Crop Yield: Physiology and Processes

Product description This book has been prepared for those seeking a better understanding of the functioning of crop plants, particularly the processes that lead to the genera­ tion of products valued by human beings. The contributors, who are among the world's foremost experts on the important crops upon which humanity depends for food or fibre, address the relevant processes for their specific crop. Currently, the world population is continuing to increase. It is projected to plateau around the middle of the next century, and while there is considerable controversy regarding the population level when this plateau is achieved, most estimates are in the area of 10 000 000 000. At present, there are about 800000000 people in the world who do not have secure access to food. Over the last 50 years various aspects of agricultural research have been combined to increase the output of world crops approximately 2.5-fold. Given the need to feed the increasing population, and to provide better access, it is predicted that during the next 50 years the agricultural research community must repeat this achievement. From the Back Cover This book summarizes recent research on the physiology of yield of all the world's major field crops. The authors focus on the development of crop yield, the physiology underlying this process and the interactions between this physiology and the environment in which the crops develop. The need for the integration of the knowledge available for each of these crops has never been greater. In view of the increasing demand for food supplies of the world's growing population, the development and improvement of crop yield will play a crucial role in the future.