Nature Farming and Microbial Applications

Hui-lian Xu, PhD, is Senior Crop Physiologist, the research station Deputy Director and a center board Director at the International Nature Farming Research Center, Japan. Dr. Xu is a productive scientist with numerous research publications in several fields of crop science, horticulture, soil physics, soil microbiology, plant physiology and sustainable agriculture. He studied his university courses in China Laiyang Agricultural University, received his PhD from the University of Tokyo, and worked with Canada Laval University for five years. With generous international experiences, Dr. Xu is a member of several professional societies in the United States, Canada and Japan. James F. Parr, PhD, received his doctorate degree in 1961 from Purdue University in soil microbiology and soil physics. Dr. Parr has more than 35 years of research experience with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Tennessee Valley Authority, and U.S. land-grant Universities in aspects of soil water and crop management systems. He has served as a technical consultant to FAO, UNDP and USAID on international development projects worldwide. He has published more than 200 papers on soil water/crop management systems, environmental quality, organic farming, rainfed farming and sustainable agriculture. Dr. Parr is a fellow of the American Society of Agronomy and the Soil Service Society of America. He retired from the USDA in 1994 but continues to serve as a research consultant and technical editor. Hiroshi Umemura, PhD, worked from 1953 to 1989 with Nagano Prefecture Agricultural Experiment Station on soil survey, soil improvement and pollution control. He received his doctorate degree from the University of Tokyo with his thesis on sustainability of the soil productivity of cool uplands. Since 1989, he has been Director of the International Nature Farming Research Center and has taken part in several international development projects.Hiroshi Umemura is the author of 'Nature Farming and Microbial Applications', published 2000 under ISBN 9781560220831 and ISBN 156022083X.