About Book

Sustainability means keeping an effort going continuously, or the ability to last out and keep from falling. So sustainable agriculture means successful management of resources for agriculture to satisfy the changing human needs, while maintaining or enhancing the quality of environment and conserving natural resources. It examines the problems caused by the technological revolution in farming practices and explains the long-term benefits of sustainable farming systems practices such as organic farming, biological and natural control of pests, and emphasis of watershed approach to conserve the soil and water, buildup of microflora in close harmony with beneficial soil – inhabitants and complete desisting the use of synthetic chemicals. The goal of sustainable agriculture is to meet society’s food and textile needs in the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This book explores the processes that occur within the components of a sustainable system and shows where we can build upon our existing knowledge to develop the concepts of sustainable agriculture into the new conventional agriculture. It is designed in such a way, that it will provide deep insights about the new theories and concepts related to the subject to the readers. It deals with sustainability indicators, issues for sustainable agriculture, ecosystem sustainability, sustainable management, agricultural sustainability, plant protection and farming systems. It picks up individual concepts and theories and explains their need and contribution in the context of the growth of this field. This book is meant for students who are looking for an elaborate reference on sustainable agriculture and farming.

Preface............................................................................................................v

Chapter 1 Methodologies for Assessing Sustainability in Farming Systems.1

Abstract...................................................................................................1

1. Introduction ..........................................................................................2

2. Sustainable agriculture .......................................................................3

3. Methodologies for assessing sustainability in agricultural

systems....................................................................................................4

4. Indicators for assessing sustainability .............................................8

5. Compound indexes ...........................................................................10

6. Methods to evaluate sustainability in farming systems..............13

7. Conclusions .........................................................................................18

Abbreviations ......................................................................................19

Chapter 2 Using Semiochemicals for Coleopterean Pests in Sustainable Plant Protection....................................................................................................33

1. Introduction..........................................................................................34

2. Colorado potato beetle aggregation pheromones in IPM

techniques for potato plant protection ..........................................36

3. Pheromones for maize crop protection .........................................44

4. Aggregation pheromones used in pine forest protection .........52

5. Conclusions .........................................................................................56

Acknowledgements ...........................................................................57

Chapter 3 Organic and Conventional Farmers’ Attitudes Towards Agricultural Sustainability.............................................................................................62

1. Introduction..........................................................................................62

2. Behavioural approaches.....................................................................65

3. A methodological framework...........................................................66

4. Examining farmers’ attitudes and behaviours..............................68

5. Conclusion............................................................................................81

Acknowledgements.............................................................................85

Chapter 4 Sustainable Management of Lenga (Nothofagus pumilio) Forests

Through Group Selection System........................................................91

1. Introduction..........................................................................................91

2. History of productive use of N. pumilio forests in Argentinean

Patagonia..............................................................................................94

3. Group selection system in N. pumilio forests................................98

4. Conclusion..........................................................................................114

Chapter 5 Use of Soil Microorganisms to Improve Plant Growth and

Ecosystem Sustainability.......................................................................121

1. Introduction........................................................................................121

2. Microorganisms and sustainable agriculture..............................121

3. Numerical dominance and diversity of soil microorganisms..123

4. Functionality and microbial diversity...........................................125

5. Crops, sequences and microbial diversity ..................................126

6. From soil microorganisms to microbial inoculants...................132

7. Biological nitrogen fixation (BNF).................................................140

8. Summary and outlook.....................................................................143

9. Acknowledgment..............................................................................144

Chapter 6 Innovation Ecosystem for Sustainable Development ...................153

1. Introduction........................................................................................153

2. Properties of innovation ecosystem .............................................154

3. Co-evolutionary cycle between the innovation ecosystems in

Japan and the U.S.............................................................................156

4. Co-evolutionary dynamism in innovation ecosystem for global

sustainability .....................................................................................161

5. Conclusion ........................................................................................166

Chapter 7 Assessing Environmental and Social Dimensions of Water

Issues Through Sustainability Indicators in Arid and Semiarid

Zones..........................................................................................................173

1. Introduction ......................................................................................173

2. Hydrologic aspects of arid and semiarid zones .......................174

3. Methods .............................................................................................178

4. Application of sustainability indicators in Baja California Sur,

México ................................................................................................180

5. Conclusions .......................................................................................186

6. Acknowledgment .............................................................................187

Chapter 8 Relevant Issues for Sustainable Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa..........................................................................................................189

1. Introduction........................................................................................189

2. Relevant issues for sustainable agricultural development........190

3. Climate change in the Sub-Saharan Africa..................................197

4. Conserving agricultural biodiversity.............................................202

5. Conclusion..........................................................................................205

Citation......................................................................................................213

Index...........................................................................................................215

About Author

Stephanie Reyes obtained her Ph.D. in Agricultural Science from University of Science, Edinburgh. Her interests are in crop nutrient uptake, soil nutrient management and mitigation of soil nutrient losses to the environment. She serves as an Associate Lecturer at Community College, Lugano. Reyes has authored and edited several texts, which include articles, technical papers and book chapters, in the field of sustainable agriculture and associated land use planning and management. She also works as a freelance agronomic writer. She has been an active participant at international conferences and forums.