Farming Systems And National Food Security: The Place Of An Agronomist:- Cosmas Osita Muoneke

ABSTRACT

Plant population is the number of plants per unit area. Plant population can be manipulated for maximum interception ofsolarradiation reaching the earth surface. The optimum number ofplants required perunit areato achieve maximumyield depends on the nature and variety ofthe crop and on the environment of crop production. Ifthe number ofplants is too few (low plant population), the production potential per unit area ofland will not be fully expressed; on the otherhand, ifthe number ofplantsistoo large, excessive plant competition forproduction factors(nutrients, soil moisture and light), might reduce the overall productivity of crops. This necessitates the use of optimum plant population density. Optimum plant population increases crop yield by ensuring adequate leafarea index (LAI). At low LAI occasioned by low plant density, incident light is wasted because oflow vegetation cover. A