This chapter describes the effects of weed interference in carrot and suggests non-chemical (including crop rotations and systems, planting timing, false sowing, use of competitive varieties, mechanical or physical method, flame weeding, reduced tillage, cover crops and mulch, and hand weeding) and ...

This chapter focuses on the major strawberry cultural systems employed across the world. Different cultural practices such as preplant fumigation, planting dates, plant sources, mulch, bed height and spacing, irrigation, nutrition, weed control, renovation, cover crops, tunnels and forcing systems, ...

The ecology of parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus), particularly its persistent soil seed bank, the multiple dispersal mechanisms and the ability to reach reproductive maturity quickly, allows it to persist in areas following initial control activities. To attain the desired level of...

Agricultural sustainability is built on the premise of promoting soil health. Agricultural practices such as tillage, crop rotation, cover crops and fertilization have been credited with shifts in the soil food web which affects many aspects of soil health. The aim of the current study was to...

Carrot is considered a healthy vegetable as it is rich in fibre and antioxidant-related compounds and with a low level of kilocalories. Some compounds are involved in both the nutritional and sensory quality. In most cases, carrot quality is highly dependent on the variety. However, environment...

Once a vineyard has been established there is ongoing management to keep it in top producing form. In many ways this process starts at pruning and matching the vine to the trellising system, as this sets the vine up for producing fruit in the following year. There are then many other management...

This chapter describes the abiotic and biotic components of soil ecosystem structure, and the soil environment as a habitat for organisms. It also discusses the role of nematodes as bioindicators (trophic levels and functional guilds) and as indicators of soil health in agroecosystems. It also...

This book provides an updated assessment of trends in the adaptation and adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) in different countries of Africa. It provides information on the contribution of CA systems to building resilience in a changing climate while increasing productivity, profitability...

This chapter explains why the incorporation of green manure/cover crops (GMCC) into the conservation agriculture (CA) system in Africa and elsewhere could fairly easily achieve the same success that the Brazilians have achieved with CA. The chapter first asks how well CA is fulfilling the criteria...

This chapter discusses the prospect and potential of using cover crops as a tool for sustainable insect pest management, with a focus on Brassica crops, including large-scale field crops, such as rape and Indian mustard.