Alison worked as an agronomist in South West England for many years before starting to teach crop production. She was a senior lecturer at several colleges and universities including the Royal Agricultural University and Plymouth University (Seale-Hayne campus) lecturing to diploma, degree and masters course students as well as on professional courses. Specialist crop husbandry subjects included soil science, crop production and protection as well as organic and sustainable farming systems. She was a contributing author to the 9th edition and now leads this 10th edition. Following a 12-year career advising farmers on all aspects of crop production Louisa has held an academic role as Senior Lecturer in Agronomy at Harper Adams University for the past 11 years. Louisa leads on a number of crop production and crop protection related modules to both undergraduate and postgraduate students and is also responsible for management of the BASIS Certificate in Crop Protection, the statutory qualification required by practitioners in the industry, also sitting on the BASIS Education and Training committee. Steve Finch, is Principal Lecturer in Crop Production at the Royal Agricultural University, UK Gerry P. Lane was formerly a Principal Lecturer at the Royal Agricultural University, UK.