Ecophysiologica bases for crop management

ANDRADE, F.H.; ABBATE, P.; OTEGUI, M.E.; CIRILO, A.G.; CERRUDO, A.

The Americas Journal of Plant Science and Biotechnology

Global Science Series

Lugar: on line; Año: 2010 vol. 3 p. 22 - 34

1752-3877

This review focuses on the effect of management practices on grain yield of maize, sunflower, soybean and wheat, the major extensive crops of the Argentine Pampas. We analyze and evaluate crop management practices in the light of the physiological determinants of growth and grain yield using basic information available for these crops. This approach also contributes to understand or explain the differential responses of crops to management practices observed among species or cultivars within species, or among different environmental conditions and production system. We center our discussion on the effects of sowing date, plant density, row spacing, plant distribution and emergence uniformity, and cultivar maturity group election on grain yield of maize, sunflower, soybean and wheat. The knowledge and quantification of the ecophysiological factors underlying crop growth and yield determination are critical for the design and selection of the most appropriate management practices for a specific genotype and environment combination. This approach constitutes a low cost technology that can contribute to (i) match crop demands to the particular environmental offer and (ii) an efficient use of environmental resources and inputs in a specific situation.