Production Utilization and Conservation of Forage Crops in India

Contents: 1. Introduction. 2. Forage Crop Improvement. 3. Forage Improvement through Biotechniques. 4. Kharif Fodder Crops. 5. Rabi Fodder Crops. 6. Miscellaneous Fodder Crops. 7. Grasses. 8. Fodder Trees. 9. Agroforestry. 10. Mixed Farming. 11. Forage Production in Indian Himalaya. 12. Fodder Production Round the Year . 13. Forage Crops in Crop Rotation. 14. Forage Production Under Special Situations. 15. Seed Production. 16. Silage Making. 17. Hay Making. 18. Forage Quality. 19. Ant-quality Component. 20. Pasture and Grassland. 21. Rangelands. 22. Integrated Nutrient and Pest Management. 23. Water Management. 24. Fodder Bank. 25. Gaps and Future Strategies. Annexures. This book entitled Production, Utilization and Conservation of Forage Crops in India covers research and development held on forage crops, grasses and trees in the past few decades. This publication provides a global perspective, but attempts have been made for the coverage of previously given to forages from some geographical regions, particularly India. Thus the dominance of this book by author reflects both the limited previous emphasis on grasses and fodder trees compiling the specifically contributions of forage researchers in India. Attempts have been made to provide the information about the production utilization and conservation of forages crops, grasses and trees. The chapter Grasses provide complete information about most of the grasses cultivated or grown in grasslands. In chapter Fodder trees have very little information about most of the fodder trees but provide complete listings of the scientific names. Similarly in the chapter Forage crop improvement and Forage improvement through biotechniques given the available information about germless improved varieties and bio-techniques given the available information about germplasm, improved varieties and biotechniques used in forage production. In the chapters fodder bank and forage production under special situation. Integrated Nutrient and pest management and water management efforts have been made by an author to provide the information to bring the attention of forage researchers to work more on these aspects. Other chapters such as Kharif crops, Rabi crops, Forage quality, Mixed farming ant-quality components seed production, silage making hay making, pasture and grassland and Rangelands cover the research and survey based detailed information. This book has great importance for the students forage researchers and extension workers for knowledge update and also for planning research on the forage crops to improve the fodder production to fulfill the requirement of ever increasing population of livestock.