Food crops, growth and productivity as an important focus for sustainable agriculture Author links open overlay panel

Abstract

Food crops are the crops that are cultivated through agriculture for the purpose of supplying food for the growing population of people. Food crops are harvested as food for humans or fodder for livestock. Explosive population growth and urbanization have created tremendous pressures on the agricultural sector and increased the demands to accommodate the increasing number of the people and their different lifestyles. In addition, the rapid decrease of resources, decrease in variability of crops, erosion of soil, mismanagement of fertilizers and soil, the low standard of living of farmers around the world, and the slow progress in research aiding in the progress of agricultural methods and in soil sciences, all infer that food security around the world will very likely be under threat, and the rates of famines in vulnerable communities will increase as a result. This chapter will discuss these future challenges that might be met in cultivating food crops necessary for human survival and development, and how we can better address these challenges. Also, announce the mission of radiation in the agriculture, which include crop types, pests control, examining fertilizer efficacy, as well as minimizing post-harvest losses and extending the shelf of vegetables and fruits. Furthermore, it plays a significant role in plant breeding and genetic studies aimed at increasing yields and other desirable properties of various crops. © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.