Planting Geometries and the Efficient Use of Water and Nutrients

In nature and in the most primitive agricultural systems, seed distribution is broadcast across the landscape. Such a distribution results in nearly uniform spacial interaction of the developing phytomass. With the development of agrarian civilization has come an implement-dependent systemization of crop- planting patterns. This has brought about the planting of crops in uniform rows—from the drilling of small grains at inter-row spacings of 0.1 to 0.2 m and plant intra-row spacings of i to 5 cm, to the staking of horticultural and vine crops at 2- to 3—m inter-row spacings and typically 0.3- to l-m intra-row spacings. The implement dependence of agricultural cropping strategies has resulted in row cropping. The staple crops regarded as most suited to this approach are commonly called row crops, and this review will concentrate largely on how row crops interact with plant geometry, water, and nutrients to in?uence sustained productive capacity.