This work takes a multidisciplinary approach to grain storage research, applying knowledge from the fields of biology, cereal chemistry, economics, engineering, mathematical modelling and toxicology to the study of the complex interactions among physical and biological variables in stored-grain bulks that cause the deterioration of stored grain. Details the prevention and control of pests and contaminants.

Due to the nature of agricultural commodities as carriers of exotic pests, importing countries have employed varying methods of pest control for postharvest products. Thermal treatments are emerging as effective, environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional methods, eliminating chemical residues and minimizing damage to produce. This book provides comprehensive information of these increasingly important treatments, covering temperature measurement, heat transfer, physiological responses of plants, insects and pathogens to heat, and an introduction to current and potential quarantine treatments based on hot air, hot water, and radio frequency energy.

Indian agriculture has witnessed spectacular advances in agricultural production in the last few decades. This was possible through green revolution in mid 60s leading to the country’s remarkable achievement in food grains and edible oil production. Seed has always been regarded as the most vital, basic and critical input in agriculture. It is interesting to note that today seed demand of only 10% farmers is met. Efforts are needed to provide good quality certify seeds to farmers. In recent years the awareness for seed health has increased among the growers, traders, and consumers. In post-GATT era and with emergence of WTO, seed health has assumed the global concern. Infection of seed borne pathogens results into seed rots, seedling decay, pre and post emergence mortality, distortion, discoloration, reduced seed size and shrivelledness of seeds. Their study and identification is primarily required to achieve satisfactory control. The book will be of great help to students, researchers, and people engaged in seed production activities. In this book, information about different seed borne diseases is presented in 20 chapters. There is an urgent need to find out effective, alternative methods of diseases control, which are less harmful to human beings and environment. There are chapters dealing with botanical pesticides and quarantine regulations. A chapter describes molecular aspects involved in seed borne diseases. The contents are divided into two parts (I) Seed borne diseases and (II) Wilt and foliar diseases and their control methods. Ecofriendly measures to control seed borne diseases are dealt in detail. The book provides comprehensive and integrated information on management of seed health written by experts in the field. It will be especially useful for students and young people involved in seed testing, seed industry as well as in teaching. Besides Agriculture Universities the book will be useful for all others offering courses related to Phytopathology and Seed Technology.

Entirely rewritten and updated throughout, this Second Edition maintains and enhances the features of the first edition. The Fungal Community, Second Edition continues to cover the entire spectrum of fungal ecology, from studies of individual fungal populations to the functional role of fungi at the ecosystem level, and to present mycological ecology as a rational, organized body of knowledge.;Acting as a bridge between mycological data and ecological theory, The Fungal Community, Second Edition offers such new features as an emphasis on the nonequilibrium perspective, including the impact of habitat disturbance and environmental stress; more information on the ecological genetics of fungal populations; a chapter on the fitness of genetically altered fungi when released into the environment; an examination of fungal morphological and physiological adaptations from the evolutionary ecologist's point-of-view; an explication of the effect of fungi and insect interactions on fungal community structure and decomposition processes; a section on the importance of fungi in determining patterns of plant community development; and a chapter on modeling fungal contributions to decomposition and nutrient cycling in ecosystems.;With over 3700 references, The Fungal Community, Second Edition is a resource for mycologists; microbial ecologists; microbiologists; geneticists; virologists; plant pathologists; cell and molecular biologists; biotechnologists; soil, forest, and environmental scientists; and graduate-level students in these disciplines.

Stored products of agriculture and animal origin are attacked by more than 600 species of beetles, 70 species of moths, and about 355 species of mites, causing huge quantitative and qualitative losses and insect contamination in food commodities. This is an important quality control problem. This book, Insect Pests of Stored Grain: Biology, Behavior, and Management Strategies, provides comprehensive coverage of stored product entomology for the sustainable management of insects and other noninsect pests, such as mites, birds, rodents, and fungi, with the aim to mitigate and eliminate these losses of food from grains. The author, who has studied sustainable and herbal management of stored grain and seed insect pests in his research, considers sustainable management of stored grain insect pests and eco-friendly approaches along with the utilization of waste materials. Starting with a history of stored product entomology from the beginning to the modern era in detail along with an introduction of storage entomology, the book then goes on to cover a range of important issues, including Significant developments in the field of storage entomology Classification and identification of important stored grain insects Major stored product coleopteran and lepidopteran insects that infest stored commodities Estimation of losses caused by stored grain insect pests Factors responsible for infestation of stored grain insects Different storage structures Alternative methods for the management of stored grain insects by utilization of behavior modification techniques or utilization of secondary metabolites of plants Fumigation of stored grains for the protection of infestation Insect Pests of Stored Grain: Biology, Behavior, and Management Strategies covers a vast amount of valuable information on stored product entomology for the sustainable management of insects and other noninsect pests.

