Ecological and Practical Applications for Sustainable Agriculture

Rampant industrialization, urbanization, and population growth have resulted in increased global environmental contamination. The productivity of agricultural soil is drastically deteriorated and requires a high dose of fertilizers to cultivate crops. To ensure food security, farmers are compelled to apply excess chemical fertilizers and insecticides that contaminate soil, air, and water. Heavy loads of chemical fertilizers not only degrade the quality of agricultural land but also pollute water and air. Use of chemical fertilizers also accelerate the release of greenhouse gases like nitrous oxide and methane along with nutrient runoff from the watershed in to lower elevation rivers and lakes, resulting in cultural eutrophication.

Farming practices globally in developed, developing, and under-developing countries should utilize and promote sustainable methods through viable combined environmental, social, and economic means that improve rather than harm future generations. This can include use of non-synthetic fertilizers like compost, vermicompost, slow-release fertilizers, farmyard manures, crop rotations that include nitrogen-fixing legumes. Organic fertilizers like compost and vermicompost improve soil properties like texture, porosity, water-holding capacity, organic matter, as well as nutrient availability.

The purpose of this book is to document the available alternatives of synthetic fertilizers, their mode of action, efficiency, preparation methodology, practical suggestions for sustainable practices, and needed research focus. The book will cover major disciplines like plant science, environmental science, agricultural science, agricultural biotechnology and microbiology, horticulture, soil science, atmospheric science, agro-forestry, agronomy, and ecology. This book is helpful for farmers, scientists, industrialists, research scholars, masters and graduate students, non-governmental organizations, financial advisers, and policymakers.

Dr. Kuldeep Bauddh is currently an Assistant Professor at the Department of Environmental Sciences, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi, India. He received his Ph.D. in Environmental Science from the BB Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India. Dr. Bauddh is currently teaching thrust areas of environmental sciences like Environmental Pollution and Management and Environmental Toxicology. His main research areas are phytoremediation and sustainable agriculture. He has published three Books (Edited), one with Elsevier on 'Phytomanagement of Polluted Sites', and two with Springer on 'Phytoremediation Potential of Bioenergy Plants' and 'Algae and Environmental Sustainability'. He has published 32 research papers in national and international journals.

Dr. Sanjeev Kumar is an Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences, Central University of Jharkhand, Ranchi, India. He obtained MSc. and PhD in Environmental Sciences from Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India. He has worked in the field of eco-friendly farming practices, nutrient leaching, and gaseous emissions from agricultural fields. He has published 21 research articles, 15 book chapters, 2 edited books with Springer and presented research in many national and International conferences and seminars. He was awarded 'Fellow of Society of Plant Research' and received the recognition award of 'Significant contribution in academic activities' by Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University.

Professor Rana Pratap Singh is Dean Academic Affairs and Professor of Environmental Science at Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India. He has made significant contribution in understanding of N metabolism, ecological nutrition and heavy metal toxicity in plants under non stress and environmental stress. His group have developed carrier based climate resilient microbial consortia for sustainable agriculture. Published over 150 papers,17 books, about 3900 citations with H-index 35 and i10-79, he has 33 years of PG teaching,38 years of Research and 14 years of administrative experience,8 awards and 4 fellowships and President of two academic societies. He is Chief Editor of PMBP (www. springer.com/journals/12298).

John Korstad is Professor of Biology Oral Roberts Univ., Tulsa, Oklahoma. His educational background includes a MS in Environmental Science from Cal. State Hayward and a MS and Ph.D. in Zoology from the Univ. Michigan. John teaches courses in Zoology, Ecology, Limnology, Marine Ecology, Research, Environmental Science, and Sustainability. He has vast experience in aquaculture, including research at SINTEF in Trondheim, Norway supported by a Fulbright Fellowship. His current research focuses on lake management, algal biofuels, phytoremediation, and sustainable development. John is on the editorial board of 5 journals, has over 40 professional publications, and is co-editor of 3books.