmer, you must not only understand the various different perspectives on the raising of pigs, but be able to adjust to the breeds you select and the method by which you decide to raise each of them. From how they are fed to how you treat and handle them as babies, pigs are a very special and unique breed of farm animal.
This book provides every necessary detail you need to start raising pigs immediately, from selecting the breed of your pigs to how they will be fed. You will learn the difference between pigs that are raised for meat and those that are used for disposal of compost or as pets.
You will learn how the process of home butchering and processing is completed and what you can do to start fitting and showing your pigs in competition. You will learn the ins and outs of the pig raising business, including the breeds you will encounter, the expectations of you by other pig farmers, and the details you need to see to when you purchase your first pigs.
You will learn how to start breeding your own pigs by creating a breeding herd and selecting the best of your pigs for breeding stock. Dozens of interviews with top pig farmers and experts from around the country have been gathered for this book and provide a detailed look at how the industry is run, including the management of a pig herd, the health care of your pigs, and the daily operations that must be completed in caring for your pigs, including day to day life, feeding the pigs, and their time both indoors and outdoors. If you are interested in the process of breeding and raising pigs, this book will provide every bit of information you need to get started.
Atlantic Publishing is a small, independent publishing company based in Ocala, Florida. Founded over twenty years ago in the company president s garage, Atlantic Publishing has grown to become a renowned resource for non-fiction books. Today, over 450 titles are in print covering subjects such as small business, healthy living, management, finance, careers, and real estate. Atlantic Publishing prides itself on producing award winning, high-quality manuals that give readers up-to-date, pertinent information, real-world examples, and case studies with expert advice. Every book has resources, contact information, and web sites of the products or companies discussed.

The Tree Faller’s Manual is an essential handbook for forest operators and others who need to fell trees manually using a hand-held chainsaw. This manual builds on the information provided by the Chainsaw Operator’s Manual. Tree felling is a high risk activity. Many fatalities and serious injuries have occurred as a result of being struck by falling trees, dislodged tree limbs or other dangers in the area. Most of these accidents are caused by using unsafe felling techniques and not following safe work procedures. This manual will guide the faller to safer work techniques. The manual is based on the national competency standards for the forest and forest products industry where tree-felling is covered using three categories: basic, intermediate and advanced. Basic tree felling applies to trees that are relatively small, with a single stem and no defects. Intermediate tree felling covers trees with single or multiple stems, limited defects, and lean and weight distribution that can be adapted to felling direction. Advanced tree felling applies to larger and more complex trees and includes trees deemed to be more hazardous. Workplace safety, risk assessment and site preparation are included along with the theory, techniques and tools for each of the tree-felling categories.

Can We Feed the World?: The Future of Food by the Editors of Scientific American

With global population numbers projected to increase by 2 billion by 2050, a veritable food crisis is on the horizon. In this eBook, Can We Feed the World? The Future of Food, we examine some of the complex causative factors involved in the coming "food crisis" and the innovative ideas and technologies designed to increase food production sustainably. We also examine current industry methods to increase production and the controversies surrounding them, including not only hot-button issues like genetically modified (or GM) and processed foods, but also food safety and the physical effects of the modern diet. To start the discussion, Jonathan Foley throws down the gauntlet with the first article, "The Grand Challenge: Can We Feed the World and Sustain the Planet?" In it he takes a macroscopic look at the coming crisis and presents five solutions that could both double the world's food production by mid-century as well as decrease greenhouse gas emissions and curb environmental damage. Other articles discuss technologies ranging from more sustainable offshore fish farming to "vertical farms," and an entire section tackles GM crops. Hugely controversial, GM crops are either the magic bullet that will save millions from starvation or Frankenstein's monster. To that end, don't miss Sasha Nemecek's "The Pros and Cons of GM Foods," in which she interviews experts on both sides of this issue, as well as "Three Myths about Genetically Modified Crops," by Natasha Gilbert. Later, we delve into the processed food industry, taking a magnifying glass to fast food and high fructose corn syrup, as well as food safety issues, including monitoring sources of contamination as well as preventing food poisoning. With all the possibilities on the horizon—from GM crops to new technologies in farming and fishing—world hunger does not have to be inevitable, but we'll need to be resourceful in managing the food supply so that we can preserve the planet and ourselves.

