The use of systems analysis and modelling of growth and development in potato ideotyping under conditions affecting yields

Annual crops are usually only grown during part of the year when environmental conditions are favourable. The factors that limit the length of the available growing season for a crop are discussed from the points of view of meteorology, crop physiology and crop management. Crop yields that may be expected depend on the length of the growing season, how well the available season is used by a growing crop and on environmental factors that define (e.g. temperature, daylength and solar radiation), limit (e.g. the availability of water and nitrogen) or reduce (e.g. pests and diseases) yields. Designing genotypes for such environments requires quantitative knowledge of the influence of environmental factors on the length of the season and on dry matter accumulation and partitioning. This approach is discussed and as example the potato crop is used grown under various climatic conditions. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.