bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Energy considerations in crop protection
Authors: Jones D Price
Published: July 2017

Agricultural technology starts with the transformation of the sun's energy into chemical energy, mainly for food. Its exploitation demands additional inputs of energy from man, beast and machine. The higher the technology, the greater the additional energy input, especially that from fossil fuel. Pests affect the energy relations of crops in many ways. The energy relations of pests themselves and of measures employed to protect crops are now receiving increasing attention.
Sugar cane agriculture in South Africa
Authors: Whitehead C , Bond G
Published: July 2017

Sugar cane is a crop which most people associate with tropical areas and large stretches of flat land. It is rather surprising therefore to find that, despite the extreme latitude—well south of the Tropic of Capricorn—sugar cane is one of South Africa's most important crops, and that much of it is grown on the rolling and often steep lands of coastal Natal. The crop has many interesting features.
Bolting of sugar beet grown in England
Authors: C'longden P , Scott R K , Tyldesley J B
Published: July 2017

Bolting in root crops causes loss of yield and a reduction in sugar concentration. Climatic and other factors affecting the level of bolting have been investigated, as a result of which various approaches have been indicated by which the expectation of bolting may be minimized. Chemical control offers one possibility, but existing products do not give sufficiently consistent results.
The persistence and toxicity of pesticides in relation to enzymic activity
Authors: Walker C H
Published: July 2017

The degree of significance of enzyme activities in determining the rate of elimination of pesticides by vertebrates and insects is a central question in the study of their toxicity. Resistance to a particular pesticide may be greater where detoxifying enzymes are more active, and may be reduced by addition of inhibitors which block such activity selectively. Knowledge of enzymic differences between species should aid development of new selective pesticides of short persistence.
The application of chemicals to seed
Authors: Harris D A
Published: July 2017

Traditional seed-treating machines are mainly of the rotary atomizer, revolving drum or auger mixer types. Their weakest points have been in the standards of adhesion of powders and of distribution of liquids. The development of the ‘Rotostat’ seed treater, employing a batch process in which seed is accurately weighed into the machine, marks a notable advance in seed treatment technology.
ICI Plant Protection Division experience with direct drilling systems, 1961–1974
Authors: Allen H P
Published: July 2017

ICI Plant Protection Division (formerly Plant Protection Limited) has been developing the technique of direct drilling, based on the use of paraquat (‘Gramoxone’) as a contact herbicide, since 1961. Drills had to be designed suitable for a range of crops and soil conditions for sale to farmers and for inclusion in hire schemes, using the services of agricultural machinery contractors. The practice is expanding rapidly, even in the wet autumn of 1974.
The development and assessment of reduced cultivation machinery
Authors: Patterson D E
Published: July 2017

Traditional methods of soil cultivation are costly and time-consuming, and they can cause damage to soil structure under adverse weather conditions. Cereal experiments examining the performance of various reduced cultivation equipment have shown that shallow primary cultivations, using a shallow plough or the new NIAE rotary digger, followed by simultaneous secondary cultivation and drilling, using a bridging link, provide substantial economies in costs and energy.
Problems of straw disposal
Authors: Rutherford I
Published: July 2017

Experiments have been begun by ADAS on the problems of incorporating chopped straw into the soil, or of direct drilling through a surface mulch of chopped straw, on the growth and yield of the following crop. Some preliminary observations on implement performance and early crop growth in the first autumn of the experiments are given. No firm conclusions are yet possible.
Nitrogen, grassland and water quality in the United Kingdom
Authors: Hood A E M
Published: July 2017

A comprehensive enquiry into the effects of high rates of nitrogenous fertilizer applied to grassland, started at Jealott's Hill four years ago, incorporated catchment studies using automatic flow monitoring and proportional sampling techniques. Water quality studies so far indicate that nitrogen applications well in excess of present UK usage on grass pose no health problems, but more studies of this nature, linked to a national survey of nitrate concentrations in rivers, are needed.
Pre-harvest desiccation of oilseed crops
Authors: Sanderson J F
Published: July 2017

The use of chemical desiccation is rapidly becoming standard practice as a harvest aid in the cultivation of a number of important oilseed crops. Main advantages are that harvesting can be more closely timed, and can be carried out more quickly without the previously substantial risk of losses associated with under-ripeness or over-ripeness of the crop. Additionally, seed is of better quality and advancement of the harvesting date allows more time to prepare land for the following crop.
Chemical growth regulation in sugar cane
Authors: Nickell L G
Published: July 2017

Sugar cane growth can be improved under experimental conditions by the use of chemicals at almost any stage of development. Effects range from increased germination and tillering to control of ripening. Higher sucrose yields have followed inhibition of flowering by commercial applications of herbicides such as MH, monuron, diuron and diquat; stalk elongation with gibberellins; and control of ripening with a variety of compounds, the most effective of which, to date, is glyphosine.
Outlook for horticulture in Europe
Authors: Hinton Lynn
Published: July 2017

