Bookshelf

Plant-insect relationships

This book Focuses on the behavior of host-plant selection by plant-feeding insects. It described the patterns of host use, the chemical features of plants that determine host selection, the physiology of insect sensory systems and insect behavior, with an emphasis on mechanism.

The book begins by looking at patters of host-plant use and plant chemicals that influence behavior; it then looks at behavior in relation to the process of host-plant selection as well as in relation to the impact of ecology and physiology. It also discusses genetic variability and concludes with a review of the evolution of host-plant ranges.

Host-plant selection by phytophagous insects
by E A Bernays and R F Chapman
1994 312pp price UKL 22.95 Pbk
ISBN 0 412 03131 0
Chapman and Hall
2-6 Boundary Row
London SE1 8Hn, UK

Food processing

Vegetable oil is important for the well-being of many rural communities as a source of concentrated energy; and the production of oil, along with secondary products such as soap and animal feed, can provide an important source of income for rural people. The traditional methods of oil extraction are slow and arduous, but in Oil processing invaluable guidance is offered for the selection of appropriate equipment for small business. The pros and cons of introducing new technologies is highlighted, and technical information is provided about each type of machine.

The book is designed for volunteers training for food processing projects, their trainers, and non-specialists already involved in projects and seeking specific information on technology choice.

Oil processing 1993 38 pp
ISBN 1 85339 134 4

Root crops are readily available and essential food in many poor communities and are often the main part of a meal. In most countries the family meals are usually prepared by women, and local processing of root crops is often an important part of women's daily work.

Root crop processing covers the most common methods of processing potato, cassava, sweet potato, yam and edible aroid crops. Particular emphasis is placed on cassava, which often requires special treatment to make it ready for cooking. Basic food science principles, traditional and improved small-scale processing methods, case studies illustrating the benefits and difficulties of introducing improved technologies, and sources of further information are all covered in this practical book.

Root crop processing 1993 54pp
ISBN 1 85339 138 1

Both books are in the UNIFEM Food Cycle Technology Source Books series
produced by IT Publications 703/105 Southampton Row
London WC1B 4HH,
UK

Rodent pests and their control

Rodents represent the largest order of mammals and include rats, mice and squirrels. They carry diseases alla are major pests in agriculture, of stored products and in urban environments.

This book is the only current volume that provides a comprehensive review of rodent pests and their control.

The first four chapters establish the pest status of rodents and the need for control. The following six chapters review the principles of rodent control methods and their evaluation the nature of resistance, and how to assess damage. The final chapters consider the practice of rodent control, including the problems of extending technology to smallholders and evaluating potential environmental hazards.

Rodent pests and their control
edited by A P Buckle and R H Smith
1994 416pp price UKL49.95
ISBN 85198 829 2 Hbk
CAB International, Wallingford
Oxon OX10 8DE
UK

Aid to agriculture

Despite continuing food crises in the developing world, agricultural development assistance from major governments and international institutions has declined since the early 1980s. This decline in external assistance could be justified only if the food situation was improving in developing countries, rural poverty were diminishing, and if they were becoming more capable of meeting their needs for the services that are essential for agricultural growth. International development assistance can help over come domestic financial, technical, and human resource constraints that hamper the ability of developing-country govern meets to provide the needed services.

Following a food crisis in 1973 74, external assistance to low and middle-income countries increased rapidly. But in the firs half of the 1980s, slow growth in the industrialized countries themselves led to a decline in the total flow of aid and thus to diminished aid to agriculture Agriculture's share of total development fell from 20% to 14% during this period. Three major political forces contributed to the downward trend of assistance to agriculture in the 1980s. One was the interests of domestic farm groups in donor countries, another was the international lending interests, and the third was the interest of government of officials in investing in agriculture.

To reverse the decline in agricultural aid to these countries, several priorities need to be established: increased financial support must be given to sustainable agricultural growth; commitment to agriculture must be both high priority and long-term; capabilities of low-income countries to develop and implement food and agricultural policies must be strengtened to lessen their dependence on aid allocations by major donors; and political and bureau-cratic obstacles to increased agricultural lending must be recognized and overcome in the recipient countries.

Aid to agriculture: reversing the decline
by Joachim Van Braun F Hopkins Detlev Puetz and Rajul Pandya-Lorch
International Food Policy Research Institute
1200 Seventeenth Street N W Washington DC 20036-3006 USA

Rice-growing environments

With the failure of the 'green-revolution' technologies In Africa, an accurate characterization of West Africa's rice-growing agro-ecosystems is necessary for the efficient planning and targeting of rice research in the region. In the long term research needs to be directed towards effectively increasing rice cropping systems in Vest Africa, with the ultimate objective of obtaining self-sufficiency in rice growing.

