15 August 2017
The lesser of two Weevils!
“The rice plant is an ideal host for many insect species.” said Francis Dodds, Editorial Director at Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing who have published the new research. “There are over 800 insect species damaging rice in one way or another and this has to be addressed as global demand for rice increases.”
Rice insect pests and their management discusses nearly 100 of the most important of these pests and includes over 150 photographs and images. It is written by some of the world’s leading experts in the subject: Professor Elvis Heinrichs, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA, Dr Francis Nwilene, The Africa Rice Center, Nigeria; Professor Michael Stout, Louisiana State University, USA; Dr Buyung Hadi, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), The Philippines; and Dr Thais Freitas, Universidade Federale Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
“The authors need to be congratulated to have pulled together such a large body of relevant information on rice pests and made it available to pest management professionals in the field as well as scientists in the laboratories in a very approachable and easy to use format” said Hans Herren, formerly Director General of the International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), winner of The World Food Prize and numerous other awards.
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Copies of Rice insect pests and their management can be obtained from Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited in print and digital formats costing: £200/$250/€240 from www.bdspublishing.com.
For further comments, please contact Rob Burleigh on +44 (0)1223 839365 or email rob.burleigh@bdspublishing.com
8 August 2017
Standing apart from the Chaff
The two books cover all the key aspects of wheat cultivation from breeding to cultivation, pest and disease management.
“The demand for wheat in the developing world is estimated to increase by up to 60% by 2050”, said Francis Dodds, Editorial Director at Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing who have published the new research. “But current rates of production are not adequate to meet this enormous demand.”
“In North Africa and Western Asia we know that wheat imports have grown dramatically. These are amongst the world’s most unstable regions, and food security and import dependency are major issues that have to be addressed.”
The new volumes are edited by one of the leading experts in wheat science, Dr Peter Langridge, Emeritus Professor of Plant Science at the University of Adelaide and former CEO of the Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics (ACPFC). Professor Langridge is also Chair of the Scientific Board of the Wheat Initiative set up to coordinate international research in wheat.
“These books present a comprehensive coverage of issues facing wheat production globally.” said Dr Hans-Joachim Braun, Director Global Wheat Program and CRP Wheat, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mexico. “The expert authors represent the top scientists involved in the diverse areas that are important for sustainable wheat production. These books provides an excellent resource for those interested in wheat improvement and production,”
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Note for editors
Copies of Achieving sustainable cultivation of wheat Vol.1 and 2 can be obtained from Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited in print and digital formats costing: Vol.1. £210/$265/€250; Vol2. £130/$165/€155 from www.bdspublishing.com.
18 July 2017
An apple a day keeps 8 million doctors away
Eating more fruits like apples could save up to 8 million premature deaths each year including the reduction of heart attack, stroke, cancer and early death.
This is the finding of new research, led by scientists from Imperial College London, which analysed 95 studies on fruit and vegetable intake and found that apples are particularly important in preventing heart disease.
A new publication, Achieving sustainable cultivation of apples, discusses the latest research on growing this major crop more sustainably whilst maintaining the sensory and nutritional quality consumers expect.
“The apple is an iconic fruit recognized around the world and produced in over 100 countries”, says Francis Dodds, Editorial Director at Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, publishers of the new book.
“We have been cultivating apples for thousands of years, but the last century has seen the biggest changes in our production systems”.
Achieving sustainable cultivation of apples explains that dramatic improvement is due to an increase in breeding activity with new ranges of commercial varieties as well as more scientific and intensive cultivation including nutrient management, pruning operations and tree design for improving efficiency at harvest.
These and other changes are addressed in the book which is edited by one of the leading experts in apple science, Dr Kate Evans, Professor of Horticulture at the Tree Fruit Research and Extension Center, Washington State University, USA
“No other publication has this international range of expertise. In linking physiology, breeding, husbandry, plant health, nutrition and sustainability, it promises to be a benchmark reference for crop and food scientists, practitioners and students. A signal achievement by any measure” said Emeritus Professor Silviero Sansavini from the University of Bologna, Italy, a leading expert in the field.
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Copies of Achieving sustainable cultivation of apples can be obtained from Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited in print and digital formats costing: £220/$275/€265 from www.bdspublishing.com.
For further comments, please contact Rob Burleigh on +44 (0)1223 839365 or email rob.burleigh@bdspublishing.com
13 July 2017
Maize growth needs to hit 60% to match global demand
A recent BBC news story has explained that scientific analysis of a cob of corn dating back 5,000 years shows how maize became one of our most popular cereals and that farming by early civilisations started a process of domestication that produced the sweet yellow corn we use today for food or fuel.
Yet the challenge in 2017 for scientists and growers alike is that maize yields need to increase by an estimated 60% by 2050 to meet growing demand. How can this dramatic increase be achieved?
A major two-volume publication, Achieving sustainable cultivation of maize Volume 1: From improved varieties to local applications and Volume 2: Cultivation techniques, pest and disease control, shows just how this huge challenge can be met.
“Maize production is currently held back by factors such as: lack of available improved cultivars or failure to take up new improved varieties, inadequate crop management and storage, poor soil quality, the impact of pests and diseases, and more extreme weather related to climate change“, said Francis Dodds, Editorial Director of Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing who have published the new research.
“Research needs to focus on supporting more productive, sustainable and nutritionally-valuable maize cultivation, particularly for smallholders in the developing world if the demand is to be met”.
The two volumes are edited Dr Dave Watson, Programme Manager for the CGIAR Research Program on Maize, the most important research project of its kind on maize. Dr Watson is based at the world-famous International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Mexico.
“This publication promises to be a path-breaking contribution to agricultural research and development” said Professor Mankombu (M. S.) Swaminathan, Recipient of the first World Food Prize in 1987 and listed by Time magazine as one of the 20 most influential Asian people of the twentieth century.
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Copies of Achieving sustainable cultivation of maize Vol.1 and 2 can be obtained from Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing Limited in print and digital formats costing: Vol.1. £150/$190/€180; Vol2. £190/$240/€230 from www.bdspublishing.com.
For further comments, please contact Rob Burleigh on +44 (0)1223 839365 or email rob.burleigh@bdspublishing.com