The European Economic Community is practically self-sufficient for vegetables and for fruit other than citrus and tropical fruit. British entry to the Community has brought trade advantages to the horticultural sector of Continental EEC countries and a greater choice of European produce to the British consumer, but the policy of market intervention needs reviewing. A return to free competition backed by a market guidance system could result in more stable prices and less waste.
Some aspects of the biology and chemistry of leaf-cutting ants
Authors: Howse P E , Bradshaw J W S
Published: July 2017

The importance of leaf-cutting ants is increasing in many parts of Latin America, particularly where agriculture has advanced rapidly in recent times; thus Atta capiguara, a grass-cutting species unknown as a pest in 1944, is now spreading rapidly through grassland areas of Southern Brazil. Recent studies of ant behaviour such as trail-making and leaf transport, and the chemical factors involved, fascinating purely as a research topic, may point the way to improved methods of control.
Palm tree crops in India
Authors: Rangaswami G
Published: July 2017

Palm trees, particularly coconut, arecanut and palmyrah play an important part in Indian rural life. All three produce materials for house construction, basket-making and the like, and may be tapped for juice, a popular drink either fresh or fermented. Arecanut is in widespread demand as a masticatory; but pre-eminent as a crop is the coconut, whose multifarious uses have earned for it the title “Tree of Life“. With an average annual yield of twenty nuts per tree, but the potential to produce up to two hundred, selection and breeding offer great possibilities for improvement.
Fungi and seed quality
Authors: Christensen C M
Published: July 2017

Fungal organisms developing in grain in store lead to hot spots and increased moisture content. Uncontrolled, deterioration is rapid, resulting in loss of viability in grain for seed, and off-flavours which render it unfit for milling and malting. Under certain conditions substances may be produced which are toxic to man and animals. Good grain storage depends upon regular sampling for moisture content, temperature monitoring, and the ability to aerate if temperature rises occur.
Simulation modelling of plant diseases to rationalize fungicide use
Authors: Teng P S , Blackie M J , Close R C
Published: July 2017

The use of systems simulation modelling to predict crop loss and cost/effectiveness of pesticide use may reduce the need for schedule spraying of crops as an “insurance policy” against disease. The barley leaf rust (Puccinia hordei) model described here will form part of an information system designed to provide rapid feedback of information on disease development which the farmer can then use to assess benefits to be expected from spraying as opposed to the costs of application.
Factors influencing the selection of herbicide-resistant biotypes of weeds
Authors: Gressel J
Published: July 2017

Despite their prolonged use, only a few cases of acquired genetic resistance to herbicides have been reported. This is probably due to a combination of low selection pressure with most herbicides, lower fitness of resistant weeds, the ability of thinned stands of susceptible weeds to produce relatively more seeds, and the large soil reservoir of susceptible weed seeds. Regular use of high selection pressure, highly persistent herbicides could, however, rapidly produce such resistance.
The suitability of soils for sequential direct drilling of combine-harvested crops in Britain: a provisional classification
Authors: Cannell R Q , Davies D B , Mackney D , Pidgeon J D
Published: July 2017

A classification based on experimental results is proposed for the suitability of land in Britain for repeated direct drilling of cereals. Chalk and limestone soils and other well-drained loams are classified as equally suited for direct drilling of spring and winter crops; with good management most clay soils are suited for winter crops and may benefit from timeliness of sowing. But direct drilling in spring on some soils can lead to lower yields than those from conventional cultivations.
Management of saline soils
Authors: Fuller W H
Published: July 2017

The availability of water to plants may be so critically low due to salinity that, lacking proper management, crop production is reduced to the level where the land is abandoned for agricultural use. Arid and semi-arid irrigated soils, in particular, require special attention if saline conditions are to be avoided. Drainage is the most important factor in salinity control, and minimum tillage, by reducing soil compaction and encouraging free water movement, can be a valuable aid.
Tillage practices on the Canadian prairie
Authors: Stobbe E H
Published: July 2017

Herbicides can advantageously replace tillage in the wheat/fallow rotation of the Canadian prairie, superseding the traditional but now questionably-beneficial summer fallow. Zero-tillage crop production conserves moisture, reduces soil erosion by wind and water and minimises loss of nitrogen from organic matter. However, it requires of the farmer new management skills, and it is unlikely to be adopted widely until the grain market demands sustained high levels of production.
Activities of the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission in the field of pesticide residues
Authors: Tiel N Van
Published: July 2017

Established in 1963, the FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius Commission was charged with drawing up internationally acceptable standards for food. Tolerances for pesticide residues in food are set by an FAO panel of experts as part of the Joint Meeting on Pesticide Residues, and working closely with the Codex Committee on Pesticide Residues. Their concern is for the greatest consumer safety consistent with adequate pest control, and the facilitation of international trade.
Pyrethroids as cotton insecticides
Authors: Ruscoe C N E
Published: July 2017

