Production of food fibre and fuel is vital for humanity, and as the world population continues to rise, demands on these resources is ever increasing. In a context of growing worldwide concern about sustainability and environmental impacts of cropland, grassland and forestry practices, this textbook provides an introduction to the processes that define the ecology and environment of plant production. Core principles are examined such as soil-plant relationships, genetic manipulation and diversity, yield and water requirements, as well as physical factors such as solar radiation, temperature and weather. Fully updated with new chapters on climate change and biofuels, this edition is an important text for students and researchers in agronomy, forestry, botany, ecology and environmental sciences.
Praise for the first edition:
'I highly recommend this book for undergraduate students in plant production courses. It is easy to read, well-structured and of high scientific level…also useful for a more general readership'
Scientia Horticulturae
An important text for students and researchers in agronomy, forestry, botany, ecology and environmental sciences.
Plant Production
1. Human population, Plant Production and Environmental Issues
2. Ecological Perspective
3. Diversity and Genetics
Climate Resources
4. Weather and Climate
5. Radiant Energy
6. Temperature
7. Environmental Limits to production
8. Changes in Future Climates
Water and Nutrient Resources
9. Water in the Soil
10. Water
11. Climate Change Impact on Plants
12. Nutrients in the Soil
13. Nitrogen and Agricultural Productivity
14. Biofuels
Sinclair Dr. Sinclair is an international leader in Crop Science who has cooperated with researchers world-wide on physiological studies and in developing crop models. He received his BS and MS from Purdue University, his PhD from Cornell University, and an honorary doctorate from the University of Padua, Italy. He is currently on the faculty of North Carolina State University. His research has covered a wide range of physiological studies involving crop modeling including plant development, carbon accumulation, nitrogen fixation and nitrogen accumulation, and descriptions of yield formation. These studies have involved nearly all of the major crops of the world. With more than 40 years of research experience he has been able to synthesize much of the understanding of crop development, growth, and yield into crop models to assess some of society's challenging issues such as maximum crop yields, drought, climate change, and biofuel production.