Publication date:

30 November 2018

Length of book:

568 pages

Publisher

Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing

Dimensions:

229x152mm
6x9"

ISBN-13: 9781786761842

"Improving organic crop production provides a valuable resource for the current ‘state of the art’ on understanding mechanisms in these systems that are both similar and different from those in conventional systems….The book is especially recommended for libraries and other places that will provide access to large numbers of interested people, and as it gives a valuable overview on current organic farming to graduate students and others in academia." review by Professor Charles Francis in Agronomy Journal

Global sales of organic products have grown significantly, yet organic farming remains a small percentage of overall agricultural production with lower yields than conventional methods. Organic crop cultivation thus faces a range of challenges if it is to grow significantly. This volume reviews the wealth of research addressing these challenges.

Part 1 reviews developments in improving cultivation across the value chain, from breeding more robust, low input varieties to ways of maintaining soil health and improving crop nutrition. Part 2 discusses the key topic of pests and diseases with reviews of integrated pest and weed management as well as organic plant protection products. Part 3 covers ways of monitoring the environmental impact of organic farming whilst the final part of the book discusses ways of supporting organic cultivation in the developing world.

With its distinguished editor and an international team of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for all those interested in understanding, improving and promoting organic farming.

"Arable and particularly horticultural crops are central to organic agriculture. There remain tremendous challenges in research whilst the best sustainable practices are still not fully adopted by all organic farmers. A comprehensive reference book covering the latest research on improving organic agriculture is therefore indispensable and currently missing. With their wealth of expertise, the editor and the authors fill this very gap." Professor Urs Niggli, Director of the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Switzerland