Systems approaches for agricultural development are needed to determine rational strategies for the role of agriculture in national development. Mathematical models and computer simulation provide objective tools for applying science to determine and evaluate options for resource management at field, farm and regional scales. However, these tools would not be fully utilizable without incorporating social and economic dimensions into their application. The second international symposium, Systems Approaches for Agricultural Development (SAAD), held in Los Baños, 6-8 December 1995, fostered this link between the biophysical sciences and the social sciences in the selection of keynote papers and oral presentations, a selection of which are included in these books. The contents further reflect how systems approaches have definitely moved beyond the research mode into the application mode. The large number and high quality of interdisciplinary research projects reported from different parts of the globe, to determine land use options that will meet multiple goals and yet sustain natural resource bases, is a key indicator of this `coming of age'. At the farm level, where trade-off decisions between processes and products (commodities) feature strongly, much progress is also evident in the development of systems-based tools for decision making. At the field level optimization of resource use and minimizing environmental effects has become of major concern for which systems approaches are indispensable. The books, of which Volume I deals with regional and farm studies level and Volume II with field level studies, will be of particular interest to all agricultural scientists and planners, as well as students interested in multidisciplinary and holistic approaches to agricultural development.

Systems approaches for agricultural development are needed to determine rational strategies for the role of agriculture in national development. Mathematical models and computer simulation provide objective tools for applying science to determine and evaluate options for resource management at field, farm and regional scales. However, these tools would not be fully utilizable without incorporating social and economic dimensions into their application. The second international symposium, Systems Approaches for Agricultural Development, held in Los Baños, 6-8 December 1995, fostered this link between the bio-physical sciences and the social sciences in the choice of keynote papers and oral presentations, a selection of which is included in this book. The book's contents further reflect how systems approaches have definitely moved beyond the research mode into the application mode. The large number and high quality of interdisciplinary research projects reported from different parts of the globe, to determine land use options that will meet multiple goals and yet sustain natural resource bases, is a key indicator of this `coming of age'. At the farm level, where trade-off decisions between processes and products (commodities) feature strongly, much progress is also evident in the development of systems-based tools for decision making. This book will be of particular interest to all agricultural scientists and planners, as well as students interested in multidisciplinary and holistic approaches for agricultural development.

This book investigates new agricultural systems such as organic and green manuring, as well as integrated pest management practices, and looks at how they can improve farm productivity against the enhancements for the environment. Much of the information presented focuses on microinvestigation of the soil, and on the effects of soil variability within fields on yields and nutrient flows.

Advances in Agronomy has the highest impact factor among serial publications in Agriculture. The Science Citation Index, 1986, reports an impact factor over 2,459 and a cited half-life over 10 years.Volume 76 contains five excellent reviews on topics of great interest to crop and soil scientists as well as others in various fields. Chapter 1 is concerned with the potential of tropical soils to sequester carbon. Topics that are covered include soil inorganic and organic pools and dynamics, loss of soil organic pools from tropical soils, and potential for C sequestration in tropical soils. Chapter 2 covers the applications of crop/soil simulation models in tropical agricultural systems. Chapter 3 deals with interorganismal signaling in suboptimum environments with emphasis on legume-rhizobia symbiosis. Chapter 4 discusses the surface chemistry and function of microbial biofilms. The authors discuss biofilm formation and matrix architecture and general features and properties. Chapter 5 deals with vegetable crop scheduling and prediction. Topics that are covered include identification of stages of growth and development and experimental approaches for developing scheduling and prediction models. Advances in Agronomy has the highest impact factor among serial publications in Agriculture. The Science Citation Index, 1986, reports an impact factor over 2,459 and a cited half-life over 10 years.Volume 76 contains five excellent reviews on topics of great interest to crop and soil scientists as well as others in various fields. Chapter 1 is concerned with the potential of tropical soils to sequester carbon. Topics that are covered include soil inorganic and organic pools and dynamics, loss of soil organic pools from tropical soils, and potential for C sequestration in tropical soils. Chapter 2 covers the applications of crop/soil simulation models in tropical agricultural systems. Chapter 3 deals with interorganismal signaling in suboptimum environments with emphasis on legume-rhizobia symbiosis. Chapter 4 discusses the surface chemistry and function of microbial biofilms. The authors discuss biofilm formation and matrix architecture and general features and properties. Chapter 5 deals with vegetable crop scheduling and prediction. Topics that are covered include identification of stages of growth and development and experimental approaches for developing scheduling and prediction models.

The use of crop-soil modelling has so far been mainly confined to the research community. Practical applications have occurred in the areas of decision tools for irrigation studies and pest management. However, there is potential to increase its applied use.This book reviews progress in crop-soil simulation modelling and assesses its application to agriculture in developing countries. It is based on work sponsored by the Natural Resources Systems Programme of the UK Department for International Development.

