Advances in Agronomy: Volume 73

Donald L. Sparks

Apr 2001 · Advances in Agronomy Book 73 · Elsevier

About this ebook

Volume 73 contains 4 reviews on contemporary and important topics in the agronomic sciences. In Chapter 1, "Interactions among Root-Inhabiting Fungi and Their Implications for Biological Control of Root Pathogens," fungi are defined, their distribution and abundance are discussed, and their role in agroecosystems is present. Chapter 2, "Dwarfing Genes in Plant Improvement," discusses advances in the role of dwarfing genes in plant improvement. Emphasis is placed on breeding and genetic aspects. Chapter 3, "A Review of the Effect of N Fertilizer Type on Gaseous Emissions," covers a topic that is of great environmental interest — the effect of nitrogen fertilizers on gaseous emissions. Chapter 4, "Rhizobia in the Field," is a comprehensive review of rhizobia including diversity, systematics, natural populations, and field introduction of rhizobia.

About the author

DONALD L. SPARKS is the Unidel S. Hallock du Pont Chair and Francis Alison Professor at the University of Delaware. He is internationally recognized for his research in the areas of kinetics of biogeochemical processes and surface chemistry of natural materials. His research has focused on fate and transport of trace metals in soil and water, soil remediation, water quality, and carbon sequestration in soils. Dr. Sparks is the author of two previous editions of Environmental Soil Chemistry and more than 350 refereed papers and book chapters. He is fellow of five scientific societies, and he has been the recipient of major awards and lectureships including the Geochemistry Medal from the American Chemical Society, the Liebig Medal from the International Union of Soil Sciences, the Einstein Professorship from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Philippe Duchaufour Medal from the European Geosciences Union. Dr. Sparks served as president of the Soil Science Society of America and the International Union of Soil Sciences, has served on advisory committees for several national laboratories and national and international centers and institutes, and served as chair of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Committee for Soil Sciences and other NAS Committees.