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Advances in AGRONOMY Vol. 23

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In recent years the value of science to society and in turn the obligation of society to support science have become widely questioned. Some national leaders have expressed the feeling, likely shared by many lay- men, that science and technology are inherently evil. In their view, pressing human problems such as pollution, crime, and even poverty are caused directly or indirectly by technological developments. Students, joined by irate taxpayers, are concerned about the seeming irrelevance of most scientific endeavors. They see no pay-off to society from the public in- puts supporting scientific research, and they are concerned with the apparent independence of scientists who follow their own discipline- oriented curiosities rather than addressing themselves to the solution of human problems.

Fortunately, one has little difficulty justifying, even to the pragmatist. the benefits to society of agronomic research. The eight articles appearing in this volume exemplify this fact. Each of them reviews the state of knowledge on subjects of considerable importance to man. Concern with factors affecting the quality of the environment is demonstrated through reviews on pesticides in soils, plant response to air pollutants, and slow- release nitrogen fertilizers. Man's ability to feed himself is the direct or indirect concern of papers dealing with rice physiology, the world's plant germ plasm base, and factors affecting photosynthesis and crop produc- tion. Two other papers concern the state of our knowledge of important soil and plant processes.

It is quite appropriate for the scientist to justify his existence to society as a whole and especially to those who support him and his work. Likewise, the scientist has an obligation to inform not only his immediate colleagues but the larger scientific community as well of his accomplish- ments and failures. Reviews such as those presented in this volume are important components of the world-wide scientific communication sys- tem. They represent the first step in fulfilling an important obligation of scientists to society

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Availability

8850/23

631(058) ADV a

Pustaka PPKS Medan Lt. 2 (631)

Available

Detail Information

Series Title

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Call Number

631(058)

Publisher

New York : Academic Press., 1971

Collation

xi, 415 hal.: ill.;23,5 cm

Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

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Classification

631(058)

Content Type

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Media Type

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Carrier Type

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Edition

23

Subject(s)

Pertanian

Specific Detail Info

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Statement of Responsibility

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