CRC Press Principles of Organic Farming

Principles of Organic Farming is a practical oriented text about organic crop management that provides background information as well as details of ecology-improving practices. This book is meant to give the reader a holistic appreciation of the principles and importance of organic farming and to suggest ecologically sound practices that help to develop and maintain sustainable agriculture. This book is intended as a professional basic textbook for undergraduate level students and will specifically meet the requirement of the students of organic farming being taught in all the agricultural universities across the globe. In addition, the purpose of this work is to spread the basic concepts of organic farming in order to; guide the production systems towards a sustainable agriculture and ecologically safe, obtain harmless products of higher quality, contribute to food security, generating income through the access to markets and improve working conditions of farmers and their neighborhoods.Note: T&F does not sell or distribute the hardback in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. This title is co-published with NIPA. About the Author Dr E. Somasundaram, is the Professor and Head of the Department of Sustainable Organic Agriculture, Directorate of Crop Management, and PRO of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, involved in education, teaching, research and extension activities on organic agriculture in the University. He has completed M.Sc. (Ag.) with University rank and won S.R.P.P. Chettiar Gold Medal and Shield, A.C Mudaliar and Rao Saheb Murugesa Mudaliar awards for the best M.Sc. (Ag.). Student of the University. He has also won PPIC Gold Medal for the best M.Sc. (Ag.) Thesis on resource conservation and recycling for rice yield maximisation and IOB Gold medal for the best M.Sc. (Ag.) Student in Agronomy. He is the recipient of Prof. Subramanian and Dr.K.K.Subbiah awards for the best Ph.D., student in Agronomy. Recently he received the best Professor in agribusiness management during 24th B School awards at Mumlai. He visited several countries for presenting papers. He published many books besides having 50 research publications and many popular articles to his credit. He continues to guide M.Sc. and Ph.D. students. Dr. D. Udhaya Nandhini, Post Doctoral Fellow, Centre of Excellence in Sustaining Soil Health, ADAC & RI, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Trichy. She has completed her M.Sc. in Agronomy in the same situation with reference to cropping system in pigeonpea. She was awarded with Student Senior Research Fellowship and worked on stress physiology to study the effect of Lipo Chito Oligosaccharides (LCO) compounds on maize and blackgram under stress conditions. She was the recipient of Adarsh Vidya Saraswati Puraskar Award. She authored 2 books besides having 30 research publications and severalpopular articles to her credit. Dr. M. Meyyappan obtained his B.Sc. (Ag.), M.Sc. (Ag.) Agronomy and Ph.D in Agronomy from Annamalai University. He secured first rank in M.Sc. (Ag.) Agronomy. He is working as Assistant Professor of Agronomy in Annamalai University from 2000 onwards. He is teaching various subjects for Diploma in Agriculture, B,Sc. (Agri and Horti.), M.Sc. (Ag.) Agronomy and Ph.D Agronomy students. He participated and presented papers in eleven international conferences and twenty five National seminars. He published twenty six research papers in various journals and conference proceedings. He guided six M.Sc. (Ag.) Agronomy students. He authored individually for two books, Basic Text Book on Forestry and Notes on Water Management during 2012 and 2013 respectively.