Temperate Rice Production: Innovative Technologies for Yield Improvement, Climate Resilience and Sustainable Farming presents a comprehensive account of modern approaches for improving rice productivity and sustainability in temperate agro-ecosystems, with particular emphasis on the Kashmir Valley. The book brings together advances in molecular breeding, marker-assisted selection, gene pyramiding, genome-wide association studies, genomic selection, high-throughput phenomics and speed breeding for accelerating genetic improvement in rice. It also examines participatory varietal selection and farmer-oriented approaches for identifying and disseminating suitable rice cultivars under diverse field conditions.

The volume further addresses yield-gap reduction, resource-conserving agro-techniques, soil health and nutrient management, direct-seeded rice, and integrated management of weeds, diseases and insect pests. By linking advanced breeding technologies with practical crop production and plant health management, the book provides a valuable reference for researchers, teachers, students, breeders, agronomists, extension professionals and rice producers interested in climate-resilient and sustainable temperate rice production.

Dr. Tasneem Mubarak (Ph.D. Agronomy, NET) is Chief Scientist (Agronomy), currently associated with the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Rice at the Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops, SKUAST-Kashmir. With over 16 years of experience in agricultural research, extension, and teaching, he has served as Subject Matter Specialist (Agronomy), Head of Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kulgam, and Principal Investigator or Collaborator in several national projects. His research interests include nutrient management, fertilizer-use efficiency, farming systems, rice-based cropping systems, and resource-conservation technologies, particularly water-saving approaches in rice cultivation. He has published nearly 200 scientific and extension publications, including more than 68 research papers in reputed journals. His notable contributions include the promotion of dry direct-seeded rice, integrated farming systems, and the conservation of indigenous rice landraces. He is a recipient of several awards, including the prestigious IPI–FAI Award 2023, and is an active member of professional societies related to agronomy, rice research, agricultural extension, and weed science.

Dr. Shabir Hussain Wani is Assistant Professor (Senior Grade) in Genetics and Plant Breeding at the Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops, Khudwani, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K), Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. He has published more than 300 research papers and book chapters in journals and books of national and international repute. He has served as Guest Editor and Reviews Editor for Frontiers in Plant Science and is associated with several international editorial and scientific bodies, including Springer’s PCTOC and the abiotic stress section of Frontiers in Plant Science. He has edited several books on crop improvement and abiotic stress tolerance published by Springer Nature and CRC Press. His professional distinctions include Fellowship of the Linnean Society of London, Fellowship of the International Society for Development and Sustainability, membership of the Royal Society of Biology, London, and membership of the National Academy of Sciences, India. He has contributed to the development and release of wheat and other crop varieties, including his role as Principal Breeder for Shalimar Wheat-3. He is also involved in research projects on molecular breeding, stripe rust resistance, and abiotic stress tolerance, and has actively contributed to undergraduate and postgraduate teaching in genetics and biotechnology.

Dr. Ashaq Hussain is Professor of Agronomy at the Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops, Khudwani, Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K). He completed his B.Sc. (Agriculture) and M.Sc. in Agronomy from SKUAST-Kashmir with distinction and earned his Ph.D. in Agronomy from the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), New Delhi. In recognition of his academic and research achievements, he received the prestigious IARI Gold Medal and the Best Ph.D. Thesis Award from the Indian Society of Agronomy. Dr. Hussain has contributed as Principal Investigator to AICRP projects on Rapeseed and Mustard and Rice, in addition to several in-house research projects. His research has focused on resource-conservation technologies in rice, including the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) and Direct-Seeded Rice (DSR), under Kashmir conditions. He has completed several externally funded projects and contributed to the development and release of 13 crop varieties of rice, wheat, and rapeseed. He has published 80 research papers, 20 book chapters, and 10 popular articles. He has also authored Kashmir Weeds: Description, Uses and Control and Manual on Weed Identification and Management in Rice. His professional contributions span research, teaching, extension, soil fertility, and weed management.

Dr. Najeebul Rehman Sofi is an eminent rice breeder and agricultural scientist who has made significant contributions to rice improvement, conservation of indigenous genetic resources, and sustainable agricultural development in the temperate Himalayan region of Jammu and Kashmir. He has played a pioneering role in participatory plant breeding and has contributed to the development and release of high-yielding rice varieties, including Shalimar Rice-2, Shalimar Rice-3, Shalimar Rice-4, and Shalimar Rice-5. He has also spearheaded the revival of aromatic rice landraces such as Mushk Budji and Kamad through genetic purification and farmer-led conservation, besides contributing to the restoration of traditional red rice (Zag) of Tangdhar. As Principal Plant Breeder, he developed Shalimar Rice-5, adapted to higher elevations, and Shalimar Sugandh-1, a fine-grained aromatic rice variety suited to the region’s cropping system. As Team Leader of AICRP on Rice, he guided the Khudwani Centre towards national recognition, including the Golden Jubilee Award and Centre of Excellence Award for contributions to rice research and development. Under his leadership, ten rice varieties were registered with the PPV&FRA, Government of India, while farming communities conserving traditional landraces received Plant Genome Saviour Community Awards. His research publications cover rice breeding, molecular genetics, climate resilience, genomics, and crop improvement, contributing to food security and agricultural sustainability in the Himalayan region.

Dr. Intikhab Aalum Jehangir is a Scientist in Agronomy at the Mountain Research Centre for Field Crops (MRCFC), Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K). He began his academic career at SKUAST-K as an Assistant Professor in 2015 and has over a decade of experience in agricultural research, teaching, and extension. His research interests include rice, rapeseed, and oat agronomy, sustainable crop nutrition, and weed management under temperate agro-ecological conditions. He has authored more than 60 scientific papers, two books, several book chapters, and extension bulletins. His research has been published in reputed international journals, including Scientific Reports, and through leading academic publishers such as Springer Nature, Taylor & Francis, and MDPI. He is actively involved in undergraduate and postgraduate teaching, student mentoring, and the advancement of sustainable agronomic practices.

Section I: Genetic Improvement and Advanced Breeding Technologies

Chapter 1. Harnessing Molecular Breeding for Genetic Improvement in Rice

Chapter 2. Participatory Varietal Selection Approach for Sustainable Rice Farming in Kashmir Valley

Chapter 3. High-Throughput Phenomics in Temperate Rice Improvement: Technologies, Applications, and Future Perspectives

Chapter 4. Speed Breeding and Next-Generation Breeding Technologies in Rice (Oryza sativa L.): Accelerating Genetic Gain for Climate-Resilient Cultivars

Section II: Sustainable Crop Production and Resource-Use Efficient Technologies

Chapter 5. Bridging the Yield Gaps in Rice: Journey from One to Ten Tons per Hectare

Chapter 6. Agro-Techniques and Resource Conservation Technologies for Improving Rice Productivity under Kashmir Conditions

Chapter 7. Importance of Soil Health and Nutrient Balance in Sustaining Higher Yields in Rice

Chapter 8. Towards Sustainable Rice Production in the Kashmir Valley: Current Status and Future Prospects of Direct-Seeded Rice

Section III: Integrated Plant Health Management

Chapter 9. Integrated Weed Management Strategies in Temperate Rice

Chapter 10. Integrated Disease Management for Sustaining Production in Rice Grown under Kashmir Valley Conditions

Chapter 11. Integrated Pest Management in Rice Grown under Kashmir Valley Conditions