Allelopathy in Agroecosystems

Until now farmers have had to choose between using expensive herbicides and fertilizers, which pollute the water table, or watching crop yields drop. All too often, crop yields dropped anyway, despite intensive farming. Allelopathy in Agroecosystems offers fresh hope. It provides an in-depth understanding of allelopathy-the mysterious, complex biochemical interactions among plants and microbes. This little-understood phenomenon plays a large role in agriculture, for good or ill. It can lead to changes in nutrient dynamics, vegetation structure, and species diversity.

This comprehensive treatise is the first compendium devoted to explaining and exploring these chemical interactions in agricultural crop systems. Allelopathy in Agroecosystems explains how these interactions can make soil “sick,” especially in intensively cropped areas. This leads to less growth and lower yield. On the other hand, it has great potential as an environmentally safe method of weed and pest management. The fascinating original research presented here will help you understand the complexities of this invisible yet potent force in agriculture.

Allelopathy in Agroecosystems examines this interaction as it affects the most important concerns of farmers and agronomists, including:

• beneficial interactions between crops
• weed control using crop residues
• crop rotation
• natural herbicides
• genetic engineering
• soil rhizosphere bacteria
• improving pastures
• forest/crop interactions
• sustainable management of agroecosystems
• new directions for research

International in scope, Allelopathy in Agroecosystems offers an abundance of scientific data on this revolutionary new concept. It offers incalculable potential for rescuing farmed-out land, increasing crop yields, and cutting back on expensive soil additives. Every agronomist, environmental scientist, policymaker, agricultural librarian, and advocate of sustainable farming needs this book.