title: Plant growth and architectural modelling and its applications. Preface.
abstract: Over the last decade, a growing number of scientists around the world have invested in research on plant growth and architectural modelling and applications (often abbreviated to plant modelling and applications, PMA). By combining physical and biological processes, spatially explicit models have shown their ability to help in understanding plant–environment interactions. This Special Issue on plant growth modelling presents new information within this topic, which are summarized in this preface. Research results for a variety of plant species growing in the field, in greenhouses and in natural environments are presented. Various models and simulation platforms are developed in this field of research, opening new features to a wider community of researchers and end users. New modelling technologies relating to the structure and function of plant shoots and root systems are explored from the cellular to the whole-plant and plant-community levels.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Plant–Soil Interactions, Ministry of Education, College of Resources and Environment, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Fourcaud
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jaeger
authors.forename: Xiaopeng
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Baoguo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D004777:Environment; D008954:Models, Biological; D059828:Plant Cells; D063245:Plant Development; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000166:cytology / Q000254:growth & development; D010944:Plants / Q000033:anatomy & histology