The Agricultural Sky: A Concept to Revolutionize Farming

ISBN-13: 9781774911648 / Angielski / Twarda / 2023 / 590 str.

K. R. Krishna

Opis

"The agricultural sky" is a dominant natural entity that has influenced, interacted with, and guided the evolution of crops, farming practices, and cropping systems. The sky—and all its components—above and near agricultural areas is an important aspect of an agricultural enterprise—as important as soils, water, and crop species. The blue sky above crops that is seemingly clear, tranquil or sometimes filled with clouds, is really a repository of a large number of gases, mineral or organic particulate matter, dust, mist, turbulent wind, innumerable species of micro-organisms, tiny biotic flora/fauna, seeds, insects, etc. The agrarian sky supports complex interactions of biotic and abiotic aspects with perhaps immediate and/or delayed influence on crops sown on the ground.

This volume helps us to better understand the importance of the sky above crop fields, with the goal to encourage revolutionary agronomic procedures that lead to higher yield. It is a comprehensive treatise on the agriculture sky, covering basic definitions, limits, and explanations about atmospheric layers like troposphere, stratosphere, and the phyllosphere. The volume addresses the nutrient dynamics in the sky and their relevance to crop productivity. It looks at both natural biotic and manmade abiotic factors in the sky and how they affect what goes on below, such as from dust storms, at cloudy and/or windy locations, and from high-altitude jet streams. The author discusses wind and solar power generation in the agrarian sky and explores aeroponics to revolutionize crop production. The volume delves into several types of aerial robots, employing AI and other technology, to provide aerial spectral data that are capable of analyzing procedures, soil conditions, irrigation, insect pests, weed detection, herbicide application, soil fertility, and much more. The book includes examples from the North American Great Plains, Pampas of Argentina, Sahelian production zones of West Africa, Indo-Gangetic Plains, etc.

This eye-opening book, The Agricultural Sky: A Concept to Revolutionize Farming, will be useful to students and professors in universities as well as to researchers in industry dealing with aerial aspects of farming.

Spis treści

Introduction 1. The Agricultural Sky: An Introduction 2. Nutrient Dynamics in the Agricultural Sky: Its Relevance to Crop Productivity 3. Natural Biotic Factors of the Agricultural Sky: Relevance to Crop Production 4. Man-Made Abiotic Factors in the Agricultural Sky 5. Wind and Solar Power Generation in the Agrarian Sky 6. Aeroponics to Revolutionize Crop Production 7. The Agricultural Sky above the Major Food Crops Generating Regions of the World: A Few Examples

O autorze

K. R. Krishna, PhD, is an agricultural scientist. He was formerly a Visiting Professor and Research Scholar at the Soil and Water Science Department at the University of Florida, Gainesville, USA. Dr. Krishna has authored several books on international agriculture, encompassing topics such as agroecosystems, field crops, soil fertility and crop management, precision farming, and soil microbiology. His more recent books deal with agricultural robotics, drones, and satellite guidance to improve soil fertility and crop productivity. He is a member of the International Society of Precision Farming, American Society of Agronomy, Soil Science Society of America, Ecological Society of America, Indian Society of Agronomy, and Soil Science Society of India.