Being a homesteader today may seem difficult; the world is full of so many gadgets and conveniences, many of which most of us consider necessary to live a full and happy life. In this collection, edited and arranged by Jay Cassell, you’ll see that going off the grid, adapting to your surroundings, and depending on yourself and your land is really not as challenging as one may think. With the information and tips you learn in this book, you’ll easily find success as a modern-day homesteader.

The essays featured in The Ultimate Guide to Self-Reliant Living were written by some of today’s most respected outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen, nature enthusiasts, agricultural professionals, and successful homesteaders. Through the information on these pages, you will learn the best techniques and approaches concerning:
Hunting, fishing, and trappingForagingGrowing and preparing your own foodAnimal husbandryLiving off the gridBuilding barns and outbuildingsGreen livingCountry skillsAlternative energy, such as solar panels and windmillsPrimitive survival skills, such as making fires and finding shelter

"Weed and animal pest control in forest areas and rights-of-way"--Provided by publisher.

From the beginning of the twentieth century to World War II, farm wife May Lyford Davis kept a daily chronicle that today offers a window into a way of life that has all but disappeared. May and her husband Elmo lived through two decades of prosperity, the Great Depression, and two World Wars in their Midwestern farming community. Like many women of her time, Davis kept diaries that captured the everyday events of the family farm; she also kept meticulous farming accounts. In doing so, she left an extraordinary record that reflects not only her own experiences but also the history of early twentieth-century American agriculture.

 

May and Elmo’s story, engagingly told by Carrie A. Meyer, showcases the large-scale evolution of agriculture from horses to automobile and tractors, a surprisingly vibrant family and community life, and the business of commercial farming. Details such as what items were bought and sold, what was planted and harvested, the temperature and rainfall, births and deaths, and the direction of the wind are gathered to reveal a rich picture of a world shared by many small farmers.

 

With sustainable and small-scale farming again on the rise in the United States, Days on the Family Farm resonates with both the profound and mundane aspects of rural life—past and present—in the Midwest.

 

Carrie A. Meyer is associate professor of economics at George Mason University.

Slaughter and butcher your own animals safely and humanely with this award-winning guide. Providing detailed photography of every step of the process, Adam Danforth shows you everything you need to know to butcher poultry, rabbit, lamb, goat, and pork. Learn how to create the proper slaughtering conditions, break the meat down, and produce flavorful cuts of meat. Stressing proper food safety at all times, Danforth provides expert advice on necessary tools and helpful tips on freezing and packaging. Enjoy the delicious satisfaction that comes with butchering your own meat.

With the decline of family farms and rural communities and the rise of corporate farming and the resulting environmental degradation, American agriculture is in crisis. But this crisis offers the opportunity to rethink agriculture in sustainable terms. Here one of the most eloquent and influential proponents of sustainable agriculture explains what this means. These engaging essays describe what sustainable agriculture is, why it began, and how it can succeed. Together they constitute a clear and compelling vision for rebalancing the ecological, economic, and social dimensions of agriculture to meet the needs of the present without compromising the future. ÿ In Crisis and Opportunity, John E. Ikerd outlines the consequences of agricultural industrialization, then details the methods that can restore economic viability, ecological soundness, and social responsibility to our agricultural system and thus ensure sustainable agriculture as the foundation of a sustainable food system and a sustainable society.

Take a trip to another decade, basking in the glory of the Old South by way of Louisiana plantation homes such as Nottoway, Shadows-on-the Teche, Melrose, and Oak Alley. Despite the ravages of time, these majestic residences continue to demand attention with their impressive architecture and historic grandeur. Many of these structures have been restored to their former splendor and are open to the public.

This completely revised, full-color eighth edition features a reorganized list of significant plantation homes in Louisiana. Divided into eleven tours according to location, this guide includes more than 250 entries, accompanied by concise descriptions and historical background, and an expanded New Orleans section, highlighting both the famous Garden District and the historic French Quarter. With sixty-two photographs and hours of operation, contact information, and directions for each entry, this book is a perfect reference for revisiting the Old South.

