Potato Ecology And modelling of crops under conditions limiting growth

Potato is the fourth major staple food in the world and is still rapidly gaining importance, especially in the tropics. In May, 1994 the second international potato modelling conference was held in Wageningen, the Netherlands, as a summerschool of the C. T. de Wit Graduate School. The conference was sponsored by DLO, SCRI, SSCR, W AU and the LEB-Fund. Over 80 scientists participated, coming from 16 countries. Of each crop physiological and modelling subject, a leading scientist was requested to write a review of the most recent developments in his or her field. The reviews, with highlights from the authors' own work, are such that the physiological work described is of interest to the modeller and the modelling work to the crop physiologist. Applications of the quantitative approach are also reviewed in the concluding chapters that deal with decision support systems, breeding and agro-ecological zoning. An outstanding point of this book is that both the crop ecology and the modelling of a broad range of biotic and abiotic factors are treated by scientists representing groups which are specialized in the subject. The two related disciplines met during the conference and thus wrote the chapters with each other's interest in mind. The book highlights the limitations for potato growth and development from the viewpoints of both the crop physiologist and the crop-systems analyst.

1. Models in research and education, planning and practice.- 2. Crop physiology of potato (Solanum tuberosum): Responses to photoperiod and temperature relevant to crop modelling.- 3. Modelling development and growth of the potato crop influenced by temperature and daylength: LINTUL-POTATO.- 4. Physiology of crop response to drought.- 5. Modelling water and nitrogen uptake of a potato crop growing on a ridge.- 6. Physiological effects of changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration and temperature on growth and water relations of crop plants.- 7. Simulated effects of elevated carbon dioxide concentration and temperature on the productivity of potato. Interaction with cultivar differences for earliness.- 8. Nitrogen and the growth of potato crops.- 9. Modelling to optimize the use of both water and nitrogen by the potato crop.- 10. Simulation of nitrogen uptake from soil and partitioning in potato plants: Model description and sensitivity analysis.- 11. Crop physiological responses to infection by potato cyst nematode (Globodera spp).- 12. Modelling the interaction between potato crops and cyst nematodes.- 13. A growth model for plants attacked by nematodes.- 14. Factors involved in the development of potato late blight disease (Phytophthora infestans).- 15. Simulation models of potato late blight.- 16. Life cycle and ecology of Verticillium dahliae in potato.- 17. Modelling the dynamics of Verticillium dahlia.- 18. Use of a crop-growth model coupled to an epidemic model to forecast yield and virus infection in seed potatoes.- 19. Prescriptive crop and pest management software for farming systems involving potatoes.- 20. An advisory system for the management of potato cyst nematodes (Globodera spp).- 21. Handling qualitative and uncertain information.- 22. The useof models in potato breeding.- 23. Agro-ecological zonation for potato production.- 24. Future focus of physiology and modelling of potatoes.