Stored Grain Ecosystems

This work takes a multidisciplinary approach to grain storage research, applying knowledge from the fields of biology, cereal chemistry, economics, engineering, mathematical modelling and toxicology to the study of the complex interactions among physical and biological variables in stored-grain bulks that cause the deterioration of stored grain. Details the prevention and control of pests and contaminants.

Due to the nature of agricultural commodities as carriers of exotic pests, importing countries have employed varying methods of pest control for postharvest products. Thermal treatments are emerging as effective, environmentally-friendly alternatives to traditional methods, eliminating chemical residues and minimizing damage to produce. This book provides comprehensive information of these increasingly important treatments, covering temperature measurement, heat transfer, physiological responses of plants, insects and pathogens to heat, and an introduction to current and potential quarantine treatments based on hot air, hot water, and radio frequency energy.

Indian agriculture has witnessed spectacular advances in agricultural production in the last few decades. This was possible through green revolution in mid 60s leading to the country’s remarkable achievement in food grains and edible oil production. Seed has always been regarded as the most vital, basic and critical input in agriculture. It is interesting to note that today seed demand of only 10% farmers is met. Efforts are needed to provide good quality certify seeds to farmers. In recent years the awareness for seed health has increased among the growers, traders, and consumers. In post-GATT era and with emergence of WTO, seed health has assumed the global concern. Infection of seed borne pathogens results into seed rots, seedling decay, pre and post emergence mortality, distortion, discoloration, reduced seed size and shrivelledness of seeds. Their study and identification is primarily required to achieve satisfactory control. The book will be of great help to students, researchers, and people engaged in seed production activities. In this book, information about different seed borne diseases is presented in 20 chapters. There is an urgent need to find out effective, alternative methods of diseases control, which are less harmful to human beings and environment. There are chapters dealing with botanical pesticides and quarantine regulations. A chapter describes molecular aspects involved in seed borne diseases. The contents are divided into two parts (I) Seed borne diseases and (II) Wilt and foliar diseases and their control methods. Ecofriendly measures to control seed borne diseases are dealt in detail. The book provides comprehensive and integrated information on management of seed health written by experts in the field. It will be especially useful for students and young people involved in seed testing, seed industry as well as in teaching. Besides Agriculture Universities the book will be useful for all others offering courses related to Phytopathology and Seed Technology.

Entirely rewritten and updated throughout, this Second Edition maintains and enhances the features of the first edition. The Fungal Community, Second Edition continues to cover the entire spectrum of fungal ecology, from studies of individual fungal populations to the functional role of fungi at the ecosystem level, and to present mycological ecology as a rational, organized body of knowledge.;Acting as a bridge between mycological data and ecological theory, The Fungal Community, Second Edition offers such new features as an emphasis on the nonequilibrium perspective, including the impact of habitat disturbance and environmental stress; more information on the ecological genetics of fungal populations; a chapter on the fitness of genetically altered fungi when released into the environment; an examination of fungal morphological and physiological adaptations from the evolutionary ecologist's point-of-view; an explication of the effect of fungi and insect interactions on fungal community structure and decomposition processes; a section on the importance of fungi in determining patterns of plant community development; and a chapter on modeling fungal contributions to decomposition and nutrient cycling in ecosystems.;With over 3700 references, The Fungal Community, Second Edition is a resource for mycologists; microbial ecologists; microbiologists; geneticists; virologists; plant pathologists; cell and molecular biologists; biotechnologists; soil, forest, and environmental scientists; and graduate-level students in these disciplines.

Unit Operations in Food Grain Processing covers theory and principles as well as best practices in cleaning, grading, drying, storage, milling, handling, transportation, and packaging of grains. The book begins with an overview of grain types, grain structure and composition, and engineering properties of different grains. It then moves into the aspects of processing. It reviews best practices in processing rice, wheat, pulses, oilseeds, millets, and pseudocereals. The book discusses value addition methods, products of grains, and waste and by-product utilization from grains. These discussions outline equipment and machinery needed, different methods of operations for various grains, and advances in grain processing as well as grain waste and by-product utilization. The book has 18 chapters in total. Each chapter discusses principles, design, illustrations, advances, and challenges to aid in understanding. Therefore this book is a valuable reference material for academicians, researchers, consultants, manufacturers, and practitioners in the field of food processing. Presents different methods of operations and the latest advances in grain processing Explores value addition, grain waste and by-product utilization from grains Covers all the unit operations followed in grains processing, theory, and principle Covers application of emerging technologies in grain processing

The tightening of health and environmental regulations by banning chemical pesticides has generated the need for alternative technologies to solve grain storage problems. Aeration is such an option that can be applied to stored grain and a wide range of agricultural commodities to control insects and maintain quality. The Mechanics and Physics of M

Stored products of agriculture and animal origin are attacked by more than 600 species of beetles, 70 species of moths, and about 355 species of mites, causing huge quantitative and qualitative losses and insect contamination in food commodities. This is an important quality control problem. This book, Insect Pests of Stored Grain: Biology, Behavior, and Management Strategies, provides comprehensive coverage of stored product entomology for the sustainable management of insects and other noninsect pests, such as mites, birds, rodents, and fungi, with the aim to mitigate and eliminate these losses of food from grains. The author, who has studied sustainable and herbal management of stored grain and seed insect pests in his research, considers sustainable management of stored grain insect pests and eco-friendly approaches along with the utilization of waste materials. Starting with a history of stored product entomology from the beginning to the modern era in detail along with an introduction of storage entomology, the book then goes on to cover a range of important issues, including Significant developments in the field of storage entomology Classification and identification of important stored grain insects Major stored product coleopteran and lepidopteran insects that infest stored commodities Estimation of losses caused by stored grain insect pests Factors responsible for infestation of stored grain insects Different storage structures Alternative methods for the management of stored grain insects by utilization of behavior modification techniques or utilization of secondary metabolites of plants Fumigation of stored grains for the protection of infestation Insect Pests of Stored Grain: Biology, Behavior, and Management Strategies covers a vast amount of valuable information on stored product entomology for the sustainable management of insects and other noninsect pests.