Development of component technologies of farming systems. Development and evaluation of sustainable farming systems.

Development of small rice-dryer suitable for use in the Mekong Delta; Improvement of feeding management for pigs using a locally available and under-utilized feed resource; Application of sugarcane syrup to improve the growth performances and nutrient...

Outline of the project "Comprehensive Studies on Sustainable Agricultural Systems in Northeast Thailand"; Hydrological and geochemical behavior of saline groundwater in Phra Yun, Northeast Thailand; Classification of salt affected areas using remote sensing and GIS; Location and function of the reservoirs in Ban Nong Saeng, Northeast Thailand; Land suitability analysis concerning water resource and soil property; A farmer participatory approach to development of a research agenda for water managment priorities in Nong Saeng village, Khon Kaen Province, Thailand; Utilization of organic resources in cassava farming in Northeast Thailand;; Nitrogen cycles and nutrient balancein agro-ecosystems in Northeast Thailand; Colleting and evaluating wild relatives of sugarcane as breeding materials of new type sugarcane cultivars of cattle feed in Northeast Thailand; Evaluation of sustainability of sugarcane production in Thailand based on nitrogen fixation, efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer and flow of organic matter; Role of native ruminants in establishment of sustainability agricultural systems in Northeast Thailand; Sugarcane stalk as a roughage for dairy cattle; Energy and nitrogen metabolism in Holstein crossbred by cows given Ruzi grass hay with different levels of soybean meal; Energy and nitrogen metabolism in lactating cows fed with rice straw and corn silage; A study on nutritive values of tropical forages (1) Ruzi grass (Brachiaria ruziziensis), (2) Verano stylo (Stylosanthes hamata cv. Verano); A study on nutritive values of forage crops (3) Purple Guinea grass (Panicum maximum cv. TD58), (4) Thapra stylo legume (Stylosanthes guianensis CIATI84); Present situations and improvement of upland farm management: Focusing on sugarcane production; Prevalent agricultural practices and soil fertility in sugarcane cropping in Northeast Thailand; Alternative tillage system for soil conservation, enhancement of crop growth and increasing working efficiency; Development of a sustainable lowland cropping system in Northeast Thailand; Development of no-tillage direct seedling cultivation of rice; Crop Management of direct seeded rice; Economy of direct seeding of rice in Northeast Thailand; and its future direction; Quality evaluation of Khao Dawk Mali 105, an aromatic rive variety of Northeast Thailand; Vegetable production using energy-saving hydroponic system in Khon Kaen; Development and evaluation of bagasse silage for cattle feed; Processing and utilization of small round-bale wrapped silage made from tropical forages; Feed management and significance of storage of roughage for dry season in dairy farming; Eco-physiological characteristics of Erianthus spp. and yield abilities of three forages under conditions of cattle feces application; Effects of dry cattle feces application on soil chemical properties in upland fields in Khon Kaen; Nitrogen cycles in current and improved crop/animal integrated systems in Northeast Thailand.

This open access book is about understanding the processes involved in the transformation of smallholder rice farming in the Lower Mekong Basin from a low-yielding subsistence activity to one producing the surpluses needed for national self-sufficiency and a high-value export industry. For centuries, farmers in the Basin have regarded rice as “white gold”, reflecting its centrality to their food security and well-being. In the past four decades, rice has also become a commercial crop of great importance to Mekong farmers, augmenting but not replacing its role in securing their subsistence. This book is based on collaborative research to (a) compare the current situation and trajectories of rice farmers within and between different regions of the Lower Mekong, (b) explore the value chains linking rice farmers with new technologies and input and output markets within and across national borders, and (c) understand the changing role of government policies in facilitating the on-going evolution of commercial rice farming. An introductory section places the research in geographical and historical context. Four major sections deal in turn with studies of rice farming, value chains, and policies in Northeast Thailand, Central Laos, Southeastern Cambodia, and the Mekong Delta. The final section examines the implications for rice policy in the region as a whole.

Bioaugmentation, biostimulation and biocontrol approaches using microbial inoculants, biofertilizers, biochemicals and organic amendments improve soil biology, fertility and crop productivity by providing plant growth-promoting nutrients and suppressing soil-borne diseases and plant-parasitic nematodes. Our knowledge of microbial diversity and its function in soils has been increased tremendously due to the availability of a wealth of data gained through recent advances in the development of molecular methods and metagenomics for the evaluation of microbial diversity and functions in the rhizosphere environment of soil. Chapters dealing with the application of biofertilizers and organic amendments are contributed by experts – authorities in the area of soil science including microbiology and molecular biology – from academic institutions and the industry.

Importance of agro-pastoral systems in Brazil; Grassland management technology for sustainable agro-pastoral systems in the subtropical zone of Brazil; Results of soybean yield, animal liveweight gain and soil fertility changes in agro-pastoral systems; Nitrogen dynamics in agro-pastoral system of Brazil; Characterization of nitrogen utilization by tropical grasses in brazilian savannas; Soil organic residues accumulation in agro-pastoral systems in the cerrados of Brazil; Effects of termite activities on nutrient recycling in agro-pastoral system; Inhibition of nitrification in Brachiaria humidicola; Diagnosis of pasture degradation by multi-temporal satellite imagery; Problems and prespectives of regional land conservation systems in relation to the pantanal wetlands; Tropical forage breeding in Embrapa: current situation and prospects; Economic evaluation of the agro-pastoral system; Agro-pastoral systems in subtropical Brazil and possibility of extension.