Mineral Nutrition of Crops: Fundamental Mechanisms and Implications

The first book on crop nutrition that covers topics from soil hydrology to molecular biology!The first book ever to elucidate so many different aspects of mineral nutrition of crops, Mineral Nutrition of Crops: Fundamental Mechanisms and Implications will allow you to grasp the complexity of the soil-water-plant-microbe interactions governing nutrient uptake and utilization by crops. By emphasizing a fundamental mechanistic approach, this book effectively complements the monograph Nutrient Use in Crop Production (The Haworth Press, Inc.). With Mineral Nutrition of Crops you will explore the many facets necessary to increase crop and pasture yields and minimize unwanted losses of nutrients to the environment.Mineral Nutrition of Crops covers a wide range of topics that span several scientific disciplines: agriculture, agronomy, botany, forestry, ecology, plant science, and soil science. From this book, you will gain vital knowledge required to understand the complexity of mechanisms and processes governing nutrient transport toward roots, including biological and chemical reactions influencing nutrient availability in the rhizosphere, uptake by root cells, long-distance transport toward grain, and the role of nutrients in metabolism. Also, you will explore issues relating to the following topics:

• biology and chemistry of nutrient availability in the rhizosphere
• kinetics of nutrient uptake by plant cells
• role of mineral photosynthesis and yield formation
• importance of seed nutrient reserves in crop growth and development
• breeding crops for improved nutrient efficiency
• significance of root size for plant production
• monitoring water and nutrient fluxes down the profile

From Mineral Nutrition of Crops, you will gain the knowledge you need to understand and improve methods of crop growth and nutrition. Mineral Nutrition of Crops is an indispensable manual for anyone involved in the many aspects of growing crops.