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Mulching in Agroecosystems

Plants, Soil & Environment

  • Book
  • © 2022

Overview

Editors:
  1. Kashif Akhtar

    1. College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China

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  2. Muhammad Arif

    1. University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan

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  3. Muhammad Riaz

    1. Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan

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  4. Haiyan Wang

    1. College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

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  • Provides comprehensive coverage of use of mulching in agroecosystems
  • Offers research on mulching at the soil-plant-environment inter-phase
  • Discusses agronomic, economic, and environmental feasibility of mulching

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Table of contents (21 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-vii
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  2. Soil Section

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. Effect of Mulches on Mineral Fertilizer (N, P & K) Management and Fertilizer Use Efficiency

      • Amir Aziz, Noor-us-Saba, Mukkram Ali Tahir, Qura-Tul-Ain, Adeel Ahmad, Ameer Hamza et al.
      Pages 3-13

    3. Effects of Mulching on Soil Biota and Biological Indicators of Soil Quality

      • Noor-ul-Ain, Ali Aslam, Fasih Ullah Haider
      Pages 15-40

    4. Mulches Effects on Soil Physical Properties i.e. Porosity, Aggregate Stability, Infiltration Rates, Bulk Density, Compaction

      • Rafia Mubaraka, Muhammad Baqir Hussain, Hira Tariq, Marina Qayyum, Iqra Tariq
      Pages 41-58

    5. Mulching is an Approach for a Significant Decrease in Soil Erosion

      • Marwa Tariq, Kashif Akhtar
      Pages 59-70

    6. Response of Mulching and Tillage Practices on Soil Management

      • Fasih Ullah Haider, Maqsood Ul Hussan, Kashif Akhtar, Cai Liqun
      Pages 71-87

    7. Response of Mulching on Soil Physical and Biochemical Properties and Functions

      • Adeel Ahmad, Muhammad Yaseen, Imtiaz Ahmed, Bushra Niamat, Aqarab Husnain Gondal, Amir Aziz et al.
      Pages 89-100

  3. Plant Section

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 101-101
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    2. Mechanistic Insights into Mulching and Plant Physiological Attributes Under Abiotic Stresses

      • Naheeda Begum, Rana Roy, Hafeez Ur Rahim, Fangguo Chang, Tuanjie Zhao
      Pages 103-121

    3. Living Mulches for Sustainable Pest Management

      • Hina Gul, Arzlan Abbas, Farman Ullah, Nicolas Desneux, Kaleem Tariq, Asad Ali et al.
      Pages 123-133

    4. Effects of Mulching Practices on the Management of Weeds

      • Zahid Hussain, Luqman
      Pages 135-150

    5. Agronomic and Economic Valuation of Mulches

      • Rashid Mahmood, Sajid Farooq, Aqib Hameed, Muhammad Riaz
      Pages 151-160

    6. Mulching and Nutrients Use Efficiencies in Plant

      • Mukkram Ali Tahir, Noor-us-Saba, Amir Aziz, Adeel Ahmad
      Pages 161-173

    7. Mulching and Micronutrient Synergisms for Sustainable Crop Production

      • Sajid Ali, Ammara Fatima, Adnan Zahid, Sheraz Shoukat, Bisma, Robina Khaliq et al.
      Pages 175-198

    8. Implications of Mulching on Weed Management in Crops and Vegetable

      • Bilal Ahmad Khan, Aneela Nijabat, Muhammad Ishfaq Khan, Imtiaz Khan, Saima Hashim, Muhammad Athar Nadeem et al.
      Pages 199-213

    9. Effects of Mulching on Crop Growth, Productivity and Yield

      • Adeel Ahmad, Muhammad Yaseen, Hammad Hussain, Muhammad Naveed Tahir, Aqarab Husnain Gondal, Muhammad Iqbal et al.
      Pages 215-229

    10. Comparative Effects of Living and Non-living Mulches on Insect Pest Management in Agroecosystems

      • Abrar Muhammad, Muhammad Ali, Muhammad Shakeel, Supaporn Buajan, Habib Ali
      Pages 231-248

  4. Environment Section

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 249-249
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    2. Mulching Effects on Soil Greenhouse Gas Emission in Agricultural Systems

      • Xiaolin Liao, Saadatullah Malghani, Ahmad Ali, Ghulam Haider
      Pages 251-287
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Keywords

About this book

This book provides insights into recent developments in the use of mulching in agroecosystems with emphasis on the major pros and cons. Increase in human population, climatic changes and agricultural intensification have put enormous pressure on soil and water resources. As a result, we are confronted with challenges to enhance nutrient and water use efficiencies and conserve soil organic matter without compromising crop yields and food security. Increasing the soil organic matter (SOM) via residue return increased nutrient availability and soil physical and biological properties. Management practices, such as straw mulching or incorporation, have significant effects on soil health. Straw addition also increases functionality related to carbon and N metabolism via increasing the microbes and thus greatly contributes to CO2 and N2O emissions. However, the co-use of organic and inorganic fertilizer reduces the N2O emission without compromising crop yield. Mulching has long been advocated to conserve soil moisture and increase the efficiency of macro- and micro-nutrients by improving soil physical, chemical, and biological properties. These effects of mulch are translated into better crop yields while improving soil health and quality in the long run. Therefore, the use of mulching techniques is on the rise in organic as well as conventional agriculture. The book is of great interest for researchers, academics, agriculture extensionists, soil and plant scientist, fertilizer industry, farmers, agro-industrial workers, farm managers, NGOs, and climate and civil society activists.

Editors and Affiliations

  • College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China

    Kashif Akhtar

  • University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan

    Muhammad Arif

  • Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Government College University, Faisalabad, Pakistan

    Muhammad Riaz

  • College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China

    Haiyan Wang

About the editors

Dr. Kashif Akhtar now is Postdoctoral Researcher in College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, China. His main research interests are soil quality & stabilization, predicting the effects of environmental changes on the soil and plant health, sustainable crop production, GHG emission, plant-soil-microbe interactions, C stocks, waste management, and C3/C4 vegetation shift.

Dr. Muhammad Arif is Professor/Director Farms, Department of Agronomy, The University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan. His research areas of interests are seed priming, crop nutrition and dual purpose crops, and use of biochar as soil amendment.

Dr. Muhammad Riaz is Associate Professor at Department of Environmental Sciences & Engineering, Government College University Faisalabad, Pakistan. His main research interests are biogeochemical carbon and nitrogen cycling under changing climate and land use in agroecosystems; biochar for carbon sequestration, organic matter stabilization, and food security; sustainable soil quality management using multiple and multiscale approaches.

Dr. Haiyan Wang is Associate Professor at College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University. Her main research interests are pesticide and environmental chemistry.

Bibliographic Information

  • Book Title: Mulching in Agroecosystems

  • Book Subtitle: Plants, Soil & Environment

  • Editors: Kashif Akhtar, Muhammad Arif, Muhammad Riaz, Haiyan Wang

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-6410-7

  • Publisher: Springer Singapore

  • eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental Science, Earth and Environmental Science (R0)

  • Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022

  • Hardcover ISBN: 978-981-19-6409-1Published: 26 November 2022

  • Softcover ISBN: 978-981-19-6412-1Published: 26 November 2023

  • eBook ISBN: 978-981-19-6410-7Published: 25 November 2022

  • Edition Number: 1

  • Number of Pages: VII, 404

  • Number of Illustrations: 10 b/w illustrations, 41 illustrations in colour

  • Topics: Agriculture, Ecology, Sustainable Development

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