The development of photostable synthetic pyrethroid insecticides has particular significance in cotton pest control, where they are rapidly occupying the position once held by the persistent organochlorines whilst being much more acceptable environmentally. Spraying on ‘threshold of damage’ pest populations determined by regular ‘scouting’ will make for cost-effectiveness, aid beneficial species and, it is hoped, delay the onset of pest resistance to the compounds.
Cotton diseases
Authors: Ebbels D L
Published: July 2017

The incidence and type of diseases affecting cotton vary according to the species of cotton and the conditions under which it is cultivated. Whilst diseases are generally not a major factor limiting production, in certain areas or in some seasons they can be very destructive and can cause heavy losses in both yield and quality. Intensive systems of production where yields per unit area are large may permit the adoption of disease control measures which would not otherwise be economic.
Cotton pests in South America
Authors: Bachini J E González
Published: July 2017

Most cotton in Peru, which is of long or extra-long staple, is grown under an irrigation system using the flood waters of the Andean rivers. It is grown in coastal valleys which are virtually rainless, with little natural vegetation, and separated from each other by desert. Such ecological isolation has facilitated the development of a sophisticated integrated strategy for the control of cotton pests. Fortunately, neither boll weevil nor pink bollworm constitutes a problem.
The control of cotton pests in Egypt
Authors: Hosny M M
Published: July 2017

Cotton dominates field crop production in Egypt and represents, in both raw cotton fibre and manufactured goods, more than 60% of all Egyptian exports. To protect the crop against insect pests cost, in 1978, more than US$60 million, half of which was borne by the Government. Since 1972 the agricultural co-operatives in the villages have become the sole agents for pesticides which are used under the supervision of agricultural officers according to a national programme.
An evaluation of cotton versus synthetic fibres
Authors: Symonds J S
Published: July 2017

There has been a major increase in the consumption of synthetic fibres over the past fifteen years. This growth has been in competition with cotton, so that cotton's share of total fibre consumption has fallen. However, because of rising world demand for textiles, the absolute quantity of cotton consumed continues to rise. The pattern of consumption differs considerably from region to region, and is least predictable in developing countries where the greatest growth in fibre consumption will occur.
The use of mycorrhizae in crop production systems
Authors: Rhodes L H
Published: July 2017

Symbiotic associations between fungi and plant roots have only recently attracted more than academic interest. Mycorrhizae are now recognized as being significantly beneficial to the plant host, particularly where root systems are restricted and soil nutrient status is low. Obstacles to the wider realization of such benefits are the adverse effect on mycorrhizae of much current agricultural practice and the difficulty of producing pathogen-free inoculum in quantity.
ULV/CDA optimum spray droplet size for control of the eastern spruce budworm in Canada
Authors: Armstrong J A
Published: July 2017

The post-World War II availability of aeroplanes and pilots and synthetic insecticides provided Canadian forest managers with the means of controlling devastating plague outbreaks of spruce budworm. Subsequent adoption of ULV spray rates, definition of the biologically optimum droplet size, and development of aerial spray generators such as the Micronair and Beecomist, have since given rise to an effective and environmentally acceptable forest protection practice.
The reclamation of a desert by the combination of ancient and modern water systems
Authors: Issar A
Published: July 2017

A well-developed system of harvesting the scanty rainfall of the Negev desert in run-off channels enabled farmers 1500 years ago to grow crops of grain and fruit, and produce oil and wine. Restoration of some of these early systems has shown that the principles hold good today and may be applicable in arid and semi-arid areas of other countries, particularly if they are used in combination with modern techniques such as drip irrigation and the use of brackish water.
Single cell protein
Authors: Waterworth D G
Published: July 2017

Whilst agricultural research world-wide pursues yield improvement in food and forage crops in an attempt to keep pace with growing demand, alternative ‘non-crop’ protein sources have also been sought. Bacteria and yeasts have been shown to have the characteristics necessary for large-scale production of what has come to be known as single-cell protein. ICI's ‘Pruteen’, using a unique continuous fermentation system, compares favourably with conventional protein feedstuffs.
Agricultural investment and economic development—some relationships
Authors: Mollett J. A.
Published: July 2017

Disparity between developed and developing countries, in the relationship between agricultural productivity and inputs of capital and labour, suggests that substantially higher rates of investment in agriculture in poor countries are unlikely to yield dramatic results. A wider commitment to rural development is needed, with real incentives for farmers and improvements in education, health and nutrition. Aid should be diverted from grandiose projects to simpler schemes based on the village or commune.
New perspectives in vegetative propagation
Authors: Hudson J. P.
Published: July 2017

