Modelling potato growth

Description

The development of mechanistic models for predicting growth of various crops (including potatoes) has continued for several decades, and new applications of such models are increasingly becoming available. Despite the benefits of this development, it may be difficult for the user to choose particular models suitable for a specific purpose (such as decision making in potato farming). In this chapter, we try to provide insights that would help the potential user to better understand the benefits and limitations of various types of models. First, we present some ideas on the general principles of mechanistic modelling and potential applications of crop models. Then, we briefly describe the main physiological processes of potato growth and how they have been handled in mechanistic models. Finally, we provide examples of the recent applications of potato models and discuss the future use of the models for new applications, mainly in precision farming.

Table of contents

1 Introduction 2 General principles of crop modelling 3 Applications of crop models: an overview 4 Mechanistic modelling of different processes of potato growth 5 Use of models for potato production: recent examples 6 Future perspectives: application of the models in precision farming 7 Summary 8 Future trends 9 Where to look for further information 10 Acknowledgements 11 References