Engineering Practices for Agricultural Production and Water Conservation

An Interdisciplinary Approach

Megh R. Goyal, R. K. Sivanappan, Megh R. Goyal, R. K. Sivanappan

• Publisher: Apple Academic Press
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781315341736
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Medicina
• Subtopic: Biotecnología en medicina

This informative new book takes an interdisciplinary look at agricultural and food production and how new engineering practices can be used to enhance production. With contributions from international experts from India, Russia, China, Serbia, and USA, this book presents a selection of chapters on some of these emerging practices, focusing on soil and water conservation and management; agricultural processing engineering; water quality and management; emerging agricultural crops; renewable energy use in agriculture; and applications of nanotechnology in agriculture.

PREFACE 1 BY MEGH R. GOYAL

Resource, ASABE, November/December 2015, 22(6), 20–21 introduces “cubic farming™ that is a form of controlled environment agriculture in a commercial reality for the urban sector. It is referred to as vertical farming. It allows growth of fresh produce year round in locations that are challenging for conventional forms of agriculture, including arid urban areas and harsh northern climates—This technology might seem far out for some consumers, but is an insight into the future fresh food production.”

This new technology poses challenges to agricultural engineers to come up with appropriate solutions to vertical farming. Apple Academic Press Inc. published my first book Management of Drip/Trickle or Micro Irrigation, 10-volume set under book series Research Advances in Sustainable Micro Irrigation, in addition to other books in the focus areas of Agricultural and Biological Engineering. The mission of this book volume is to introduce the profession of agricultural and biological engineering. I cannot guarantee the information in this book series will be enough for all situations.

At the 49^th annual meeting of the Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers at Punjab Agricultural University during February 22–25 of 2015, a group of ABEs convinced me that there is a dire need to publish book volumes on the focus areas of agricultural and biological engineering (ABE). This is how the idea was born on new book series titled Innovations in Agricultural & Biological Engineering.

The contributions by the cooperating authors to this book volume have been most valuable in the compilation. Their names are mentioned in each chapter and in the list of contributors. This book would not have been written without the valuable cooperation of these investigators, many of whom are renowned scientists who have worked in the field of ABE throughout their professional careers.

Dr. R. K. Sivanappan—Former Dean and Professor at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), Founding Director of Water Technology Institute at TNAU, author of more than 1000 professional articles and over 30 books—joins as coeditor of this book volume. He is a frequent contributor to my book series and a staunch supporter of my profession. I have inherited many ethical qualities of a successful educator from his clean testimony. His contribution to the contents and quality of this book has been invaluable.

I thank the editorial staff, Sandy Jones Sickels, Vice President, and Ashish Kumar, Publisher and President at Apple Academic Press, Inc., for making every effort to publish the book when the diminishing water resources are a major issue worldwide. Special thanks are due to the AAP Production Staff for the quality production of this book.

I request that the reader offer his constructive suggestions that may help to improve the next edition.

I express my deep admiration to my family for understanding and collaboration during the preparation of this book. As an educator, there is a piece of advice to one and all in the world: “Permit that our almighty God, our Creator and excellent Teacher, irrigate the life with His Grace of rain trickle by trickle, because our life must continue trickling on… and Get married to your profession.”

—Megh R. Goyal, PhD, PE

Senior Editor-in-Chief

PREFACE 2 BY R. K. SIVANAPPAN

This volume on Engineering Practices for Agricultural Production and Water Conservation: An Interdisciplinary Approach is being published under the book series Innovations in Agricultural and Biological Engineering. Agricultural and Biological Engineering has been added recently to the Engineering faculty, and this knowledge and technology are essential for increasing food production for the growing population in the world. It is gratifying to note that food production in the world at present more than meets the requirements, but the food wastages and fair access to all are a major issues. However, food production will have to be increased to cater to the needs of the escalating population of the world in the coming years. This book was prepared to help achieve the goal by the application of the latest technologies in food production saving water and fertilizer, reducing wastages and by using the latest technology like nanotechnology in agriculture.

The book contains six parts namely: soil and water conservation and management; agricultural processing engineering; water quality and management; scope of emerging agricultural crops; renewable energy use in agriculture; and the applications of nanotechnology in agriculture. Dr. Megh R. Goyal, Senior Editor-in-Chief of this book, has contacted many experts on this subject throughout the world and received contributions to include in this book. The contributions are from India, Russia, and USA. We both are thankful to the contributing authors of each chapter who have shared their expertise in a nice way. These chapters cover the knowledge of soil and water conservation and management practices, methods of rain water harvesting, sustainable groundwater in hard rock areas, providing drainage for increasing crop production, precision application of fertilizer, agricultural processing to save food grains from wastages, potential of renewable sources from solid biomass, scope of medicinal and aromatic plants farming, and applications of nanotechnology in agriculture.

