Note: Cover -- Half Title -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- Preface -- Editors -- Contributors -- Chapter 1 Application of Plastics in Postharvest Management of Crops -- 1.1 Postharvest Management of Crops -- 1.2 Field Handling of Crops -- 1.3 Removal of Field Heat -- 1.4 Field Curing of Root, Tuber, and Bulb Crops -- 1.5 Grading and Sorting -- 1.6 Conveying -- 1.7 Packaging of Fresh and Processed Crops -- 1.7.1 Classification of Packaging Systems -- 1.7.2 Plastic Bags -- 1.7.3 Shrink Wrap -- 1.7.4 Rigid Plastic Packages -- 1.7.5 Biodegradable Films -- 1.7.6 Modified Atmospheric Packaging -- 1.8 Storage -- 1.9 Transportation of Crops -- 1.10 Drying of Crops -- 1.10.1 Open Sun Drying -- 1.10.2 Polyhouse Drying -- 1.10.3 Refractive Window Drying -- 1.11 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 2 Potassium-Solubilizing Microorganisms for Sustainable Agriculture -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Potassium in Soil -- 2.2.1 Potassium Fixation in Soil -- 2.3 K-Solubilizing Microorganism -- 2.4 Mechanism of Potassium Solubilization -- 2.5 Potential Role of Potassic Biofertilizer -- 2.6 Effect of KSMs on Plant Growth and Yield -- 2.7 Future Prospects -- 2.8 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 3 Weed Control for Conservation Agriculture in Climate Change Scenario -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Prospects of CA -- 3.3 Weed Management -- 3.3.1 Preventive Measures -- 3.3.2 Cultural Practices -- 3.3.3 Crop Residues -- 3.3.4 Intercropping -- 3.3.5 Crop Diversification -- 3.3.6 Chemical Weed Management -- 3.4 Limitations in Adoption of CA Systems -- 3.5 Climate Change and Weed Management -- 3.5.1 Challenges -- 3.6 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 4 In-situ Soil Moisture Conservation with Organic Mulching under Mid Hills of Meghalaya, India -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Materials and Methods -- 4.3 Results and Discussion -- 4.3.1 Seed Emergence. , 4.3.2 Soil Moisture Depletion -- 4.3.3 Tensiometer Observations -- 4.3.4 Crop Yield Parameters -- 4.4 Conclusion -- Acknowledgment -- References -- Chapter 5 High-Altitude Protected Vegetable Cultivation - A Way for Sustainable Agriculture -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Climate and Farming -- 5.3 High Altitudes and Protected Cultivation -- 5.3.1 Problems -- 5.3.2 Objectives -- 5.3.3 Protected Structures -- 5.4 Points to Be Considered for Cool Climate -- 5.5 Greenhouse Designing -- 5.5.1 Types of Plastic Coverings -- 5.6 Environmental Considerations in Greenhouse Cultivation -- 5.6.1 Temperature -- 5.6.2 Light -- 5.6.3 Relative Humidity -- 5.6.4 Carbon Dioxide -- 5.7 Planning of Protected Structures -- 5.7.1 Site Selection and Preparation -- 5.7.2 Orientation -- 5.7.3 Roads -- 5.7.4 Access to Utilities - Water -- 5.7.5 Light -- 5.7.6 Wind -- 5.8 Climate Regulation, Equipment, and Management -- 5.8.1 Temperature -- 5.8.2 Drainage of Rain Water -- 5.8.3 Lighting -- 5.8.4 Water and Nutrients -- 5.8.5 Pollination -- 5.9 Instruments Required for Polyhouse -- 5.9.1 Covering Material -- 5.9.2 Design of Load -- 5.9.3 Potential Crops -- 5.9.4 Limitations in Protected Cultivation -- 5.10 Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 6 Applications of Remote Sensing in Crop Production and Soil Conservation -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Applications of Remote Sensing and GIS Technology in Crop Production and Soil Conservation -- 6.2.1 Cropping System Analysis -- 6.2.2 Agro-Ecological Zone-Based Land Use Planning -- 6.3 Soil Erosion Inventory -- 6.4 Soil Carbon Dynamics and Land Productivity Assessment -- References -- Chapter 7 Flash Floods Cause and Remedial Measures for Their Control in Hilly Regions -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Causes of Flood -- 7.3 Flood Problems in India -- 7.3.1 Brahmaputra River Basin -- 7.3.2 Ganga River Basin -- 7.3.3 North-West River Basins. , 7.3.4 Central India and Deccan Rivers Basin -- 7.4 Flash Flood -- 7.4.1 Climate Change and Extreme Rain Events -- 7.4.2 Cloudbursts -- 7.4.3 Glacial Lakes -- 7.4.4 Landslide Lake Outburst Floods -- 7.5 Flood Management and Control in India -- 7.5.1 Non-Structural Measures -- 7.5.1.1 Flood Forecasting -- 7.5.1.2 Flood Plain Zoning -- 7.5.1.3 Decision Support System for Real-Time Flood Warning and Management -- 7.6 Who is Responsible? -- 7.7 Future Needs in Flood Management -- 7.7.1 Focused Approach -- 7.7.2 Legislation for Flood Plain Zoning -- 7.7.3 Inadequacy of Flood Cushion in Reservoirs -- 7.7.4 Flood Insurance -- 7.7.5 Flood Data Center -- 7.7.6 Research and Development -- 7.7.7 Community Participation -- 7.7.8 International Cooperation -- 7.7.9 Modernization of Flood Forecasting Services -- 7.8 Containing the Damage in the Hilly Basins -- 7.9 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 8 Role of Crop Modeling in