In Inland valleys in West Africa: an agro-ecological characterization of rice-growing environments the various environmental characteristics that determine the rice-growing environments in West Africa are described. Based on ecological, agronomic and socio-economic data from secondary sources this involves a description and grouping, in general, for the whole inventory area.

Inland valleys in West Africa: an agro-ecological characterization of rice-growing environments
edited by P N Windmeijer and W Andriesse
1993 160pp ISBN 90 70754 320
International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement
PO Box 45, 6700 Wageningen
THE NETHERLANDS

Cassia and livestock

The importance of trees and shrubs in the feeding of animals in the tropics and sub-tropics has long been recognized by livestock owners. In arid areas where the growth of herbaceous plants is limited by lack of moisture, leaves and edible twigs of trees and shrubs can constitute well over 50% of the biomass production of rangeland. At high altitudes, tree foliage may provide over 50% of the feed available to ruminants in the dry season, branches being harvested and carried to the animals.

Taken in its wiliest sense, the genus Cassia is one of the largest in the family Leguminosae, containing some 600 species. Plants range in size from herbs to shrubs and trees, and they have a pantropical and subtropical distribution. The genus shows promise as a multi-purpose plant for the provision of both fuelwood and forage particularly in the subhumid and semi-arid environments. In such areas, it could be one of a number of potentially useful alternatives to Leucaeana leucocephala, helping to prevent a dangerous over-reliance on this popular anti widely used species.

Use of trees by livestock: Cassia is No 6 in a series of booklets published by NRI. It deals with the description and distribution; fodder characteristics, anti-nutritive factors; management; and alternative uses of Cassia.

Use of trees by livestock. Cassia
by R T Paterson and N J L Clinch
1993 18pp price UKL2.00
ISBN 0 85954 362 5 NRI
Central Avenue Chatham Maritime Kent ME4 4TB,
UK

Linking with farmers

Throughout the tropics, a growing number of individuals and groups are developing Low External Input and Sustainable Agriculture (LEISA) technologies, as well as participatory methods of extending them.

Many of these innovative people are joining forces to exhange information and cooperate more closely, in order to learn from each other and create a more favorable climate for LEISA.

Linking with farmers presents experiences of different forms of networking to promote LEISA, focused on linkages among and between farmers, development fieldworkers and researchers.

Linking with farmers
edited by Carine Alders, Bertus Haverkort and Laurens van Veldhuizen
1993 298pp lSBN 1 853392103
IT Publications 103/105 Southampton Row
London WC1B 4HH,
UK

Notice to publishers:

Spore's "bookshelf" offers you an excellent opportunity to reach readers in ACP countries We review and announce books on all aspects of agriculture and rural development, reflecting all shades of opinion and covering all regions. To help us improve the effectiveness of this service, we are inviting all of you who publish or distribute books and periodicals to send us review copies of your publications.
However, because of limited space we cannot guarantee to announce all the books we receive.

Spore, CTA, Postbus 380
6700 AJ
Wageningen
THE NETHERLANDS

Also received

Fungal physiology by David Griffin 1994 4449 0471595861 John Wiley & Sons Ltd Baffins Lane, Chichester West Sussex PO19 IUD, UK

Aspects of milk processing In the tropics by G Dingemans and R Smeets 95p ISBN 90 801 1800 1 7 Small Scale Dairy Technology Group Wildfoster 37, 6713 KA Ede THE NETHERLANDS

Mijikenda agriculture in Coast Province of Kenya: peasants in between tradition, ecology and policy by H Waaijenberg 1994 307pp ISBN 90 6832 089 0 KIT Press Royal Tropical Institute Mauritskade 63 1092 AD Amsterdam THE NETHERLANDS

The power guide: an international catalogue of small-scale energy equipment by Wim Hulsche and Peter Fraenkel 1994 279pp ISBN 1 85339 192 1 price UKL25.00 Pbk IT Publications Ltd 103/105 Southampton Row London WC1B 4HH UK

A pictorial guide to the identification of seedborne fungi of sorghum, pearl millet, finger millet, chickpea, pigeonpea and groundout by K Ahmed and Ch. R Reddy 1993 184pp ISBN 92 9066 251 4

Handbook of pigeonpea diseases, information bulletin 42 1993 61pp ISBN 92 9066 277 8

Both books available from: ICRISAT, Patancheru Andhra Pradesh 502 324, INDIA

Supporting development action: from identification to evaluation by E Beaudoux, G de Crombrugghe F Douxchamps, M-G Guéneau and M Nieuwkerk 187pp ISBN 0 333 57641 1
Macmillan Press Ltd 4 Little Essex Street London WC2R 3LF UK