As human populations grow and resources are depleted, agriculture will need to use land, water, and other resources more efficiently and without sacrificing long-term sustainability. Darwinian Agriculture presents an entirely new approach to these challenges, one that draws on the principles of evolution and natural selection.

R. Ford Denison shows how both biotechnology and traditional plant breeding can use Darwinian insights to identify promising routes for crop genetic improvement and avoid costly dead ends. Denison explains why plant traits that have been genetically optimized by individual selection--such as photosynthesis and drought tolerance--are bad candidates for genetic improvement. Traits like plant height and leaf angle, which determine the collective performance of plant communities, offer more room for improvement. Agriculturalists can also benefit from more sophisticated comparisons among natural communities and from the study of wild species in the landscapes where they evolved.

Darwinian Agriculture reveals why it is sometimes better to slow or even reverse evolutionary trends when they are inconsistent with our present goals, and how we can glean new ideas from natural selection's marvelous innovations in wild species.

This book is the first of its kind to discuss in detail the actual management of local animal control programs as opposed to the care of the animals. It covers financial, personnel, legal, health, and safety issues that animal control directors and management staff need to know in providing direction and oversight of animal control programs. Chapters examine selected topics in which the author assesses strengths and weaknesses and offers new insights and strategies for more effective management. For example, the two chapters on contracting discuss the steps in the process, strategies, and suggested provisions in the written agreement to make the program more effective. The animal law chapters explain the basis for the laws, and highlight those provisions, that if enacted into law, can strengthen enforcement options. In addition, the author discusses and assesses interacting with the public and the media, liability issues, wildlife problems, and the politics of animal control.

In the past, insecticide development has been guided mostly by chemo-rational and bio-rational design based on understanding of the physiology and ecology of insects and crops. A limitation in each new class of compounds is the evolution of resistance in populations of key pests, which ultimately leads to control failures. This phenomenon and the desire to produce more selective and biorational compounds serve as the driving force to develop advanced technologies for insecticide design. Among the highlights of this book are the use of nanotechnology to increase potency of available insecticides, the use of genetic engineering techniques for controlling insect pests, the development of novel insecticides that bind to unique biochemical receptors, the exploration of natural products as a source for environmentally acceptable insecticides, and the use of insect genomics and cell lines for determining biological and biochemical modes of action of new insecticides.

Among the highlights of this book is the use of novel insecticides acting on a specific site in an insect group and are compatible with natural enemies and the environment. One of such approaches is based on disrupting the activity of biochemical sites acting on transcription factors such as the Helix-Loop-Helix (bHLH) family, anti juvenile hormone (AJH) agents that target JH biosynthetic enzymes, G-protein coupled receptors (GPCR) and bursicon as a target for insect control. Another one is the biotechnology or the genetic approach such as gene silencing (RNA interference) and Bt-crops. Other sections of the book are devoted to the plant’s natural products, optical manipulation and the use of nanotechnology for improving insect control methods.

Underwater Archaeology: The NAS Guide to Principles and Practice provides a comprehensive summary of the archaeological process as applied in an underwater context. Long awaited second edition of what is popularly referred to as the NAS Handbook Provides a practical guide to underwater archaeology: how to get involved, basic principles, essential techniques, project planning and execution, publishing and presenting Fully illustrated with over 100 drawings and new colour graphics New chapters on geophysics, historical research, photography and video, monitoring and maintenance and conservation

The technological revolution in farming practices has allowed us to clear and cultivate more land, grow plants and animals faster, and kill a greater variety of pests and diseases than ever before. Unfortunately, these efficiencies are proving to be unsustainable in the long term and have created problems such as soil structural decline, erosion, salinity, soil acidification, loss of fertility, nutrient loading of waterways, dams and a build up of chemical residues. This book is about foreseeing and understanding such problems and addressing them before it is too late. John Mason examines all these problems and explains the concepts and long-term benefits of sustainable farming systems such as permaculture, biodynamics, organic farming, agroforestry, conservation tillage, and integrated hydroculture. Sustainable Agriculture 2nd Edition also looks at important issues such as monoculture versus polyculture, the use of hybrids, selection criteria for plants and stock, integrated pest management and preparing a farm for droughts and floods. Other areas examined include diversifying into farm tourism and value adding before selling produce.