Mitigating Effects of Climate Change on Crop Production -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Types of Models -- 8.3 Climate Change and Crop Modeling -- 8.3.1 Climate Change -- 8.3.1.1 The Causes of Climate Change -- 8.3.1.2 Greenhouse Effect -- 8.3.2 Effects of Climate Change -- 8.4 Role of Crop Modeling in Agriculture on Climate Change -- 8.4.1 Applications and Uses of Crop Growth Models in Agriculture -- 8.4.1.1 On-Farm Decision-Making and Agronomic Management -- 8.4.2 Strategies to Mitigate the Impacts of Climate Change -- 8.4.3 Future Issues Related to Weather on Crop Modeling -- 8.4.4 Minimum Dataset Required for Crop Weather Relations and Crop Simulation Models-Rice -- 8.5 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 9 Forestry and Climate Change -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 Role of Forests -- 9.2.1 Productive Functions of the Forests -- 9.2.2 Protective and Ameliorative Functions of the Forests -- 9.2.3 Recreation and Educational Functions of the Forests. , 9.2.4 Forests' Developmental Functions -- 9.3 Weather and Climate? -- 9.3.1 Climate Change -- 9.3.2 Evidences of Climate Change -- 9.4 Effects of Climate Change -- 9.5 Climate Change in Jammu and Kashmir -- 9.6 Climate Change and Forests -- 9.6.1 The Effects of Climate Change on Plant Phenology -- 9.6.2 Impacts on Indian Forest Vegetation Types -- 9.7 Management Options -- 9.8 Agroforestry as an Alternate Land Use System -- 9.9 Carbon Sequestration Potential of Agroforestry -- 9.9.1 Case Studies -- 9.10 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 10 Agroforestry Role in Sustainable Management of Degraded Watersheds -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 Rehabilitation of Degraded Watersheds -- 10.2.1 Catchment Area -- 10.2.1.1 Upper Catchment -- 10.2.1.2 Second Tier/Intermediate Slopes -- 10.2.2 Command Area -- 10.2.3 Submergence Area -- References -- Chapter 11 Infiltration Studies of Major Soils under Selected Land Use Practices in Ranikhola Watershed of Sikkim, India -- 11.1 Introduction -- 11.2 Materials and Methods -- 11.2.1 Study Area: Ranikhola Watershed -- 11.2.2 Study Area: Soil Types of Ranikhola Watershed -- 11.3 Methodology -- 11.3.1 Delineation of Watershed -- 11.3.2 Measurement of Infiltration -- 11.3.3 Infiltration Models -- 11.3.3.1 Horton's Infiltration Model -- 11.3.3.2 Philip's Infiltration Model -- 11.3.3.3 Kostiokov Infiltration Model -- 11.3.3.4 Green-Ampt Infiltration Model -- 11.4 Results and Discussion -- 11.4.1 Comparison of Observed and Calculated Infiltration Rates or Accumulated Infiltration -- 11.5 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 12 Toward Conservation Agriculture for Improving Soil Biodiversity -- 12.1 Introduction -- 12.2 How Conservation Tillage and Residue Management Can Help in Improving Soil Properties and Ultimately Soil Quality -- 12.3 Impact of Conservation Tillage (CT) on Soil Biological Properties. , 12.4 The Economic Value of Soil Biodiversity -- 12.4.1 The Importance of Soil Biodiversity -- 12.4.2 Microorganisms -- 12.4.3 Mesofauna -- 12.4.4 Macrofauna -- 12.4.5 Conservation Agriculture and Soil Biodiversity -- 12.5 Soil Biodiversity under Conventional and No Tillage Systems -- 12.6 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 13 Point-Injection Nitrogen Application under Rice Residue Wheat for Resource Conservation -- 13.1 Introduction -- 13.2 Methodology -- 13.2.1 Field Experimental Design -- 13.2.2 Statistical Analysis -- 13.3 Results -- 13.3.1 Effect of Methods of Nitrogen Application on Mulch Decomposition -- 13.3.1.1 Reduction in Straw Mulch Concentration -- 13.3.2 Rate of Decay of Standing Stubble -- 13.3.3 Effect of Methods of Nitrogen Application on Nitrogen Uptake -- 13.3.3.1 Plant N Concentration -- 13.3.4 Total Plant N Uptake -- 13.3.5 Nitrogen Accumulation in Straw Mulch -- 13.3.6 Grain Yield and Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) -- 13.4 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 14 The Importance of Water in Relation to Plant Growth -- 14.1 Introduction -- 14.2 Role of Water in Plant Growth -- 14.3 Effect of Moisture Stress on Crop Growth -- 14.4 Management of Water Stress -- 14.5 Soil Moisture Availability and Unavailability -- 14.6 Water Budgeting -- 14.7 Rooting Characteristics -- 14.8 Moisture Extraction Pattern -- 14.8.1 Neutron Scattering Method -- 14.8.2 Advantages of Neutron Scattering Method -- 14.8.3 Limitations of Neutron Scattering Method -- 14.9 Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 15 Influence of Deficit Irrigation on Various Phenological Stages of Temperate Fruits -- 15.1 Introduction -- 15.1.1 Drought -- 15.1.2 The Concept of Deficit Irrigation -- 15.1.3 Regulated Deficit Irrigation -- 15.1.4 Partial Root-Zone Drying -- 15.1.5 Water Stress - Why and How? -- 15.1.6 Effects of Water Stress on Plants. , 15.1.6.1 Photosynthesis and Respiration.