Contributed articles on various Indian field crops and their high productivity harvesting techniques.

Modern techniques of crop production, as well as the application of agrochemicals such as pesticides and fertilizers, have resulted in increased crop yields. Crop production systems vary with the availability of resources as well as with climatic and geographic factors. Some important crops include cereals, legumes, fruits, vegetables and natural fibers like cotton, wool, silk, etc. Tillage, pest control, nutrient management and water management are commonly practiced in agriculture. Crop alteration through breeding techniques like trait selection, self-pollination and cross-pollination is practiced in modern agriculture to develop characteristics like improved yields, drought tolerance and pest resistance. This book highlights the central theories and practices of a stable crop production system. It also presents the modern studies and technological advances in this field. It elucidates the concepts and innovative models around prospective developments with respect to crop production. The content herein is appropriate for students seeking detailed information in this area as well as for experts.

Describes modern management practices with regard to all of the major crops in India comprising cereals, millets, pulses, oilseeds, fibre crops, forage and sugar crops. The book contains the latest, authoritative and readily-usable information on the improved farming techniques for stepping up crop productivity. Information gathered is for use by students, teachers, extension workers and others interested in the agricultural prosperity of the nation.

Many people believe that organic agriculture is a solution for various problems related to food production. Organic agriculture is supposed to produce healthier products, does not pollute the environment, improves the fertility of soils, saves fossil fuels and enables high biodiversity. This book has been written to provide scientifically based information on organic agriculture such as crop yields, food safety, nutrient use efficiency, leaching, long-term sustainability, greenhouse gas emissions and energy aspects. A number of scientists working with questions related to organic agriculture were invited to present the most recent research and to address critical issues. An unbiased selection of literature, facts rather than standpoints, and scientifically-based examinations instead of wishful thinking will help the reader be aware of difficulties involved with organic agriculture. Organic agriculture, which originates from philosophies of nature, has often outlined key goals to reach long-term sustainability but practical solutions are lacking. The central tasks of agriculture - to produce sufficient food of high quality without harmful effects on the environment - seem to be difficult to achieve through exclusively applying organic principles ruling out many valuable possibilities and solutions.

This book provides a review of precision agriculture technology development, followed by a presentation of the state-of-the-art and future requirements of precision agriculture technology. It presents different styles of precision agriculture technologies suitable for large scale mechanized farming; highly automated community-based mechanized production; and fully mechanized farming practices commonly seen in emerging economic regions. The book emphasizes the introduction of core technical features of sensing, data processing and interpretation technologies, crop modeling and production control theory, intelligent machinery and field robots for precision agriculture production.