Most of the world's fruit trees, many ornamental plants, all the main root vegetables, and some forest trees are increased by vegetative propagation and not from seeds. Recent research has led to innovations that open up new prospects for this important horticultural technique, but the work has also revealed some drawbacks that have previously been overlooked.
Modern strategies for the control of gastro-intestinal parasitism in sheep
Authors: Thomas R. J.
Published: July 2017

The high incidence of nematode or roundworm parasites is a major problem to modern sheep farmers and a serious obstacle to the expansion of the industry. This article reviews modern techniques for the control of gastro-intestinal parasites, based partly on understanding of the life-cycles of the two principal organisms involved and partly on the use of synthetic anti-parasitic drugs introduced during the last ten years.
Light interception, photosynthesis and crop productivity
Authors: Hawkins A. F.
Published: July 2017

For a crop plant, it is suggested that photosynthetic productivity is governed by the capacity for carbon dioxide fixation available at any given time; by a host of environmental and physiological factors which may limit photosynthesis to less than capacity; and by the rate at which assimilate is partitioned into useful yield organs. The photosynthetic capacity, as determined by the structure and physiology of the crop canopy, forms the subject of this review.
Principles of plant genetic engineering
Authors: Dodds John H. , Bengochea Teresa
Published: July 2017

The rapid improvement of crop plants by genetic engineering is one of the most important of all recent developments in agricultural science: it has been called the Second Green Revolution. This article reviews the basic principles involved in the isolation and fusion of protoplasts and the ways in which desirable new genes can be introduced.
Biomass cultivation and harvest: global trends and prospects
Authors: Winteringham F. P. W.
Published: July 2017

Trends in pressures on land and water for food, animal feed, natural fibres and botanically-derived fuels, in world population, in demands per capita, and the growing interactions as a result of these trends suggest some seriously underestimated problems and emerging constraints for the immediate decades ahead. The social background of persistent disparities but growing awareness, and escalating potential for destruction and bilogical injury, lend urgency to the need for a greatly improved and internationally coordinated attack on these problems. More effective support for, and use of, the existing machinery of the United Nations are seen as the only immediately feasible step in this direction.
Forest management and the Pine Processionary Moth
Authors: Buxton R. D.
Published: July 2017

Pine forests of the Mediterranean area are subject to very serious depredations by the caterpillar of the Pine Processionary Moth. Although there are suitable habitats in other parts of the world, the moth has so far remained within this region because of its poor power of dispersal. Traditional methods of containing it are unsatisfactory and better results are to be expected from measures designed to stabilise the population at an acceptable level rather than to eradicate it entirely.
Practical aspects of biogenetic engineering in crops
Authors: Knopf U. C.
Published: July 2017

The intrinsic scientific interest of biogenetic engineering, and the wide publicity it has received, has tended to create the impression that it is on the verge of replacing traditional methods of plant breeding. This article sets its possibilities in perspective, and argues that although much progress can be expected from working at the cellular and molecular level, existing techniques will remain of fundamental importance for the foreseeable future.
The world potato crop: the present position and probable future developments
Authors: Zaag D. E. Van Der
Published: July 2017

Traditionally, the potato is regarded as a temperate zone crop but in the last few decades it has been increasingly grown in tropical and sub-tropical countries. At first sight both markets—and especially the second, where consumption per capita is still very low—appear capable of substantial development but, as this review shows, there are considerable obstacles to this. On balance, the main future development seems to lie in the production of ware potatoes.
Policies and prospects in Nigerian irrigation
Authors: Carter R. C. , Carr M. K. V. , Kay M. G.
Published: July 2017

In contrast to many parts of Asia, where large-scale formal irrigation schemes have a long history, organised irrigation projects in Africa are a relatively new concept. In Africa the Gezira scheme in the Sudan is perhaps the best known and similar large projects are now being planned and constructed in other countries including Nigeria. These schemes are seen as a means of ensuring food supplies in areas where rainfall is inadequate or unreliable for successful crop production. In Africa, Nigeria is unusual in having not only the desire to develop irrigation but also the financial resources from oil revenues to implement its ambitious plans. The implementation of policy has, however, encountered difficulties which should be heeded by other countries having similar plans.
Chromosomes of crop plants
Authors: Chapman G. P.
Published: July 2017

The study of animal chromosomes at the level of their DNA composition is well advanced while interest in plant chromosomes at this level is much more recent. It does not appear, however, that there are basic differences between plant and animal chromosomes and much of what is learned from one should therefore be applicable to the other. In some respects plant material is easier to manipulate and this article suggests that breeders generally could with advantage direct more attention to plant chromosomes.
Green manuring
Authors: Parsons J. W.
Published: July 2017

Green manuring can be defined as the growth of a crop for the specific purpose of incorporating it into soil while green, or soon after maturity, with a view to improving the soil and benefiting subsequent crops. This definition excludes the incorporation of crop residues and short leys which are grown as forage or conservation crops.
Copper deficiency in world crops
Authors: Alloway B. J. , Tills Alison R.
Published: July 2017

