Introduction
Crop management is a cornerstone of horticultural practices that aims to optimize plant growth, productivity, and quality. In horticulture, particularly in protected and precision cultivation, managing plant architecture and physiological processes is essential to ensure maximum light interception, efficient nutrient utilization, and disease management.
The key components of crop management include:
- Training: Directing plant growth to achieve desired shape and structure.
- Pruning: Selective removal of plant parts to improve productivity and quality.
- Staking and support systems: Providing mechanical support to weak-stemmed or climbing plants.
- Plant Growth Regulators (PGRs): Chemical substances that influence plant growth, flowering, fruiting, and stress tolerance.
Together, these practices form an integrated approach to horticultural crop management, enhancing yield, quality, and ease of harvest.