Unit Operations in Food Grain Processing covers theory and principles as well as best practices in cleaning, grading, drying, storage, milling, handling, transportation, and packaging of grains. The book begins with an overview of grain types, grain structure and composition, and engineering properties of different grains. It then moves into the aspects of processing. It reviews best practices in processing rice, wheat, pulses, oilseeds, millets, and pseudocereals. The book discusses value addition methods, products of grains, and waste and by-product utilization from grains. These discussions outline equipment and machinery needed, different methods of operations for various grains, and advances in grain processing as well as grain waste and by-product utilization.The book has 18 chapters in total. Each chapter discusses principles, design, illustrations, advances, and challenges to aid in understanding. Therefore this book is a valuable reference material for academicians, researchers, consultants, manufacturers, and practitioners in the field of food processing. - Presents different methods of operations and the latest advances in grain processing - Explores value addition, grain waste and by-product utilization from grains - Covers all the unit operations followed in grains processing, theory, and principle - Covers application of emerging technologies in grain processing

The tightening of health and environmental regulations by banning chemical pesticides has generated the need for alternative technologies to solve grain storage problems. Aeration is such an option that can be applied to stored grain and a wide range of agricultural commodities to control insects and maintain quality. The Mechanics and Physics of M

Cereal uses range from human food and beverages to animal feeds and industrial products. It is human food and beverages which are the predominant uses covered in this book, since the nutritional quality of cereals for animal feed is described in other publications on animal nutrition, and industrial products are a relatively minor use of cereals. Cereals are the main components of human diets and are crucial to human survival. Three species, wheat, rice and maize, account for the bulk of human food. Barley is the major raw material for beer production and ranks fourth in world production. Other species such as sorghum are regionally important. This book covers all the major cereal species: wheat, rice, maize, barley, sorghum, millet, oats, rye and triticale. Specific chapters have been devoted to a description of the major end-uses of each of the species and to definition of the qualities required for each of their end uses. The functional and nutritional quality of cereals determines their suitability for specific purposes and may limit the quality of the end product, influencing greatly the commercial value of grain. An under standing of the factors that determine grain quality is thus important in the maintenance of efficient and sustainable agricultural and food production. The biochemical constituents of the grain that determine quality have been described in chapters on proteins, carbohydrates and other components. An understanding of the relationships between grain composition and quality is important in selecting grain for specific uses.

The gender irresponsive nature of most textbooks for postgraduate studies in agriculture contributes immensely to the prevalence of gender inequality in the agricultural profession, production, policies, and budgeting, which promotes rural poverty and food insecurity in most developing countries of Africa, including Nigeria. This book is an appropriate resource for gender responsive and advanced agricultural teaching, research, and rural community development services. (Series: Spektrum. Berliner Reihe zu Gesellschaft, Wirtschaft und Politik in Entwicklungsl�¤ndern/Berlin Series on Society, Economy and Politics in Developing Countries - Vol. 107)

Human population is growing rapidly, disproportionate to food supply, which necessitate production of more volume of food in the near future. The reliance on insecticides for quick and dramatic results was not totally free from adverse effects. This book intends to fill the gap by providing a critical analysis of different management strategies that have a bearing on agriculture, sustainability, and environmental protection. This book emphasizes the management strategies with evaluation of each strategy in the bigger picture of ecologically driven pest management. This book includes 24 chapters, which cover ecological and biorational basis of pest management, integrated pest and disease management, crop breeding for resistance, use of entomopathogenic nematodes and other agents, remote sensing, biosecurity issues, risk to biodiversity by exotic species, new and emerging pests of horticultural crops, saffron and stored grains, the role of extension technologies in dissemination of IPM and, future challenges and strategies. The book is aimed to serve as reference book for teachers, researchers, extension officers, and policy makers associated with IPM. This book can also be used as supplementary reading material in undergraduate and postgraduate courses. This book provides a multidisciplinary IPM perspective to entomologists, plant pathologists, extension educationists, anthropologist and economists.