Copper deficiency is widespread and can affect the yield and quality of many crops. This article reviews its incidence and consequences; methods for its recognition; and techniques for correcting it.
Trypanotolerant livestock: potential and future exploitation
Authors: Murray Max , Trail J. C. M. , Grootenhuis J. G.
Published: July 2017

The exploitation of genetic resistance to infectious diseases is being given increasing attention in livestock development programmes. This is particularly the case in developing countries where it is estimated that 70 per cent of the world's livestock resources exist but where conventional disease control measures are often not effective, do not exist, or cannot be implemented because of lack of finance or trained manpower.
Research on the control of wild oats and broad-leaved weeds by herbicide mixtures
Authors: Taylor H. F. , Loader M. P. C.
Published: July 2017

The large number of pesticides which are frequently required for crop protection makes it impracticable to apply them individually to crops, and there has been increasing resort to the use of mixtures of chemicals. This presents difficulties, however, in that the overall effect of a mixture is often different from the sum of the effects of its components: this may be apparent as reduced performance or even crop damage. This article describes some of the most severe antagonisms that have been observed, the results of investigations into their causes, and methods of overcoming them.
Lupins in crop production
Authors: Williams Watkin
Published: July 2017

Lupins have been grown as a food and fodder crop since prehistoric times, but never very extensively. Dehiscent pods which scatter the seed; impermeable seed coats which cause dormancy; and production of toxic alkaloids have all been inherent disadvantages. In recent years, however, reliable varieties free from these defects have been developed and this has led to increased interest in the crop, especially as it is relatively undemanding in its fertility requirements.
Disposal of effluents from intensively housed livestock
Authors: Gasser J. K. R.
Published: July 2017

The intensive rearing of farm animals, which has become widely practised since the last war, has created serious problems of waste disposal. Under traditional systems of mixed farming all kinds of farmyard manure were returned to the land and were an important feature in maintaining soil fertility. Today, many farmers have insufficient land for this purpose and the disposal of effluent from their livestock is becoming increasingly difficult. This article reviews the magnitude of the problem and the steps being taken to solve it.
Tropical clay soils, their use and management
Authors: Ahmad N.
Published: July 2017

Clay soils are widely distributed over enormous areas throughout the world and their successful cultivation presents problems wherever they are encountered. In tropical regions these problems are commonly aggravated by low rainfall, demanding water conservation and irrigation, and high temperatures, causing rapid drying of the surface soil. Nevertheless, by careful management and choice of suitable crops such tropical soils can be made very productive.
Abscission in agriculture
Authors: Osborne Daphne J.
Published: July 2017

Abscission—the natural process by which cell-to-cell adhesion is lost at specific points in plants—plays an important role in the maturing and harvesting of many crops. Understanding of the biochemical mechanisms involved makes control of the abscission process possible and this has been put to practical use in agriculture: for example, in harvesting citrus fruits.
Straw incorporation in relation to soil conditions and crop growth
Authors: Cannell R. Q.
Published: July 2017

The clearing of arable fields after harvest by burning the straw is an established agricultural practice. It has the advantage of being quick and cheap and of destroying a variety of pests. Today, however, it is widely regarded as an antisocial practice, causing pollution and presenting a serious fire hazard; in many countries increasingly stringent regulations are being enforced to control it. This article reviews the alternative method of disposing of straw by incorporating it in the soil.
Use of symbiotic and free-living blue-green algae in rice culture
Authors: Watanabe I.
Published: July 2017

Floodwater and surface of flooded rice fields support photodependent N2-fixation by symbiotic and free-living blue-green algae. The article reviews the uses of Azolla in symbiosis with blue-green algae and free-living blue-green algae in wetland rice culture. There are many constraints on the wide use of either N_fixing systems by blue-green algae.
Enzootic bovine leukosis–-a slow virus disease
Authors: Straub O. C.
Published: July 2017

In many countries, enzootic bovine leukosis is of minor economic importance compared with diseases such as brucellosis and Rift Valley fever, and this has tended to limit interest in its cause and prevention. In central and eastern Europe, however–-and in certain herds in the USA and Colombia–-the incidence and fatality rate is high enough to cause great concern.
Upland rice
Authors: Greenland D. J.
Published: July 2017

Although only 5 per cent of the world's rice crop derives from upland (dry) rice, there are certain areas in Africa and Latin America, and parts of the poorest regions of Asia, where it is relatively much more important. This has led to internationally co-ordinated research to improve the crop.
Planned beef production
Authors: Allen D. M.
Published: July 2017

Success in beef production, as in all other aspects of farming, depends very much on careful planning. Nevertheless, traditional practices and sporadic political intervention make planning difficult. This article reviews production strategy, with special reference to dairy beef and suckler beef.
Sugar beet
Authors: Arnold M. H.
Published: July 2017

