Agricultural, botanical, and social scientists from the four quarters of the world address the impact of climate change on crop productivity, some approaches to adapt plants to both biotic and abiotic stresses, and measures to reduce greenhouse gases. They cover predictions of climate change within the context of agriculture, adapting to biotic and abiotic stresses through crop breeding, sustainable and resource-conserving technologies for adapting to and mitigating climate change, and new tools for enhancing crop adaptation to climate change. Specific topics include economic impacts of climate change on agriculture to 2030, breeding for adaptation to heat and drought stress, managing resident soil microbial community structure and function to suppress the development of soil-borne diseases, and applying geographical information systems (GIS) and crop simulation modeling in climate change research. Distributed in the US by Stylus. Annotation ©2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
Read More
Current trends in population growth suggest that global food production is unlikely to satisfy future demand under predicted climate change scenarios unless rates of crop improvement are accelerated. In order to maintain food security in the face of these challenges, a holistic approach that includes stress-tolerant germplasm, sustainable crop and natural resource management, and sound policy interventions will be needed. The first volume in the CABI Climate Change Series, this book provides an overview of the essential disciplines required for sustainable crop production in unpredictable environments. Chapters include discussions of adapting to biotic and abiotic stresses, sustainable and resource-conserving technologies and new tools for enhancing crop adaptation. Examples of successful applications as well as future prospects of how each discipline can be expected to evolve over the next 30 years are also presented. Laying out the basic concepts needed to adapt to and mitigate changes in crop environments, this is an essential resource for researchers and students in crop and environmental science as well as policy makers.
Read Less