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REVIEWS Management of nitrogen and water in potato production. Eds A.J. Haverkort & D.K.L. MacKerron. Wageningen Pers, Wageningen, The Netherlands, 2000, 353 pp., References, 54 Tables, 61 Figures, 2 Plates, 1 Diagram, Summaries in Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, and Spanish, Subject Index. ISBN 90-74134077-7, Price (excl. VAT) DFI. 110 This book on the management of nitrogen and water in potato production is written in English but has short summaries in 10 other languages. It was published as one of the activities of a Concerted Action financed by the European Commission, entitled "Efficiency of resources in potato production". Twenty eight authors have contributed to the book (7 authors from the UK, 5 from Italy and Belgium, 4 from the Netherlands, 2 from Finland and Spain, and 1 from Greece, Poland and Portugal). Potato is very sensitive to the appropriate supply of water and nitrogen during its growth. Both over-supply and deficiency can reduce yield and quality. Moreover, especially over-supply may induce environmental problems and affect profi.tability. This book aims to explain the roles of water and nitrogen in the growth and development of the potato crop, to analyse how to make best use of nitrogen and water, and to assess procedures and technologies available to achieve optimal production. In the first chapter the authors explain the general purpose of the book, explain what optimization is and why farmers should aim at optimal levels of inputs, and provide information on the basic concepts of the management of supply of nitrogen and water in potato production and on what farmers should know and apply to ensure unrestricted crop growth and to minimise environmental pollution. Chapter 2 is on the plant nitrogen status and considers the requirement of the crop, trends in nitrogen concentration in the crop and what type of plant analysis is best able to reveal what fertiliser strategy is adequate. It also provides information on determination of crop nitrogen status using invasive or non-invasive methods and deals with spatial and temporal aspects of sampling potato crops for nitrogen analysis. It finally provides an overview on how these assessments can be used in practice. Chapter 3 deals with the soil nitrogen status. It describes forms of soil nitrogen, role and value of organic matter, losses of mineral nitrogen from the plant-soil system in potato production, and sampling and analysis of soils for soil nitrogen. Chapter 4 describes and defines the plant and soil water status and assesses what parameters should be chosen to describe plant and soil water status. It also describes different measuring techniques for plant and soil water status, as well as the practical use of soil water measurement in potato production. Chapter 5 provides information on decision support systems in potato production and on irrigation methods in Europe and describes the role of simulation and other modelling approaches in decision making. Chapter 6 describes future development, focussing on exploring trends in Potato Research 43 (2000)
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current practice, precision farming for the management of variability, organic farming and nitrogen fertilisation. Finally, Chapter 7 summarises the recommendations, trends in research and the practice of application of nitrogen and water to potato crops. The editors have been able to produce a book with a sound basic concept, which they maintained throughout the book in an exemplary way. Each chapter or subchapter has a clear outline and transparent objectives which are summarised at the beginning. Moreover each chapter ends with a set of conclusions and/or an overview of helpful recommendations. This set-up makes the book very easy to use. Yet the book should not be considered as a manual. Most chapters are of high quality. The book is also very well produced, with beautiful figures and diagrams, tables and photographs. According to the editors the book updates knowledge in a simple, easily understandable way. It is therefore intended for farmers, farmers' consultants, researchers and decision makers at the level of farming, research, and policy making. I found the contents sometimes very basic, the book obviously aims at a readership with only limited knowledge on the topic. In some cases the authors are going very far in explaining what may be obvious to the educated reader. For other readers this approach may be very suitable and I am sure that many farmers and students will find it a very valuable and transparent book. In conclusion, the book is very useful, well written, well edited and very nicely produced. It is a pleasure to read it. My two personal copies are usually taken by students or other interested parties. Paul Struik
Handbuch des Pflanzenbaues. Band 3. Knollen- und Wurzelfriichte, Kfrner- und Futterleguminosen. Eds Ernst Robert Keller, Herbert Hanus und Klaus-Ulrich Heyland. Verlag Eugen Ulmer, GmbH & Co, Stuttgart-Hohenheim, Germany, Autumn 1999, 856 pp, 223 Figures, 206 Tables. ISBN 3-8001-3202-8, Price: DM 380 This book, written in German, is the third of a series of four handbooks on plant production. This third volume deals with root and tuber crops, and with grain and fodder legumes, focussing on the Central European Region. The book contains a long description on potato (over 250 pp). In this review only that potato section is discussed. The book is edited and also partly written by three well-known professors from Germany and Switzerland who are very experienced in writing handbooks for a wide audience. They have called upon many scientists, mainly from Germany and Switzerland, to assist in writing the different parts. In total about 35 authors have participated in this handbook, 12 of them have produced contributions for the potato chapters. These latter 12 authors are from Germany (5), Switzerland (4) or the Netherlands (3). 90
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The section on potato starts with a long introductory chapter in which the following matters are dealt with: biological and ecological principles (origin of the crop, areas where it is cultivated and its importance in those areas); basic descriptions on morphology, physiology and yield potential; quality and chemical composition of the tubers; demands of the potato crop to its environment (both soil and climate); the current status of potato breeding, variety assessment and variety choice. This introduction is followed by a large section on production techniques (with special emphasis on integrated, site-specific and farm-specific crop management), including sections on crop rotation, soil tillage, planting and plant density, irrigation, fertiliser application, weed control, control of pests and diseases, harvesting, storage and processing, and demands for labour and equipment. This section is followed by specific descriptions of crop management for production of seed, early ware, ware and processing potatoes. Finally the industrial processing of ware potatoes and of potatoes for the production of starch and alcohol is discussed. The final sections also pay attention to the potato crop as a renewable resource and to potatoes for animal feed. The book is very thoroughly produced, has a very clear lay-out with indications of key-words throughout the text, contains many references and has very. helpful diagrams, tables and photographs. The set-up of the section of potato is also clear and transparent and is easy to read. It took a long time to produce this book. Unavoidably, that is visible to some extent in some of the sections, as very recent references are lacking or latest developments are sometimes only briefly described. However, it is also obvious, that authors, editors and publisher have used this long period to make a great effort in producing a thorough, well-balanced book suitable for a wide audience. Not only the young agronomy student, but also farmers, teachers, scientists and extensionists will find this book useful. The general impression is that the book really contains helpful, broad overviews written by experts and upgraded, adjusted and integrated by very knowledgeable editors with a clear vision how a handbook should be produced. Wholeheartedly recommended for those who can read German. Paul Struik
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