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Title: PHYSIOLOGY OF CROP PRODUCTION

Author
item FAGERIA, NAND - EMBRAPA, BRAZIL
item Baligar, Virupax
item CLARK, RALPH - ARS-RETIRED

Submitted to: Haworth Press
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/18/2004
Publication Date: 6/1/2006
Citation: Fageria, N.K., Baligar, V.C., Clark, R.B. 2006. Physiology of crop production. Haworth Press. 345 pages.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A major global success of the last half of the 20th century was the increase in crop production exceeding population growth. At present, 1.2 billion people in the world live in a state of absolute poverty, of which 800 million people live under uncertain food security and 160 million preschool children suffer from malnutrition. In addition, the land available for crop production is decreasing steadily due to urban growth and land degradation. The trend is expected to be much more dramatic in developing than in developed countries. Natural and man induced abiotic and biotic stresses have become major constraints for global food production. Under these situations, increasing crop yields per unit area is crucial to meet world food demand. Increasing food production is only possible with efficient use of natural resources, especially land and water, and use of better crop production technology. Crop physiology is one of the most important subjects to understand biological processes and functions. Through the science of crop physiology, it is possible to understand crop growth and development, components of the plant yield and their interactions. Here an attempt has been made to compile a book that gives a comprehensive coverage of theoretical and practical aspects of crop physiological processes that impact production potentials of major agricultural crops. The eight chapters included in this book are related to plant canopy and root architecture, growth and yield components which determine yield, photosynthesis, source-sink relationships, influence of carbon dioxide on crop yields, and the physiology of drought and mineral nutrition. This unified reference/text book provides extensive coverage on the physiology of crop production directed towards maintaining or increasing crop productivity. Discussions in each of the chapters are supported by experimental results to make the book as practical as possible. References from different regions of the world have been cited to provide a broader perspective of the various subjects covered.