This book contains the most comprehensive, detailed coverage of crop production issues in the US. It provides the "how and why" things are the way they are, and recognizes the business of crop production. Other coverage includes the latest trends impacting crop production--i.e., sustainable agriculture, organic farming, environmental safety consciousness, and more. For individuals preparing for a future in agriculture and for the Crop Certification exams.

This book deals with the concepts and methods related to crop production. It talks in detail about the various techniques used in this field. Crop production refers to that branch of agriculture, which deals with the growth and cultivation of crops keeping in mind their use as food or fiber. Different approaches, evaluations and methodologies on crop production have been included in this text. Various techniques of crop production along with technological progress that have implication are glanced at in this book. Some of the diverse topics covered in it address the varied branches that fall under this category. This textbook attempts to assist those with a goal of delving into the field of crop production.

The existence of man has been associated closely with the culture and care plants. The early man who gathered fruits, seeds and nuts started to raise crop by culturing and maintaining the crop for future use. Crop production however, began when domestication of crop became essential to supplement natural resources. Crop production in agriculture is an art as well as science of cultivating land for the controlled production of plants and plant materials which are of use to man even animals. Being an art, it requires certain field work which needs skill, constant practice and technical-know-how. Principles of crop production however, are the scientific theories, ways, methods and rules of producing crops. It involves basic factors, theories, cultural operations and practices that governed crop production in terms of growth, development and yield. Crop production however, may be defined as a branch of plant science that deals with both theories and practical way of growing those plants that play important role in man's existence, being that plants are the major sources (either directly or indirectly) of food, clothing, construction materials, drugs, fuel, ornamental etc.

The range of pressures affecting farmers has increased significantly in recent times. Produce must meet escalating quality requirements, while competition demands heightened productivity. At the same time, the community demands that farmers maintain the natural resource base of the land of which they are custodians and that they minimize chemical treatments and fertilizers. Principles of Field Crop Production concentrates on today's principles of farming and addresses the issues of raising productivity and environmental management. The book also endeavors to put crop production in a broader perspective by addressing issues such as socioeconomic aspects and crop improvement. This third edition updates information on numerous crops, and provides new insights into farming systems and modern breeding methods such as genetic engineering. The text continues to fill an important role for students of agronomy and their teachers. It is also an important reference book for research workers and for others involved or interested in agriculture.

This textbook explains the various aspects of sustainable agricultures to undergraduate and graduate students. The book first quantifies the components of the crop energy balance, i.e. the partitioning of net radiation, and their effect on the thermal environment of the canopy. The soil water balance and the quantification of its main component (evapotranspiration) are studied to determine the availability of water to rain fed crops and to calculate crop water requirements. Then it sets the limitations of crop production in relation to crop phenology, radiation interception and resource availability (e.g. nutrients). With that in mind the different agricultural techniques (sowing, tillage, irrigation, fertilization, harvest, application of pesticides, etc.) are analyzed with special emphasis in quantifying the inputs (sowing rates, fertilizer amounts, irrigation schedules, tillage plans) required for a given target yield under specific environmental conditions (soil & climate). For all techniques strategies are provided for improving the ratio productivity/resource use while ensuring sustainability. The book comes with online practical focusing on the key aspects of management in a crop rotation (collecting weather data, calculating productivity, sowing rates, irrigation programs, fertilizers rates etc).

Plant nutrition; The soil as a plant nutrient medium; Nutrient uptake and assimilation; Plant water relationships; Plant growth and crop production; Fertilizer application; Nitrogen; Sulphur; Phosphorus; Potassium; Calcium; Magnesium; Iron; Manganese; Zinc; Copper; Molybdenum; Boron; Further elements of importance; Elements with more toxic effects.