Agriculture and Environment

Contents: Preface. I. Environmental challenges, biotechnology and agriculture: 1. Current environmental trends and future challenges/J.C. Dagar. 2. Bioremediation of contaminated sites: genetically engineered microorganisms as a resource/R.S. Kahlon and Geetika Banta. 3. Azospirillum--a potential ecofriendly plant growth promoting rhizobacterium for quality crop production/M.Y. Zargar, M.A. Khan, M.A. Chatoo and A.K. Bhat. 4. Role of mycorrhizae in rehabilitation and regeneration of degraded forest sites/M.Y. Zargar, M.A. Khan, Abrak Khursheed and Irshad Ahmed Mir. 5. Biological control of plant diseases with Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPRs): role of Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR)/K.N. Anith and M.Y. Zargar. 6. Bacillus thuringiensis--a potential biopesticide/Rhitu Rai and Prasanta Das. 7. Breeding apples for resistance to scab--an ecofriendly strategy/K.D. Farooqui and M. Amin Dalai. II. Pesticides and environment: 8. Biodegradation of Benzmidazoles and Pthalimides in post-spray soil samples of Kashmir apple orchards/M.A. Qurishi and Syed Urfi. 9. Residue dynamics of pesticides on apple in Kashmir/Bilal A. Sheikh and F.A. Qadri. 10. Effect of cooking on pesticide residues of buffalo tissues/Sarfaraz A. Wani, B.N. Kowale and V.K. Rao. 11. Impact assessment of fungicides on rhizosphere soil microflora of Kashmir apple orchards/M.Y. Zargar and M.A. Khan. 12. Pesticides and environment: a perspective/M.A. Masoodi. III. Crop production, plant response and environment: 13. Effect of phosphocompost on grain and straw yield, N and P uptake in wheat crop (Triticum sativum L.)/Suresh Kumar and R.S. Mathur. 14. Genetic analysis for agronomic and biochemical traits in bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)/F.A. Nehvi, Shafiq A. Wani, Gul Zaffar and N.A. Zeerak. 15. Genetic variability studies on panicle and grain characters in rice (Oryza sativa L. ) under temperate conditions/G.S. Singhara, M.A. Zargar, N. Ahmed and M.A. Rather. 16. Response of brown Sarson (Brassica compestris L.) cultivars to sulphur applications/M.A. Bhat, M.Y. Salroo, G.M. Mushki and N. Ahmed. 17. Mutagen induced polygenic variability in urdbean [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper]/M.N. Khan. 18. Experimental cultivation of saffron under cold arid conditions of Kargil, (Ladakh)/Gul Zaffar, A.A. Sofi and M.S. Mir. 19. Effect of preplanting gamma irradiation on flowering and vegetative growth of saffron (Crocus sativus L.)/Gul Zaffar, G.H. Zargar, S.A. Wani and F.A. Nehvi. 20. Studies on rooting of Hazalnut (Corylus avellana L.) cuttings under micro-environment of zero-energy humidity chamber/Khalid M. Chesti, M. Amin Dalal, A.R. Bhat, K.D. Farooqui, Hafiza Ahsan, M. Feza Ahmad and F.A. Banday. 21. Response of various almond genotypes to thermal and hydric regimes during spring in Kashmir/M.A. Dalal, K.D. Farooqui, M. Salman, Biswajit Das and Hafiza Ahsan. 22. Performance of ground-nut (Arachis hypogea L.) varieties under temperate Kashmir conditions/F.A. Sheikh, N. Ahmed and M.Y. Salroo. 23. Forage yield and nutritive value of Sabzaar and Kent at various intervals of harvesting/F.A. Nehvi, Shafiq A. Wani, G.H. Zargar and Gul Zaffar. 24. The effect of Glomus fasciculatum (Thaxt) Gerd and Trappe and municipal sewage water on growth of Ricinus communis L./H.C. Lakshman and T.C. Taranath. 25. Sunflower: a potential summer oil seed crop for temperate Kashmir Valley/F.A. Sheikh, N. Ahmad and M.A. Bhat. 26. Promoting intercropping in bamboo plantations in North-East India/M.S. Malik. IV. Environmental pollution, agriculture ecosystems, forest degradation, aquatic environment: 27. Impact assessment of cement dust emissions on agricultural ecosystems in the vicinity of Khrew factory, Kashmir Valley/A.H. Zargar, M.Y. Zargar and M.A. Khan. 28. Seasonal trends in the N content of some economically important tree species under pollution stress/Farooq A. Lone. 29. Role of deforestation in inducing long-tern climatic changes: global and regional perspective/Zubair Ahmed and T.H. Masoodi. 30. Deforestation: a cause of environmental imbalance/P.A. Khan, R.H. Kanth, S.A. Gangoo and M.A. Khan. 31. Attempts at conservation of a degraded ecosystem: a case study of Dal Lake, Kashmir/D.P. Zutshi. 32. Land-use pattern in the catchment and its impact on the ecology of suburban wetland, Kashmir Valley/M.A. Khan and M.A. Shah. 33. Biogeochemistry and wetland soils/A.K. Bhat, M.A. Khan and M.Y. Zargar. V. Animal sciences and environment: 34. Methane emission from livestock and scientific approach for its control/F.A. Mattoo, R.A. Shah, A.A. Makhdoomi and A.M. Ganai. 35. Environmental analysis of biological aspects of indigenous and crossbred dairy cows in Kashmir Valley/Harmeet Singh and Rais Akhtar. 36. Effect of temperature, pH and O2 on cestode and trematode infection in some fishes of Wular lake, Kashmir/M.Z. Chisti, Mahboobal Hassan, Shah Feroz and Ulfat Jabeen. VI. Biodiversity, landscape and environment: 37. Genetic vulnerability and erosion of plant biodiversity in North-western Himalayan region: emerging concerns for safe conservation/Shafiq A. Wani, G.H. Zargar and N.A. Zeerak. 38. Endangered medicinal plants and their conservation: Kashmir Himalayan perspective/M.A.A. Siddique. 39. Conservation and utilization of Diascorea deltoides Wall., an important medicinal plant of Kashmir Himalayas/Talat Anjum and Shafiq A. Wani. 40. Landscaping and environment/Neelofar Loalpori and A.Q. Jhon. Index.

"Globally recognized key role of environment for sustainable development is opening new vistas in the research fields of environmental sciences. In view of the part played by agriculture in environmental pollution, world attention, nowadays, is sharply focussed on regular environmental monitoring and development of eco-friendly technologies in R & D programmes. This book, compendium of thoroughly researched excellent and multi-faceted articles addresses, among others, the burning topics on emerging frontiers of environmental challenges, biotechnology in agriculture and crop production, pesticide residues, industrial pollution of agricultural ecosystems, rehabilitation of degraded aquatic and forest ecosystems, climate change and erosion of biodiversity. The contributors include leading agriculture experts, distinguished academicians and scientists. It is hoped that the wide readership of the book would merit its place on the shelves of  libraries, and institutions pursuing research in environmental sciences." (jacket)