This guide takes the mystery out of butchering, covering everything you need to know to produce your own expert cuts of beef, venison, pork, lamb, poultry, and small game. John J. Mettler Jr. provides easy-to-follow instructions that walk you through every step of the slaughtering and butchering process, as well as plenty of advice on everything from how to dress game in a field to salting, smoking, and curing techniques. You’ll soon be enjoying the satisfyingly superior flavors that come with butchering your own meat. 

"Sooner or later, nearly everyone who cares about wine and food comes to Sonoma"—so begins this lively excursion to a spectacular region that has become known internationally as a locavore's paradise. Part memoir, part vivid reportage, Field Days chronicles the renaissance in farming organically and eating locally that is unfolding in Northern California. Jonah Raskin tells of the year he spent on Oak Hill Farm—working the fields, selling produce at farmers' markets, and following it to restaurants. He also goes behind the scenes at Whole Foods. In this luminous account of his experiences, Raskin introduces a dynamic cast of characters—farmers, chefs, winemakers, farm workers, and environmentalists. They include such luminaries as Warren Weber at Star Route Farm, the oldest certified organic farm in Marin County; Bob Cannard, who has supplied Chez Panisse with vegetables for decades; Sharon Grossi, the owner of the largest organic farm in Sonoma; and Craig Stoll, the founder and executive chef at Delfina in San Francisco. Raskin also offers portraits of renowned historical figures, including Luther Burbank, Jack London, and M.F.K. Fisher. Field Days is a heartfelt celebration of the farm-to-table movement and its cultural reverberations.

This book briefly reviews the history of equine embryo transfer, covering in clinically practical terms the techniques, equipment, and management protocols currently in use. Embryo transfer has become a big business, especially for breeding racing stock (horses and camels), and is therefore a very important aspect of equine practice. Ed Squires and Pat McCue have been involved with the development of embryo collection and transfer procedures since the early 60s and have both contributed important techniques and innovations to the process through their research and clinical experience. This book captures the clinical experience, so far, and applies it directly to equine practice. The book is of great value to general equine practitioners for reference, equine reproduction specialists, animal science at the graduate level (equine track), and breeders.

EQUINE SCIENCE, 4th Edition imparts students with the basic understanding of horses necessary to be successful in equine care and management. Richly illustrated in full color, the book uses a logical, easy-to-follow outline to make both learning and lesson planning simple, while addressing essential topics like care and feeding, training, development and reproduction, illness, inheritance, and the history of horses. Bursting with helpful features, EQUINE SCIENCE, 4th Edition piques student interest with detailed graphics and photos, as well as informational sidebars, website references, and end-of chapter activities that test their knowledge of the material. Future equine professionals will especially appreciate the glossary of terms at the end of the text, as well as the appendix, which includes useful conversion factors and worksheets and provides contact information for professional organizations.
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Cotton production today is not to be undertaken frivolously if one expects to profit by its production. If cotton production is to be sustainable and produced profitably, it is essential to be knowledgeable about the growth and development of the cotton plant and in the adaptation of cultivars to the region as well as the technology available. In addition, those individuals involved in growing cotton should be familiar with the use of management aids to know the most profitable time to irrigate, apply plant growth regulators, herbicides, foliar fertilizers, insecticides, defoliants, etc. The chapters in this book were assembled to provide those dealing with the production of cotton with the basic knowledge of the physiology of the plant required to manage the cotton crop in a profitable manner.

Seed conditioning removes undesirable material including debris and stray seeds from selected raw harvested seed, so as to create planting seed that delivers high yielding crops. This two-volume set provides a major up-date of previously published work. It describes the essential information needed to understand this process and the machinery involved.  It describes the machines available to seed conditioners and explains how they can be installed, operated, adjusted, and maintained to give complete and precise separations for many years.

All the machines are described in sufficient detail, sometimes with the help of models to enable the conditioner to get good results. The book also details the operating sequence used to properly prepare seed before going into each machine.

Organized in a logical sequence, it catalogs all the entire field of seed conditioning, to help seed managers, specialists, and conditioning operators reduce loss of good seed while improving seed quality and honing the efficiency of their operations.

