This section introduces an overview of such functional structural plant models, highlighting the following aspects:

• Plant growth results from both structure establishment and biomass production.


• Structure establishment can be described by botanical architectural concepts and simulated by computerized rules.


• Biomass production can be modelled by compartment dynamic models.


• Modelling both aspects defines structural functional models that can be efficiently factorized.


• A wide range of applications from simple 3D representations to agronomic optimization.