PLANT SPACING: KEY TO GREATER PROCESS VEGETABLE CROP PRODUCTIVITY.

The basic relationships between plant density and crop yield is presented, but emphasis is placed more on the gaps in our knowledge in relation to the interaction between plant density, and genotype, nutrition, and irrigation.

Evidence is presented to demonstrate that although total plant yield can be markedly increased at high density by reducing competition for nutrients and moisture, the economic yield may not be increased in proportion.

It is suggested that in order to exploit the full potential of high density plantings, using appropriate fertilizer and irrigation programmes to reduce competition for moisture and nutrients, it may be necessary to develop cultivars with a higher proportion of economic yield/total yield.

I International Symposium on Vegetables for Processing

M.A. Nichols

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1988.220.30