My special thanks are due to Dr. Megh R. Goyal, who has taken arduous job of editing the chapters from authors from various countries. This book will help governments, scientists, researchers, farmers and students all over the world. My thanks are also due to my wife, Mrs. S. Kannammal, our son, Dr. S. Kumar (Vice President at Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok), and our daughter, Dr. S. Uma, for encouraging my involvement in publishing this book.

—R. K. Sivanappan, PhD

Co-editor

WARNING/DISCLAIMER

READ CAREFULLY

The goal of this book volume on Engineering Practices for Agricultural Production and Water Conservation: An Interdisciplinary Approach is to guide the world community on how to manage efficiently the technology available for different processes in food engineering. The reader must be aware that the dedication, commitment, honesty, and sincerity are most important factors in a dynamic manner for complete success. It is not a one-time reading of this compendium. Read and follow every time, it is needed.

The editors, the contributing authors, the publisher and the printer have made every effort to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible. However, there still may be grammatical errors or mistakes in the content or typography. Therefore, the contents in this book should be considered as a general guide and not a complete solution to address any specific situation in food engineering. For example, one type of food process technology does not fit all case studies in dairy engineering/science/technology.

The editors, the contributing authors, the publisher and the printer shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person, any organization or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused, or alleged to have caused, directly or indirectly, by information or advice contained in this book. Therefore, the purchaser/reader must assume full responsibility for the use of the book or the information therein.

The mention of commercial brands and trade names is only for technical purposes. This does not mean that a particular product is endorsed over to another product or equipment not mentioned.

All weblinks that are mentioned in this book were active on June 30, 2015. The editors, the contributing authors, the publisher and the printing company shall have neither liability nor responsibility, if any of the weblinks is inactive at the time of reading of this book.

OTHER BOOKS ON AGRICULTURAL AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING BY APPLE ACADEMIC PRESS, INC.

Management of Drip/Trickle or Micro Irrigation

Megh R. Goyal, PhD, PE, Senior Editor-in-Chief

Evapotranspiration: Principles and Applications for Water Management

Megh R. Goyal, PhD, PE, and Eric W. Harmsen, Editors

Book Series: Research Advances in Sustainable Micro Irrigation

Senior Editor-in-Chief: Megh R. Goyal, PhD, PE

Volume 1:	Sustainable Micro Irrigation: Principles and Practices
Volume 2:	Sustainable Practices in Surface and Subsurface Micro Irrigation
Volume 3:	Sustainable Micro Irrigation Management for Trees and Vines
Volume 4:	Management, Performance, and Applications of Micro Irrigation Systems
Volume 5:	Applications of Furrow and Micro Irrigation in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions
Volume 6:	Best Management Practices for Drip Irrigated Crops
Volume 7:	Closed Circuit Micro Irrigation Design: Theory and Applications
Volume 8:	Wastewater Management for Irrigation: Principles and Practices
Volume 9:	Water and Fertigation Management in Micro Irrigation
Volume 10:	Innovation in Micro Irrigation Technology

Book Series: Innovations and Challenges in Micro Irrigation

Senior Editor-in-Chief: Megh R. Goyal, PhD, PE

Volume 1:	Principles and Management of Clogging in Micro Irrigation
Volume 2:	Sustainable Micro Irrigation Design Systems for Agricultural Crops: Methods and Practices
Volume 3:	Performance Evaluation of Micro Irrigation Management: Principles and Practices
Volume 4:	Potential of Solar Energy and Emerging Technologies in Sustainable Micro Irrigation
Volume 5:	Micro Irrigation Management: Technological Advances and Their Applications
Volume 6:	Micro Irrigation Engineering for Horticultural Crops: Policy Options, Scheduling, and Design
Volume 7:	Micro Irrigation Scheduling and Practices
Volume 8:	Engineering Interventions in Sustainable Trickle Irrigation: Water Requirements, Uniformity, Fertigation, and Crop Performance

Book Series: Innovations in Agricultural and Biolog...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half Title
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Table of Contents
• List of Contributors
• List of Abbreviations
• List of Symbols
• Preface 1
• Preface 2
• Warning/Disclaimer
• Other Books on Agricultural and Biological Engineering by AAP
• About Senior Editor-in-Chief
• About Co-Editor
• Editorial
• Part 1: Soil and Water Conservation and Management
• Part 2: Agricultural Process Engineering
• Part 3: Water Quality and Management
• Part 4: Scope of Emerging Agricultural Crops
• Part 5: Renewable Energy Use in Agriculture
• Part 6: Nanotechnology Applications in Agriculture
• Index