Synthetic Metabolic Pathways: Methods and Protocols

The book remains a comprehensive and up-to-date reference work on the biology of aphids, the various methods of controlling them and the progress of integrated pest management as illustrated by ten case histories. Helmut van Emden is Emeritus Professor of Horticulture at the University of Reading, UK. He has researched on aphids for over 50 years and has wide international experience, including in the tropics. Richard Harrington retired in 2015 as Head of the Rothamsted Insect Survey, with which he worked for 36 years on aphid monitoring and forecasting. He led the EU project “EXAMINE” (Exploitation of Aphid Monitoring In Europe) which brought together colleagues involved in aphid monitoring throughout Europe and beyond.

The livelihoods of millions of people in developing countries, which depend on dryland agriculture to ensure their food security and their well-being, could be improved measurably by gains in agricultural crop yields. This book describes lessons learnt from an innovative scheme in India that improved crop yields in drylands. It shows how the scheme can be scaled up for other dryland regions of the world. The scheme uses localized soil nutrient analyses to create an integrated, climate smart fertilizer and planting plan that maximises yields for farmers.

The book provides a comparative analysis of management experiences from the different geographic regions, emphasizing the need to balance the utilization of dry forests and woodland products between current and future human needs.  Further, the book explores the techniques and strategies that can be deployed to improve the management of African dry forests and woodlands for the benefit of all, but more importantly, the communities that live off these vegetation formations. Thus, the book lays a foundation for improving the management of dry forests and woodlands for the wide range of products and services they provide.