The long-held tenets of the energy sector are being rewritten in the twenty-first century. The rise of unconventional oil and gas and of renewables is transforming our economies and improving our understanding of the distribution of the world’s energy resources and their impacts. A complete knowledge of the dynamics underpinning energy markets is necessary for decision-makers reconciling economic, energy, and environmental objectives.

Those that anticipate global energy developments successfully can derive an advantage, while those that fail to do so risk making poor policy and investment decisions. Focused on solving the key challenges impeding the realization of advanced cellulosic biofuels and bioproducts in rural areas, Biomass and Biofuels: Advanced Biorefineries for Sustainable Production and Distribution provides comprehensive information on sustainable production of biomass feedstock, supply chain management of feedstocks to the biorefinery site, advanced conversion processes, and catalysts/biocatalysts for production of fuels and chemicals using conventional and integrated technologies.

The book also presents detailed coverage of downstream processing, and ecological considerations for refineries processing lignocellulosic and algal biomass resources. Discussions of feedstock raw materials, methods for biomass conversion, and its effective integration to make biorefinery more sustainable – economically, environmentally, and socially – give you the tools to make informed decisions.

Never before has a holistic approach to sustainable agriculture and plant physiology been presented in one source.

This book compiles a multi-authored and international perspective on the ways in which crop physiology could be integrated with other disciplines. With a focus on genetic improvement and agronomy, this book addresses the challenges of environmentally sound production of bulk and quality food, fodder, fiber and energy, which are of ongoing international concern.

* Provides a view of crop physiology as an active source of methods, theories, ideas and tools for application in genetic improvement and agronomy

* Written by leading scientists from around the world with publication records of demonstrable influence and impact

* Combines environment-specific cropping systems and general principles of crop science to appeal to advanced students and scientists in agriculture-related disciplines, from molecular sciences to natural resources management

Now established worldwide as the standard guide to the recognition and understanding of the causes of deterioration in temperate and tropical fruits and vegetables, these two superbly illustrated full-colour volumes deal clearly, concisely and systematically with each of the main diseases and disorders, emphasising those of importance to international trade.

Dr Snowdon has designed each volume to be used in two different ways:

1. Full colour photographs and practical text provide the basis for preliminary identification by the owner or surveyor.

2. Using the microscope drawings and references, diagnosis can then be confirmed or modified by a specialist.

For decades, Logsdon and his family have run a viable family farm. Along the way, he has become a widely influential journalist and social critic, documenting in hundreds of essays for national and regional magazines the crisis in conventional agri-business and the boundless potential for new forms of farming that reconcile tradition with ecology.

Logsdon reminds us that healthy and economical agriculture must work "at nature's pace," instead of trying to impose an industrial order on the natural world. Foreseeing a future with "more farmers, not fewer," he looks for workable models among the Amish, among his lifelong neighbors in Ohio, and among resourceful urban gardeners and a new generation of defiantly unorthodox organic growers creating an innovative farmers-market economy in every region of the country.

Nature knows how to grow plants and raise animals; it is human beings who are in danger of losing this age-old expertise, substituting chemical additives and artificial technologies for the traditional virtues of fertility, artistry, and knowledge of natural processes. This new edition of Logsdon's important collection of essays and articles (first published by Pantheon in 1993) contains six new chapters taking stock of American farm life at this turn of the century.

This book is for use in introductory courses in colleges of agriculture and in other applications requiring a problematic approach to agriculture. It is intended as a replacement for an Introduction to Agricultural Engineering by Roth, Crow, and Mahoney. Parts of the previous book have been revised and included, but some sections have been removed and new ones has been expanded to include a chapter added. Problem solving on techniques, and suggestions are incorporated throughout the example problems. The topics and treatment were selected for three reasons: (1) to acquaint students with a wide range of applications of engineering principles to agriculture, (2) to present a selection of independent but related, topics, and (3) to develop and enhance the problem solving ability of the students. Each chapter contains educational objectives, introductory material, example problems (where appropriate), and sample problems, with answers, that can be used for self-assessment. Most chapters are self-contained and can be used independently of the others. Those that are sequential are organiZed in a logical order to ensure that the knowledge and skills needed are presented in a previous chapter. As principal author I wish to express my gratitude to Dr. Lawrence O. Roth for his contributions of subject matter and gUidance. I also wish to thank Professor Earl E. Baugher for his expertise as technical editor, and my wife Marsha for her help and patience. HARRY FIELD v 1 Problem Solving OBJECTIVES 1. Be able to define problem solving.

