Crop physiology : applications for genetic improvement and agronomy edited by Victor O.Sadras, Daniel F. Calderini

Sustainable Agriculture and Crop Physiology
Introduction
Agricultural paradigms.
World trends in population and demand of agricultural products
Productivity is the key but inadequate for all society's demands
Aims and structure of this book
Farming Systems: Case Studies.
Farming Systems of Australia: Exploiting the Synergy
between Genetic Improvement and Agronomy
Introduction
Water-limited yield and resource/input supply
Crop phenology
Crop protection; weeds and diseases, including soil borne.
Crop attributes for reduced tillage systems
Farming system diversity
Adoption of improved varieties and practices by farmers
Lessons and new opportunities.
Concluding remarks
Farming Systems of Argentina; Yield Constraints
and Risk Management
Introduction
The physical environment
Main drivers of attainable yield
Risk management
Novel cropping systems.
Conclusion; the challenge ahead
Improving Farming Systems in Northern European Conditions
Special features of northern European conditions for
crop production
Adaptation: a matter of crop responses vi/hen coping with
northern conditions
Gaps between potential and actual yields
Attempts to improve sustainability
The future and climate change
Concluding remarks
Cereal-Based Cropping Systems in Asia: Nutrition and
Disease Management
Introduction
Eco-physical background of cereal-based cropping systems in Asia
Major cereal-based cropping systems in Asia
Management of abiotic and biotic constraints for cereal production
Conclusions: future prospects in cereal-based
cropping systems in Asia
Capture and Efficiency in the Use of Resources:
Quantitative Frameworks
Improving Productivity to Face Water Scarcity
in Irrigated Agriculture
Introduction and background
Efficient use of water in irrigated agriculture
Maximisation of harvest index to improve water productivitv
Field irrigation management and efficient water use
Concluding remarks
Crop Radiation Capture and Use Efficiency:
A Framework for Crop Growth Analysis.
Introduction
Estimation of RUE by scaling up from leaf to canopy
Estimating radiation-use efficiency of crops from measurements
of biomass production and radiation interception
Solar and PAR-based radiation-use efficiency
Radiation-use efficiency of main crops
Radiation-use efficiency response to environmental, plant
and management factors
Radiation-use efficiency response to atmospheric
carbon dioxide concentration
Improving radiation capture and use efficiency;
agronomy and breeding
Concluding remarks
Quantifying Crop Responses to Nitrogen Deficiency
and Avenues to Improve Nitrogen Use Efficiency.
Introduction
Crop N demand: its regulation at plant and crop levels.
Response of plants and crops to N deficiency
Nitrogen use efficiency
Conclusions
Crop Physiology, Genetic Improvement
and Agronomy
Darwinian Agriculture: Real, Imaginary and Complex
Trade-offs as Constraints and Opportunities
Ignoring trade-offs slows progress.
Real, imaginary and complex trade-offs .
Trade-offs as constraints
Trade-offs as opportunities: changed conditions
Trade-offs as opportunities: individual versus community
Trade-offs as opportunities: conflicts involving
microbial mutualists
Concluding remarks
Modelling Crop Improvement in a G x E x M Framework
via Gene-Trait-Phenotype Relationships
Introduction
Modelling biophysical systems
Modelling genotype-environment-management systems
Case study: maize breeding in the USA
Concluding remarks.
Integration of Biotechnology, Plant Breeding and
Crop Physiology: Dealing with Complex Interactions
from a Physiological Perspective
Introductior
Contributions of biotechnology
Contributions of crop physiology to plant breeding
and biotechnology.
Conclusions
Crop Development: Genetic Control, Environmental
Modulation and Relevance for Genetic Improvement
of Crop Yield.
Introduction
Crop development
Developmental responses to environmental factors
Genetic control of developmental rates
Can we improve crop adaptation and yield potential
through fine-tuning developmental rates?
Concluding remarks
Vigorous Crop Root Systems: Form and Function for Improving
the Capture of Water and Nutrients
Introduction
Capture of resources and vigorous root systems: the concepts..
Carbon costs of vigorous root systems .
Functions of root vigour in cropping systems
Challenges in incorporating the vigorous root
characteristic into breeding
Integrated Views in Plant Breeding: Modern
Approaches for an Old Topic
Introduction
Modern views in plant breeding .
Molecular-assisted genetic improvement
Transgenic-assisted genetic enhancement
Pre-breeding: a link between genetic resources and
crop improvement
Breeding by design
Genetic Improvement of Grain Crops: Yield Potential...
Rationale for raising yield potential.
Relationship between yield potential and yield under
abiotic stresses
Physiological basis of genetic gains in yield potential
Genetic basis of yield potential and implications for breeding
Barriers to and opportunities for future genetic gains in
yield potential
Use of physiological tools to select for high yield potential
Conclusions
Management and Breeding Strategies for the Improvement
of Grain and Oil Quality
Introduction
Environmental and genetic effects on grain oil and
protein concentration and composition
Integration of quality traits into crop simulation models
Applying crop physiology to obtain a specificquality
and high yields
Concluding remarks.
Dynamics of Crop-Pathogen Interactions: From Gene
to Continental Scale
Introduction
Pathogen biology
The genetic basis of resistance to pathogens
Linking genetics of resistance with cellular and plant physiology
Linking genetics of resistance with agronomy
From gene to continent: conclusions and future prospects.
Improving Crop Competitiveness with Weeds: Adaptations
and Trade-offs
Introduction
Interactions between plants.
Crop yield losses from weeds
The role of competitive crops in weed management
Competitive ability of crops
Environmental influences on competitive ability
Variation in competitive ability among crop species
Traits associated with competitive ability
The trade-off between yield and competitive ability
Breeding for interspecific competitive ability
Knowledge gaps and future research directions
Conclusions
Dynamic and Functional Monitoring Technologies for
Applications in Crop Management.
Background.
Functional sensing approaches: quantifying the
physiological status of crops under water and nitrogen stresses
Functional sensing approaches: harvest management in peanut
Integrating the spatial and temporal dimensions of on-farm
variability: the role of integrative dynamic systems models
Conclusions and the way forward
Crop Physiology, Modelling and Climate Change:
Impact and Adaptation Strategies
Introduction.
Climate change
Crop response to climate change
Crop models for climate change
Impacts of climate change on crop production
Adaptation to climate change
Conclusions and knowledge gaps
Whither Crop Physiology?
Introduction
Crop physiology's unfinished business
The interface between crop physiology and modelling
The interface between crop physiology and breeding
The interface between crop physiology and agronomy.
Conclusions