Advances in Crop Environment Interaction

World's population is projected to grow to 9.3 billion in 2050. Such massive increase in population is going to put huge stress on crop production. With the increase in population and non-conducive environment due to climate change there is increased stress on the crop plants. High stress levels modify the physiology as well the interactions of the plants with their living and non-living environment. Agriculture is facing acute challenges from weather variability, irrigation water scarcity, degradation of soil and environmental health (pollution, GHGs fluxes, heavy metal contamination) and its bio-magnification. Given these facts, assessing the status of natural resource base, understanding the mechanism of management, adaptation & mitigation approaches is of great and imminent challenge for all of us. In this context, it is essential to understand application potentials of modern tools, existing coping mechanisms and their integration to develop advanced mitigation strategies. Researchers are integrating base line ancillary information derived from the core laboratory/field base research with the innovative techniques. This is useful in finding affordable and feasible solutions to address local problems. It is also interesting to note how the biotic component in the form of insect and diseases are affected through this crop environment interaction. In a broader perspective, the proposed book deals with crop-environment interaction in the pretext of changing climatic conditions. Various topics covered lay emphasis on researchable issues in the soil-plant-atmospheric continuum. The book tries to bring answers to four major themes such as - a. Understanding the mechanism of carbon dynamics in soil-plant-environment complex; greenhouse gas fluxes in agriculture systems; soil properties influenced by climate change and variation in organic carbon accumulation across altitudinal gradients b. Mitigation and management for: Photo-thermal environment for improving crop productivity; Soil health under variable climate; Agro-ecosystem evapotranspiration loss through biophysical controls; Heat stress in field crops and its management. c. Studying the impact of climate change on: insect-pest interaction; manifestation of diseases; Adaptation strategies for island agro-ecosystem. d. Innovative approaches for assessing stress impacts in crops such as crop modelling, remote sensing, stress indices etc. The proposed book is a collection of contribution form the authoritative experts in the field. The book is going to give a perspective to young researchers and open up new avenues of work in the respective fields. Planned book is relevant for postgraduate students as well as for other academicians.