This book provides a systematic overview of the recent developments in the production and processing of jute and allied fibres, giving insight into ways to improve their productivity in order to keep pace with the growing needs of an increasing population. The book will be particularly beneficial to agronomists, soil scientists, pathologists, biotechnologists, seed production specialists, market managers, industrialists, development agencies, graduate and postgraduate students, and other stakeholders associated with jute and allied fibre crop improvement, or market development in the public and private sectors. The book may also help to generate ideas surrounding the formulation of public-private collaborative research for future innovations regarding this crop.

This book provides a systematic overview of the recent developments in the production and processing of jute and allied fibres, giving insight into ways to improve their productivity in order to keep pace with the growing needs of an increasing population. The book will be particularly beneficial to agronomists, soil scientists, pathologists, biotechnologists, seed production specialists, market managers, industrialists, development agencies, graduate and postgraduate students, and other stakeholders associated with jute and allied fibre crop improvement, or market development in the public and private sectors. The book may also help to generate ideas surrounding the formulation of public-private collaborative research for future innovations regarding this crop.

The jute commodity system as prevalent in the Indian subcontinent is a conglomeration of paradoxes. Jute was once called the golden fibre on account of its contribution to means of livelihood to millions of farmers, traders, manufacturers in the unorganized sector, mill workers in the organized sector as well scores of people employed in the service sector relating to trading, manufacturing and exports of jute and jute goods. Jute industry along with textile manufacturing provided the foundation of modern manufacturing industry in India. Simultaneously, this industry was also the fountain head of the growth of private entrepreneurship and capital in India. Most of the traditional Industrial Houses in India grew out of trading and manufacturing of jute and jute goods, coal and tea. On the other hand most of the farmers involved in cultivation of natural fibres like jute are small and marginal farmers. Without alternative avenues of gainful employment elsewhere, these millions in South Asia would be deprived of a part of their livelihood. The entire commodity chain of natural fibres is characterized by low productivity, low value addition, high volumes and low returns. The advent and discovery of mineral oil helped exploit cheap HDPE and PP polyethylene sacks, which started replacing the natural fibre based packaging materials. As a result, the jute industry got wiped out from Europe, America and the Far East. Today, it is survived in the Indian subcontinent and to a lesser extent in Brazil. The unique feature of the volume is that it focuses on the first hand experience of the policy-makers and other stakeholders in the jute commodity system, who are confronted with a dilemma of reviving a declining economic subsector. At this juncture, when there is need for a Commodity Development Strategy suitable to the ethos of a commodity like the jute fibre, the present, volumes attempts to devise such a strategy thorough analysis of the system based on authentic and up-to-date information. The Book furnishes an erudite analysis and stock-taking of the jute commodity system. This analysis points out to the fact that there is a need for a holistic, systemic approach to the problems being faced by this sector focusing on the economic exploitation of the whole jute plant; holistic research for addressing productivity and processing efficiency in the entire commodity chain of jute; and creating a network of organisations for advocacy for jute and allied fibres, which would focus on repositioning the golden fibre as sustainable and eco-friendly commodity with the help of green and sustainable development advocacy groups. The Commodity Development Strategy highlights the need for greater effort for significant degree of product diversification which would entail significant consumption of the fibre or fabric in volume terms. The volume ends with an optimistic note with ideas of inclusive development under the Millennium Development Goals and Carbon Credits Sustainable Development under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change the welcome paradigm shifts in the approach to the jute sector. The effort by Sh Roul is a timely one on the eve of the observance of 2009 as International Year for Natural Fibres by the United Nations. The book is quite comprehensive with its focus on a wide range of issues pertaining to the jute agri-commodity system addressed against a historical background and from macro-economic analytical perspective. The volume offers stimulating reading for those interested in the dynamics of agricultural commodity systems like jute and allied fibres. The book is expected to help sensitise national governments, international organizations and nongovernmental organizations towards the eco-sustainability of jute as a natural fibre. The book can serve as an excellent reference book for post-graduate students in economics, jute and textiles management, development studies, regional development and agriculture and agro-marketing.

The concept of Rainbow Revolution is an integrated development of crop cultivation, horticulture, forestry, fishery, poultry, animal husbandry, and food processing industry. The concept of Smart Farming Technologies in agriculture is a step towards sustainability. India has already achieved resilience in agriculture, including the horticultural sector, through effective agricultural technology generation and is now on the threshold of a “rainbow revolution” that will ensure both household nutrition security and prosperity for its people. This book will be of immense value to the scientific community involved in teaching, research and extension activities related to strategies for achieving Rainbow Revolution for enhancing farmers’ income, food, and nutrition security. The book can also serve as a very useful reference for policymakers and practicing farmers.

This well-written book is a complete guide on jute crop production. It provides an in-depth knowledge about jute cultivation including all the recent developments in this area. Organized in 20 chapters, the book begins with the origin and history of jute crop. It then discusses the different climate and soil conditions suitable for this crop. After describing the growth and development of different varieties of jute, the book elaborately explains the sowing methods. It then analyses the nutrient and water requirement and management for jute crop. Weed and insect pest management in jute fields have also been dealt with. The book discusses the modern concept of jute retting and economics of jute production. The post-harvest processing and marketing of raw jute have been covered in detail. The book also discusses the various quality criteria and grading of jute crop. Finally, it ends with a discussion on jute seed production and certification. In a nutshell, the book deals with all the processes involved in the cultivation of jute crop, the extraction of the fibre and the transformation of the fibre into useful commodities. Primarily intended for the undergraduate and postgraduate students of agriculture science, the book would also be highly useful to the research scholars and farming community who are interested to study the jute plant in detail.

This book is an advanced textbook and a reference book for the post-graduate plant-breeding students and the plant breeders. It consolidates fundamental concepts and also the latest advances in plant-breeding practices including development in crop genomics. It contains crop wise explanation on origin, reproduction, genetics of yield contributing traits, biotic and abiotic stresses, nutritional improvement and crop specific plant-breeding procedures and techniques. The chapters are planned to describe crop-focused breeding procedure for the major crop plants as per their economic importance. The recent developments in breeding of field crops have been reported. The recent progress made in mapping traits of economic importance has been critically reviewed for each crop. The progress made in markers assisted selected in few crops has been summarized. This book bridges the knowledge gap and bring to the researchers and students information on modern breeding tools for developing biotic and abiotic stress tolerant, climate resilient and micronutrient rich varieties of field crops. The chapters in book are contributed by experienced Plant Breeders.