Establishment of upland crops before and after rice; Dry seeding of rice; Cropping çpattern testing; Cropping systems preproduction and production program; Component technology - insect management, Weed science, Varietal testing for intensive cropping, Cropping systems economics; Adoption of technology.

The publication of this book has required the cooperation of many people along the way. From its very conception, the project of bringing together experiences from ongoing Farming Systems Research projects has faced a problem of communication due to the dispersal of the participants. Dr. William Partridge and Lynne Goldstein were instrumental in the initial presentation of the symposium on Social Science participation in Farming Systems Research at the 83rd Annual Meeting of the American Anthropological Association. Ben Wallace has done an admirable job not only as editor but 8s a ilpoint m-an"- throughout the process or organizirig the conference and preparing the manuscript. He deserves credit tor expediting countless actMties that could never have otherwise been accomplished because of the vagaries or international mails and telecommunications.

Intensive multiple cropping. The food formula for hungry Asia. Population and food problems in Asia. The untapped tropicla production reservoir. Agricultural production resources in Asia. Increased production pathways. Increased production pathways. Crop intensification prospects in Asia. Agricultural research in Asia. The Asian cropping systems network. Early multiple cropping in Asia. The formation of an Asian cropping systems network. Cropping systems concepts and approaches. Methodology development. IRRI's role in the network. Future plants for the network. The setting of cropping systems research in Asia. The Asia Cropping systems network research sites. On-farm research setting in the country research sites. Traditional cropping systems in Asia.Characteristics of a typical Asian farner. Major field crops in Asia. Cropping systems in rainfed wetland areas. Irrigated wetland areas. Rainfed dryland areas. Irrigated dryland areas. Deepwater rice areas. Tidal swamp areas. Agroforestry areas. Hill atriculture areas. Design and testing of improved cropping systems. Rainfed wetrand sites. Irrigated wetland sites. Rainfed dryland sites. Deepwater sites. Tidal swamp sites. Hill agriculture areas. Cropping system research and area development. Multilocation testing. Pilot production programs. The impact of cropping systems research on the small farms. General impact. Increased production. Impact on income level. Incresed employment. Impact on land utilization. Technology transfer.

Recent researches on resource conserving techniques have provided exciting opportunities for improving input-use-efficiency, productivity and sustainability. These techniques include: zero tillage, minimum tillage, rotary tillage, bed planting, surface seeding, laser land leveling, pressurized irrigation systems, system of rice intensification, aerobic rice, soil solarization, residue management, site-specific nutrient management, crop diversification, precision farming emplo-ying use of modern tools and procedures etc. Adoption of these techniques is the need of the hour as a method of 'low-input agriculture' to reduce costs and achieve sustainability in Indian agriculture. This book provides the most updated and comprehensive information on resource conserving techniques for improving crop productivity. The text is divided into 9 sections: (i) Concept and approaches, (ii) Cropping systems and diversification, (iii) Soil use and management, (iv) Improving nutrient use efficiency, (v) Water-saving techniques, (vi) Weed dynamics and herbicide use, (vii) Energy conservation and farm machinery, (viii) Modern tools and approaches, (ix) On-farm testing and evaluation. In each section, there are chapters on specific topics, contributed by eminent scientists, who made notable research contributions in their field of specialization. The chapters have been thoroughly edited and presented in an easily understandable manner.

This collection offers a comprehensive view of the commonalities and diversities of the farming systems research and development (FSR&D) approaches being applied around the world. The authors–among the leading practitioners in FSR&D–discuss conceptual frameworks, research methodology, data collection, and several ongoing FSR&D programs. The book is a must for anyone interested in gaining a concise, yet broad view of this new and growing field of research and its importance to small-scale farming in developing countries.