Food Security in Nutrient-Stressed Environments: Exploiting Plants’ Genetic Capabilities

✍ Scribed by L. D. Swindale (auth.), J. J. Adu-Gyamfi (eds.)

• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 333
• Series: Developments in Plant and Soil Sciences 95
• Edition: 1
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

Ultimate success in exploiting the genetic capabilities of plants to grow in nutrient-stressed environments of the semi-arid tropics (SAT) requires a holistic view of food systems to ensure that genetic selections for improved yields on nutrient-poor soils will actually be adopted by farmers. This book sets out to address the important issue of how physiological mechanisms of nutrient uptake can best be combined with genetic options to improve the adaptation of crops to low-nutrient availability, thereby enhancing productivity of nutrient poor soils in the semi-arid tropics. The book examines (i) the sustainability of breeding for low-nutrient environments from the viewpoint of three interrelated disciplines; physiology, breeding, and socio-economics, (ii) candidate mechanisms and physiological traits to enhance uptake and utilization efficiencies, (iii) genetic approaches for manipulation of crop plants to enhance root exudation and access nutrients in the rhizosphere, and (iv) field practices and farmers' preferences for crop varieties grown in low-nutrient environments. Finally, the role of modelling in improving nutrient efficiency in cropping systems, recommendations for future research needs and strategies were highlighted. Attended by 50 international participants, this book is the outcome of the workshop held at ICRISAT-India during 27-30 September 1999 to mark the culmination of the Government of Japan/ICRISAT Project.

✦ Table of Contents

Front Matter....Pages i-vii
Welcome address....Pages 1-3
Government of Japan Project activities at ICRISAT 1984–1999....Pages 5-8
Physiological traits for crop yield improvement in low N and P environments....Pages 9-23
Prospects for using conventional techniques and molecular biological tools to enhance performance of ‘orphan’ crop plants on soils low in available phosphorus....Pages 25-36
Ex-ante impact assessment and economic analysis of breeding for nutrient efficiency and alternate strategies, a conceptual model and research issues: A socio-economist’s view....Pages 37-42
Breeding for low-nutrient environments: Is it sustainable?....Pages 43-46
Breeding for low-nutrient environments....Pages 47-57
Genetic adaptation of crop plants to low-nutrient environments: morphological and ecophysiological characteristics of adaptation....Pages 59-66
Genotypic variability and physiological characteristics of crop plants adapted to low-nutrient environments....Pages 67-79
Physiological adaptations for nitrogen use efficiency in sorghum....Pages 81-90
Photosynthesized carbon translocation and distribution of crops adapted to low-nutrient environments....Pages 91-101
Varietal differences in root growth as related to nitrogen uptake by sorghum plants in low-nitrogen environment....Pages 103-110
Genotypic variability in phosphorus solubilizing activity of root exudates by pigeonpea grown in low-nutrient environments....Pages 111-121
Root cell-wall properties are proposed to contribute to phosphorus (P) mobilization by groundnut and pigeonpea....Pages 123-131
Role of soil microorganisms in improving P nutrition of plants....Pages 133-143
Phosphorus use efficiency as related to sources of P fertilizers, rainfall, soil, crop management, and genotypes in the West African semi-arid tropics....Pages 145-154
Modelling root-induced solubilization of nutrients....Pages 155-163
Scope for genetic manipulation of mineral acquisition in chickpea....Pages 165-176
Aluminum tolerance in nodulated N 2 -fixing legumes species native to two contrasting savanna sites....Pages 177-182
Effect of rock phosphate and superphosphate fertilizer on the productivity of maize var. Bisma....Pages 183-187
Candidate mechanisms....Pages 189-191
Assessing germplasm collections for traits useful in plant nutrition....Pages 193-200
Root exudates as mediators of mineral acquisition in low-nutrient environments....Pages 201-213
Genetic control of root exudation....Pages 215-226
Transporter genes to enhance nutrient uptake: Opportunities and challenges....Pages 227-234
The phosphate uptake mechanism....Pages 235-244
Breeding for better symbiosis....Pages 245-260
Genetic approaches for manipulating crop plants to enhance root exudation and access low nutrients in the rhizosphere....Pages 261-265
Breeding crops for enhanced micronutrient content....Pages 267-276
Appropriate farm management practices for alleviating N and P deficiencies in low-nutrient soils of the tropics....Pages 277-288
Farmer preferences and legume intensification for low nutrient environments....Pages 289-300
Nutrient balances: A guide to improving the sorghum- and groundnut-based dryland cropping systems in semi-arid tropical India....Pages 301-311
Preplant moisture and fertility conditions as indicators of high and stable yields in rainfed cropping systems....Pages 313-317
Role of modelling in improving nutrient efficiency in cropping systems....Pages 319-329
Combining genetic improvement with natural resource management....Pages 331-335
Closing remarks....Pages 337-338
Future research needs, priorities, and strategies....Pages 339-340
Back Matter....Pages 341-344

✦ Subjects

Plant Physiology; Plant Sciences