Consists of two keynote papers which review the achievements of plant nutrition and crop production in this century and discusses the future developments in the science and in our society. Recent advances in plant nutrition are reviewed from the aspects of innovative research technology, molecular biology and rice physiology. Nearly 300 shorter papers report and discuss mineral function, ion transport, deficiency and toxicity tolerance, diagnostic techniques, root function, N fixation, micro-organisms, rhizosphere, fertilizer, and environmental pollution.