The Agricultural systems have encountered various kinds of ecological and environmental problems due to the growing pressure of human population on the carrying capacity of land and the productivity. There is no scope for horizontal expansion of land for food, feed and fibre production. Only vertical expansion is possible by integrating appropriate farming component, requiring less space and time while ensuring periodic income to the farmers. The ultimate goal of sustainable agriculture is to conserve the natural resource base, protect the environment, and enhance the health and safety of human population over a longer period, which can be achieved by proper understanding the science behind farming system – principles and practices.
The book on Farming system- principles and practices brings the comprehensive information about the definition and classification of cropping system, plant interactions in cropping system, agronomic requirements of cropping system, evaluation indices, importance of forages, classification of feeds and forages, cultivation of forage crops, forage quality, fodder preservation, forage seed production, importance of farming system, farming system research, concepts, objectives, steps and characteristics of farming system research, integrated farming system for different agroclimatic zones, crop and animal waste utilization, enterprises in farming system, interactions of components, evaluation of farming system research under major chapters viz., cropping system, forages and farming system.
Thus, this book will definitely serve as a reference book for the agricultural students, extension personnel, scientists and policy makers.
Dr. C. Jayanthi, Ph. D., Professor, Department of Agronomy, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, has 21 years of teaching, research and extension experience in Farming system Research and Forage crops. She completed her B. Sc. (Ag.) during 1983 and M. Sc. (Ag.) during 1985. She obtained Ph. D during 1995 from Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore-3. She is a recipient of FAI Silver Jubilee award and Indian Society of Agronomy award for best research on Integrated farming system, Best paper presentation prize from Indian Society of Agronomy, Best Researcher Award of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Best Research Paper Award from Madras Agriculture Students Union, and Best Research Paper Award for research article on farming system from Indian Society of Agronomy. She has 5 books, 9 booklets and technical manuals, 62 research articles and 50 popular articles to her credit. Participated in three months training on nutrient management in rice based cropping system at IRRI, Manila, Philippines. She has attended International symposium on Farming system research organized by Asian Farming Systems Association and FAO during 1994, at Manila, Philippines and presented a research paper on Farming system. She has attended several trainings, symposium, seminars and conferences at national and international level. She has served as a resource person for many training and conference on forage crops and farming system at state and national level. She has a rich research experience on farming system by heading two research projects as Principal investigator. She has guided three post graduate students and one Ph. D. student. She is an active member in many professional bodies like Indian Society of Agronomy, Asian Farming Systems Association, Madras Agricultural Journal, Journal of Farming Systems Research and Development and Kisan World. Presently she is an Editorial board member in Indian Society of Agronomy. She is one of the projects screening committee member nominated by Indian Council of Agricultural Research for farming system research projects