Although various forms of beet have been grown for a very long time, its cultivation as a major source of sugar dates only from the beginning of the nineteenth century. It is now widely grown and much research has been done on mechanization, improving varieties and in controlling pests and diseases.
Ticks: their economic importance and methods of control
Authors: Gray J. S.
Published: July 2017

Ticks are unbiquitous blood sucking ectoparasites distantly related to spiders, and through the direct damage they inflict and the diseases they transmit constitute one of the major constraints on livestock production worldwide, but most particularly in subtropical and tropical areas. Losses due to ticks in the cattle industry have been estimated as at least $7 billion annually.
Current trends in African Migratory Locust plague prevention
Authors: Alomenu H. S.
Published: July 2017

From the dawn of civilisation, locusts have been one of the great agricultural plagues, stripping vast areas bare of vegetation as they relentlessly advance. Experience shows that the most effective control measure is to attack the pest at its breeding grounds in the Niger Delta area as soon as it shows signs of swarming. Unfortunately, the prolonged sahelian drought – which for some years has put a natural brake on breeding – has encouraged complacency about the risks of another resurgence when this comes to an end.
The oil palm industry
Authors: Barlow Colin
Published: July 2017

The oil palm (Elaeis guineesis Jacq) is the highest yielding of all oil-bearing plants. It grows in tropical areas, and does best with a rainfall of 2000 mm or more per year, no marked dry or wet seasons, and considerable sunshine. Recently its area has expanded rapidly, and by the year 2000 its main product, palm oil, which is used primarily for making margarine and other edible fats, is expected to have almost quadrupled its present output.
The Significance and Control of Stomach Worms in British Cattle
Authors: Bain R. K. , Urquhart G. M.
Published: July 2017

Stomach worms are widely prevalent in cattle and are a serious cause of death and lost production. Although they can be controlled either by chemotherapy or by systems of pasture management – or a combination of both – success depends upon knowledge of the parasite's life cycle.
Modified Fertilisation in Plants: A Strategy for Directed Genetic Change?
Authors: Chapman G. P.
Published: July 2017

Within the plant ovule, which eventually becomes the seed, there occurs a complex array of inter-related processes which agriculture seeks to understand, modify, and exploit. The ovule is receptive to both the products of photosynthesis and to male gametes provided by the pollen. It is now possible to culture ovules in vitro before or after fertilisation and also to modify the male gametes. The long familiar phenomenon of fertilisation now has new implications for plant improvement.
Remote Sensing of Agricultural and Forest Resources from Space
Authors: Allan J. A.
Published: July 2017

Overall views of the pattern of land utilisation, and changes in it, are of great importance to those concerned with formulation of agricultural policy. Until recently, however, the available survey methods were too slow and expensive to provide detailed information about the world's vast tracts of agricultural land and forests, except for limited areas. Within the last few years, however, this situation has been dramatically changed with the advent of remote sensing from satellite platforms in space.
Forestry Research in the British Uplands
Authors: Seal D. T.
Published: July 2017

Most British forests stand in the uplands of Scotland, Northern England, and Wales. ‘Uplands' is a broad rather than precise term for the extensive areas of Britain where land is generally above 200 m and thus includes the Highlands and Southern Uplands of Scotland, the northern Pennines and Yorkshire Moors in England, and the Cambrian Mountains which extend over most of Wales. The forests in these areas comprise about 80 percent of the 2 million hectares of productive forest in Britain.
New Technology for Low-income Farmers in Developing Countries
Authors: Bay-Petersen Jan
Published: July 2017

Overall, the application of science to agriculture – largely by extensive use of fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides – has enormously increased farm productivity. Yet much of the world's food is still produced by traditional methods on very small holdings worked under conditions in which many modern techniques – however potentially advantageous – are simply not relevant. This article argues that the problems of such farms are not so much technical as organisational, and that the real need is to introduce new techniques cautiously and selectively as part of a wider programme of agricultural support.
The Efficiency of Wool Production
Authors: Williams A. J.
Published: July 2017

The efficiency of wool production – which in the context of this review means largely the production of fine wool in Australia, the largest grower – depends on local conditions and management systems. The main factors, other than genetic, are climatic and edaphic; the proportion of herbage utilized by the sheep; and the proportion of ingested herbage converted into wool.
Changing Economic Relationships in Southeast Asian Agriculture, and their Implications for Small Farmers
Authors: Barlow Colin , Condie Corrine
Published: July 2017

The last 25 years have seen radical changes in agriculture in Southeast Asia. The traditional labour-intensive subsistence farming on small holdings has been increasingly replaced by new technologies involving capital inputs, such as fertilizers, agrochemicals, and machinery. This article reviews these developments and their economic, political, and social implications.
The Brazilian National Alcohol Programme: Some Technological and Socio-economic Aspects
Authors: Rosillo-Calle F. , Rothman H.
Published: July 2017

