Modelling Potential Crop Growth Processes

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-xii

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2. Introduction

   • J. Goudriaan, H. H. Van Laar

   Pages 1-6

3. The main seasonal growth pattern

   • J. Goudriaan, H. H. Van Laar

   Pages 7-28

4. Climatic factors

   • J. Goudriaan, H. H. Van Laar

   Pages 29-49

5. Assimilate flow and respiration

   • J. Goudriaan, H. H. Van Laar

   Pages 51-68

6. Development and growth

   • J. Goudriaan, H. H. Van Laar

   Pages 69-94

7. Radiation in crops

   • J. Goudriaan, H. H. Van Laar

   Pages 95-119

8. Leaf energy balance and transpiration

   • J. Goudriaan, H. H. Van Laar

   Pages 121-148

9. Analysis of leaf CO2 assimilation

   • J. Goudriaan, H. H. Van Laar

   Pages 149-168

10. Back Matter

    Pages 169-239

    PDF

We dedicate this book to professor C. T. de Wit (1924 - 1993) who initiated Production Ecology as a school of thought at the Wageningen Agricultural Univer­ sity (see Rabbinge et at. , 1990). To acknowledge the leading role of C. T. de Wit, a recently formed graduate school at this university in Production Ecology was named after him. Production Ecology is the study of ecological processes, with special attention to flows of energy and matter as factors that determine the productivity of ecological systems. Agro-ecosystems are a special case of ecosystems which are much better suited for the productivity approach than natural ecosystems are. This is the reason for the strong role of agricultural research in production ecology. On the other hand, it must be recognized that the spatial heterogeneity of natural ecosys­ tems and their species richness may alter some ecophysiological relationships. However, the basic physical, chemical and physiological processes will be the same. De Wit introduced the state variable approach as the basis for simulation mod­ elling. In this approach the floating character of nature is schematized into a series of snapshots over time in which the states are frozen at each separate moment. The current state determines how the rates of change will lead to the next snapshot. This way of thinking enables a clear and workable representation of interacting simul­ taneous processes, without compromising on the mathematics.

• Assimilat
• Transpiration
• carbon
• development
• energy balance
• growth
• plant
• plant development
• soil
• ordinary differential equations

`... the textbook is highly recommended for all who want to learn more about modelling plant growth and want to have a basis from where one can start and add modules within the specific area of interest.'
Scientia Horticulturae, 67 (1996)

• Department of Theoretical Production Ecology, Wageningen Agricultural University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

  J. Goudriaan, H. H. Laar

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