The Ecology of Sandy Shores provides the students and researchers with a one-volume resource for understanding the conservation and management of the sandy shore ecosystem. Covering all beach types, and addressing issues from the behavioral and physiological adaptations of the biota to exploring the effects of pollution and the impact of man's activities, this book should become the standard reference for those interested in Sandy Shore study, management and preservation.More than 25% expanded from the previous editionThree entirely new chapters: Energetics and Nutrient Cycling, Turtles and Terrestrial Vertebrates, and Benthic Macrofauna PopulationsNew sections on the interstitial environment, seagrasses, human impacts and coastal zone managementExamples drawn from virtually all parts of the world, considering all beach types from the most exposed to the most sheltered

Written by a recognized expert and based on his experience in teaching the subject to students with a variety of educational backgrounds, The Science of Grapevines: Anatomy and Physiology is the only book to comprehensively explore the physiology of the grapevine as it occurs around the world. While other books have focused on the vines of specific regions, the globalization of the wine industry and the resulting increase of lands around the world being used for grapevine cultivation have left a gap in information. This book addresses not only the specific issues and concerns of grapevines from regions around the world, but includes important emerging topics such as global climate change, water relations, temperature effect and more.

* Provides global coverage of grapevines, including the regional differences, similarities, challenges and potential changes * Avoids jargon while bringing the reader into this important aspect of the wine industry

* Classroom proven by a leading expert in grapevine anatomy

Atomization and sprays are used in a wide range of industries: mechanical, chemical, aerospace, and civil engineering; material science and metallurgy; food; pharmaceutical, forestry, environmental protection; medicine; agriculture; meteorology and others. Some specific applications are spray combustion in furnaces, gas turbines and rockets, spray drying and cooling, air conditioning, powdered metallurgy, spray painting and coating, inhalation therapy, and many others. The Handbook of Atomization and Sprays will bring together the fundamental and applied material from all fields into one comprehensive source. Subject areas included in the reference are droplets, theoretical models and numerical simulations, phase Doppler particle analysis, applications, devices and more.

Running your own small farm is demanding enough, but making it profitable presents a host of further challenges. In this business-savvy guide to farming on a small scale, Sarah Aubrey covers everything from financial plans and advertising budgets to web design and food service wholesalers. Learn how to isolate your target audience and craft artisanal products that will delight and amaze customers. With a solid business strategy in place, you can confidently turn your passion into a productive and profitable venture.

This book, Plant Breeding, has it bases in an earlier text entitled An Introduction to Plant Breeding by Jack Brown and Peter Caligari, first published in 2008. The challenges facing today’s plant breeders have never been more overwhelming, yet the prospects to contribute significantly to global food security and farmers’ quality of life have never been more exciting and fulfilling.  Despite this there has been a worrying decline in public funding for plant breeding-related research and  support for international centers of germplasm development and crop improvement.   In part, this has resulted in a serious reduction in the number of young people interested in devoting their professional careers to plant breeding as well as the number of universities offering plant breeding courses or conducting relevant research in plant breeding.

The authors’ aim in writing this book is to provide an integrated and updated view of the current scientific progress related to diverse plant breeding disciplines, within the context of applied breeding programs.  This excellent new book will encourage a new generation of students to pursue careers related to plant breeding and will assist a wider audience of agricultural students, agronomists, policy makers and those with an interest in agriculture in gaining insight about the issues affecting plant breeding and its key role in improving the quality of life of people and in securing sufficient food, at the quality required and at an affordable price.

With comprehensive coverage including questions designed for students, and an accompanying website containing additional material to help in the study of the subject, Plant Breeding is an ideal text for all those studying plant and crop sciences, and a convenient reference source for professionals working in the area. All libraries within universities and research establishments where biological and agricultural sciences are studied and taught should have multiple copies of this book.