The western response to the OPEC oil crisis of 1973 took various forms, ranging from comprehensive fuel economy policies to the development of new energy sources. Brazil elected to replace oil substantially by substituting alcohol derived from sugar for petrol. This article reviews the development of the Alcohol Programme during the last ten years, and the effect on it of the recent sharp drop in the price of oil.
New Uses for America's Biomass Resources
Authors: Stout B. A.
Published: July 2017

Over recent years, the world food situation has changed radically. Although Africa is still in deficit Asia is now not only self-sufficient overall but is even a small exporter: China, for example, exported nearly five million tons of corn in 1985. The effects of this restructuring of world food production have been far-reaching. In the USA farmers are producing more food than can be sold and farm debts are soaring as land values decline. This article urges the need for the development of new crops and new usages.
High Technology Options for Sheep Shearing III: Chemical and Biological Defleecing
Authors: Hudson P. R. W.
Published: July 2017

Two earlier articles have considered the cost-price squeeze facing the Australian woolgrower, and the solutions being sought to reduce wool harvesting costs. The first concentrated on the improvements to existing shearing methods, especially the shearing mechanism itself. The second summarised the progress of a programme aiming to automate shearing. This concluding article considers the research which has been undertaken to evaluate chemical and biological methods of wool harvesting.
Silage Making: Biotechnology on the Farm
Authors: Henderson Annie R.
Published: July 2017

Methods of ensiling green fodder to give a succulent feed, rather than preserving it by drying as in haymaking, have become increasingly popular with the introduction of new techniques during the last 30 years. This article reviews the biochemical principles involved and means by which silage can be improved by chemical or biological additives.
Plastics that Kill Plants
Authors: Hardwick R. C. , Cole R. A.
Published: July 2017

There have recently been numerous reports of severe leaf damage and plant death of glasshouse crops in the United Kingdom. The vapour of di-butyl phthalate (DBP), a component of plastic glazing strip, has been identified as the causal factor. Certain species of plant are killed by exposure to as little as 200 picogrammes DBP per litre of air, and it is probable that, since the 1930s, DBP has damaged a variety of commercial glasshouse crops and house plants on a world-wide basis.
Potential of Stylosanthes for Improving Tropical Grasslands
Authors: Edye Les A.
Published: July 2017

The improvement of tropical grasslands with Stylosanthes can lead to remarkable increases in cow weights, weaning rates, weaning weight, and total carrying capacity. But good results are obtained only by careful choice of cultivars suitable for local conditions of soil and climate and with effective control of the highly destructive anthracnose fungus. This article reviews research and experience over a wide area, including Australia, Thailand, and South America.
The Cultivation of Mushrooms: Its Present Status and Future Developments
Authors: Van Griensven L. J. L. D.
Published: July 2017

From prehistoric times fungi gathered in the wild have been an important part of man's diet. The cultivation of mushrooms, almost entirely Agaricus spp. is, however, of comparatively recent origin. Today this industry produces well over a million tonnes of mushrooms annually and they have become an everyday vegetable rather than a luxury food. In some parts of the world, the cultivation of other fungal species has been established.
Tropical Grain Legume Crops: A Commentary
Authors: Summerfield R. J. , Lawn R. J.
Published: July 2017

Although recent years have seen a substantial increase in grain legume production – most particularly of soyabean in the USA and then in Brazil – these crops clearly have much further potential. This review is particularly concerned with the tropically-adapted species, examining the diversity of their structure, form, and physiology, and the effects of environmental factors.
New Technologies and the Prospects for Europe's Farmers
Authors: Commins Patrick , Higgins James V.
Published: July 2017

This article examines possible future developments with particular references to the role of new technology and the implications for Europe's agricultural producers. The main proposition is that the maintenance of commercial viability will oblige producers to adopt innovations and new practices, but the most successful will be farmers with the greater economic resources and superior managerial abilities. The outcome will be increasing socio-economic differentiation within the EEC population of agricultural producers and an increasing proportion of farm output coming from the top 20 per cent of farmers in the Community.
Tea in Tanzania
Authors: Carr M. K. V. , Stephens William , Congdon T. C. E.
Published: July 2017

Tea has been grown in Tanzania for more than 60 years. After a period of relative stagnation, it is now set to make a positive contribution to the national income, both in the public and private sectors. This article reviews the past, present and likely future contributions of tea to the Tanzanian economy.
Insect Neuronal Cultures as Models in Insecticide Studies
Authors: Beadle David J.
Published: July 2017

