Agricultural plants - G. D Hill

The future of mankind depends on ever-increasing agricultural production to provide food, fibre, fuel and other essential commodities. This can only be achieved through a sound knowledge of the plants which feature prominently in agriculture. This book describes these plants in detail, together with the products which are obtained from them. The opening chapter on world population and food supply is followed by a general introduction to plant structure. The major part of the book then considers economically important field crops and pasture plants of temperate and subtropical regions on a family-by-family basis. Fruit crops, flowers and trees are not considered. The book concludes with a discussion of physiological principles of crop growth and yield. This is an introductory text, suitable for the teaching of agricultural botany to undergraduate students, and is intended to bridge the gap between classical botany and agronomy.

' … a valuable resource and can be used as a textbook in certain courses and as a reference by persons needing a general volume on a wide variety of crops.' Carl S. Hoveland, Field Crops Research

From reviews of the first edition...

"...a very readable account of the adaptation and utilization of important field crops.
It is aided by quite excellent line drawings by Karen Mason.
This text will have considerable appeal to lecturers in plant sciences for use in their course work and even the most impecunious student will be greatly tempted to purchase his own copy...."
G.M. Milbourn, Journal of Experimental Botany

"...a completely organized and well-written work...."
Jack R. Harlan, Quarterly Review of Biology

"...well-produced, attractively illustrated volume...."
P.M. Smith, Experimental Agriculture

"...would be most appropriately used as a textbook for a course in an introduction to crop plants...could also be used to increase familiarity with these crops for those outside the field of agriculture."
Janice Bohac, Economic Botany