With these talks, Steiner created and launched ?biodynamic? farming?a form of agriculture that has come to be regarded as the best organically produced food. However, the agriculture Steiner speaks of here is much more than organic?it involves working with the cosmos, with the earth, and with spiritual beings. To facilitate this, Steiner prescribes specific ?preparations? for the soil, as well as other distinct methods born from his profound understanding of the material and spiritual worlds. He presents a comprehensive picture of the complex dynamic relationships at work in nature and gives basic indications of the practical measures needed to bring them into full play.
For most people, the misconception that pigs are a dirty and difficult animal to rear has led them to settle for the cheap pork sold by meat processing companies. However, what most people are unaware of is that, healthy, pigs are one of the most social animals there is. If you are reading this book, then chances are you have already decided to rear pigs at your home, and are looking for important guidelines to carry you through. This book contains a simple step by step procedure, including the breeds of pigs available, food and water recommendations, as well as how to handle pests and diseases.
Organic farming is a technique of producing crops, in which the use of synthetic and chemical inputs like fertilizers, pesticides, growth regulators and livestock feed additives is avoided. To reduce the harm caused by indiscriminate use of synthetic chemicals, organic materials such as farm manure, compost, vermicompost, biofertilizer, biopesticide and so on, can be used. Over the years, need to go organic in agriculture is being increasingly felt for attaining sustainable production. The present book incorporates articles on different aspects of the subject in two sections. Section I deals with information on Organic Farming and Section II includes articles on Mycorrhizae. Both the sections provide most extensive and thematic coverage of the subject. It incorporates articles on organic farming, biofertilizers, PGPR bioinoculant, role of mycorrhiza in agriculture, biopesticides, VAM biotechnology and economics of bio-inputs usage in agriculture. It is of interest to agricultural scientists, teachers and researchers in the field of agriculture.
Insect pest control continues to be a challenge for agricultural producers and researchers. Insect resistance to commonly used pesticides and the removal of toxic pesticides from the market have taken their toll on the ability of agricultural producers to produce high quality, pest-free crops within economical means. In addition to this, they must not endanger their workers or the environment. We depend on agriculture for food, feed, and fiber, making it an essential part of our economy. Many people take agriculture for granted while voicing concern over adverse effects of agricultural production practices on the environment. Insect Pest Management presents a balanced overview of environmentally safe and ecologically sound practices for managing insects. This book covers specific ecological measures, environmentally acceptable physical control measures, use of chemical pesticides, and a detailed account of agronomic and other cultural practices. It also includes a chapter on state-of-the-art integrated pest management based, a section on biological control, and lastly a section devoted to legal and legislative issues. Insect Pest Management approaches its subject in a systematic and comprehensive manner. It serves as a useful resource for professionals in the fields of entomology, agronomy, horticulture, ecology, and environmental sciences, as well as to agricultural producers, industrial chemists, and people concerned with regulatory and legislative issues.
Lessons learned in Latin America is about the use and dissemination of cover crops in different agroecosystems need to be made more widely available not only to Spanish speaking, but also Anglophone regions. This publication aims to inform a wide range of actors involved in rural development projects, as well as those in applied research, of the potential of cover crops as components of low external input agricultural (LEIA) systems. Cover Crops are, or have the potential to be, an important component in complex, diverse, risk-prone and resource poor farming situations.
The publication includes selected case studies from four different countries within Latin America. These address key issues regarding crop cover integration in LEIA systems. A wide range of agroecosystems are covered by the case studies, so that the information can be adapted for use in other regions. The key issues covered by the case studies are the following: Cover crops in annual cropping systems (Honduras), Cover crops in Perennial crops (Bolivia), Role of cover crops in animal husbandry (Mexico), Cover crop systems – Soil improvement and conservation (Honduras), Alternatives to slash-and-burn (Mexico), Diffusion aspects of cover crop based systems, Applied research activities for agricultural systems improvement (Bolivia), Action research with campesino farmers in South-East Mexico.