The constant need to develop new types of insecticide particularly to overcome the perennial problem of acquired resistance, demands a fundamental understanding of the mode of action of these substances and their precise point of attack on their usual target, the insect's nervous system. For this purpose it is now in many instances unnecessary to investigate the intact nervous system. Cockroach neurones grown in culture possess neuro-transmitter receptor and uptake mechanisms that show responses essentially similar to those in the live insect. They thus provide a means of investigating the mode of action of insecticides under strictly controlled conditions.
Black Locust: The Tree of Agriculture
Authors: Keresztesi Béla
Published: July 2017

Over the years the Black Locust has emerged as a uniquely useful tree. It thrives under a wide variety of climatic and soil conditions and its wood finds many uses – for making furniture, the frames of agricultural buildings, railway sleepers, and fencing posts and as a fuel and even as fodder for farm animals. This article reviews the present status and future promise of black locust in agriculture, with particular reference to Hungarian practice.
The Environmental Impact of Pre-industrial Agriculture
Authors: Simmons I. G.
Published: July 2017

The growing impact of changing agricultural practices on the environment is a matter of general concern, but it is generally supposed to date largely from the introduction of machinery and agrochemicals. In fact, the impact was substantial long before this and can, indeed, be traced back to hunter-gatherers like the Australian aborigines who, without actively cultivating the land nevertheless deliberately controlled their local environment – as by burning or simple water management – in order to conserve the wild life on which they depended.
Field Drainage and the Soil Environment
Authors: Parkinson R. J.
Published: July 2017

Field drainage as a means of making waterlogged soils more manageable has been practised for many centuries. While the advantages can be measured in terms of crop yields and animal liveweight gains, the effect on the soil environment is less readily assessed. This article reviews the main factors involved.
The Identification of Optimum Management Regimes for Agricultural Crop Enterprises
Authors: Thornton P. K. , Mcgregor M. J.
Published: July 2017

This article outlines the nature of the decision making problem for an annual crop, and considers the problems of devising simulation models. Appropriate biological models are now in existence; the problem of computability is addressed briefly, and methods are described that might help to render such an optimizing program feasible. The potential usefulness of a crop management optimizing program is noted. There is no a priori theoretical reason why the same techniques cannot be applied at the farm level, aggregating different crop responses and relating management to the resource base of the individual farm.
An Overview of Organic Farming in the UK
Authors: Marland Angus
Published: July 2017

The dramatic effect of artificial fertilizers and agrochemicals on agricultural productivity tends to obscure the fact that their impact has been made only within the past century. Today, environmental problems arising from this technology have led to a consumer-led interest in organic agriculture. This approach will focus our sophisticated development and analytical techniques towards the principles of sustainable production, and now commands some support from governments and is a recognized study in some universities and agricultural colleges. In Australia over a million acres are under organic cultivation and in Britain alone sales in 1987 were $pD34 million.
Use of Earthworm Biotechnology for the Management of Effluents from Intensively Housed Livestock
Authors: Hartenstein Roy , Bisesi Michael S.
Published: July 2017

With a rapidly expanding world population, growing use of intensive animal husbandry, and increasingly stringent waste disposal legislation, the problem of disposing of livestock effluent is already severe. This article discusses, both qualitatively and quantitatively, how such organic waste can be effectively disposed of on a large scale by systematically managing the destructive and productive activities of earthworms.
Trace Element Deficiency in Ruminants
Authors: Macpherson A.
Published: July 2017

The connection between trace element deficiencies and specific animal diseases, such as white muscle disease and swayback, has long been recognized, but the nature of the underlying mechanisms and the consequences of subclinical deficiency are only just beginning to be understood. This article considers the dietary significance of copper, selenium, cobalt, and iodine in ruminants, and concludes with a review of practical methods for preventing or correcting deficiencies.
Pigmeat Production Worldwide
Authors: Bichard Maurice , Bruce E. Ann
Published: July 2017

Although there are great regional variations, pigmeat in its various forms is a very important part of the world's food. Annual production is now in excess of 54 million tonnes. In deciding his strategy the producer has to take note of many factors, including changing demand in respect of both quantity and quality, price of feed, and increasingly stringent government regulations. However, the pig's relatively short life-cycle and large number of offspring per year make it easier to respond to such changes, compared with cattle. This article reviews the present state of the industry and its future prospects.
Farmed Red Deer: An Example of Agricultural Diversification
Authors: Milne John A. , Reid Hugh W.
Published: July 2017

In the present economic climate farmers have to diversify their current programmes for cattle, sheep, and cereal production. One form of diversification which is rapidly growing in popularity is to farm red deer. This article reviews the economic, health, and breeding problems involved, and concludes that the prospects for the future are good.
Climate and Sea Level Change: A Perspective
Authors: Warrick R. A. , Barrow E. M.
Published: July 2017

Large changes in global climate from increasing concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are distinct possibilities for the 21st century. By 2030, the world could be 1–2°C warmer and sea level 14–24 cm higher than today. Important agricultural regions in coastal lowlands and deltas could be threatened by flooding, erosion and salt intrusion. Small, low-lying island states are particularly at risk.