This book reflects the results of more than ten years of cooperative research involving Wageningen Agricultural University (y. l AU) in the Netherlands, the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE; Centro Agron6mico Tropical de lnvestigaci6n y Ensefianza) in Costa Rica and the Costa Rican Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG; Ministerio de Agricultura y Ganadeda) as part of the Research Program on Sustainability in Agriculture (REPOSA) in the Central American country. The type of cooperation was unusual as it focused on both research and the education of students undertaking either M. Sc. thesis projects or a program of practical training in the various aspects of studying land use. Since funding was provided by W AU, a high degree of scientific autonomy was created that has clearly benefited the independent, scientific rigor of the work. Over the ten-year period, the program has changed from being a patchwork of various insulated specialist projects, into a truly interdisciplinary effort, leading to the development of innovative tools for analyzing land use on a number of geographical scales. These tools are presented in this book. Besides CATIE and MAG, cooperation with other Costa Rican partner institutions has been essential from the beginning, and this process of interaction has also evolved considerably over time.

In December 1993, ISNAR, in collaboration with International Consortium for Application of Systems Approaches, organized a three-day workshop on systems approaches and modelling for agricultural development. Sponsored by the Dutch Ministry for Development Cooperation, the workshop was attended by participants from 12 national agricultural research systems (NARS), nine international agricul tural research centers (lARCs), and five advanced research organizations (AROs). Although application of systems approaches in agricultural research and resource management is a rather new field, there is already increasing demand for implemen tation of these approaches. This will require a critical mass of specialists in the NARS and IARCs. Before this critical mass can be obtained, however, the experience that has been gained in this area needs to be evaluated, further possibilities need to be explored, and new objectives and targets need to be set. This book, which contains the papers presented at the workshop, assesses the state of the art of systems approaches in agricultural research, resource management, and rural planning. It also gives an impression of the evolution of this interdisciplinary field and its use in national and international research centers. Another, less tangible, outcome of the workshop was its contribution toward strengthening the network of NARS, lARCs, and AROs. It gave participants and organizers a chance to develop contacts, and provided an opportunity to make the first proposals for collaborative programs. Special thanks are due to Peter Goldsworthy and Luc Boerboom for their crucial role in making the workshop a success in this regard.

The increased use of technology is necessary in order for industrial control systems to maintain and monitor industrial, infrastructural, or environmental processes. The need to secure and identify threats to the system is equally critical. Securing Critical Infrastructures and Critical Control Systems: Approaches for Threat Protection provides a full and detailed understanding of the vulnerabilities and security threats that exist within an industrial control system. This collection of research defines and analyzes the technical, procedural, and managerial responses to securing these systems.

Researchers and policy planners are in search of a solution to address the twin challenges of maximizing agricultural production while maintaining/ improving ecosystem sustainability. Enhancing farm productivity is needed in certain regions of the world to satisfy local food consumption and farmers' needs. Linear economy-based-input intensive conventional agriculture (CAPS) has increased production output but has not made agriculture more sustainable. Henceforth, a farming system that aims to reduce the adverse impact on the environment, as well as enhance agricultural productivity by reducing environmental footprint and improving soil health and economic wellbeing is needed in the present day. Integrated organic farming systems (IOFS) involve residue recycling, bio-intensive cropping, high-tech horticulture, mushroom, dairy, poultry, fishery, apiary, etc can improve the ecosystem health and augment the income and livelihood security of the growers. Worldwide, IOFS are gaining popularity due to improved ecosystem services and improving farm productivity and livelihood security. Hence, IOFS- a circular economy-based (reuse-recycle-repair) agricultural production system can be alternatives to energy-intensive inputs based on CAPS. Hence, there is an urgent need to select suitable IOFS models with proper resource optimization for productivity maximization and better ecosystem sustainability. Undoubtedly IOFS reduces energy use from synthetic agrochemicals but food production in IOFS is highly dependent on fossil fuel energy that must be addressed urgently. Despite the enormous positive outlooks, there are several challenges in the adoption of IOFS models. The IOFS is a multiproduct-oriented production system that needs multi specialties and marketing. Capacity building and infrastructure development are also great challenges in adopting IOFS. Moreover, the development of IOFS models is highly individualistic, and location-specific production systems need proper resource optimization and characterization. Hence, the development of site-specific IOFS models to maintain food quality with productivity improvement is a genuine issue to the researchers, which needs to be addressed. Papers (original research/review/letter to the editors) spanning across the discipline related to the IOFS development in sustainable ways are encouraged for inclusion in this research topic. Papers should explicitly cover ecosystem restoration, farm productivity, and profitability and could have a specific focus on the following areas: -the IOFS models for enhancing productivity and environmental quality through an integrated management approach aiming at the maximization of use efficiencies -the management of biomass waste to restore the soil fertility, and ecosystem services the effect of integrated management practices on greenhouse gas emissions and energy use -Critical approaches for climate-smart food production systems