This book is useful to many scientists worldwide who have an interest in maize production. In many respects, it is a major challenge to bring together coherently all the information on one of the world's most widely grown crops, particularly given the many tens of thousands of articles published on the subject. The author has attempted to bring together the agronomic/management aspects of maize production with a fundamental knowledge of how nutrients are cycled in plant–soil–microbial systems. The problem with a single authored book is that it is difficult for the author to have an intimate knowledge of all the subjects needed to evaluate critically the subject matter available. Consequently, some aspects are reviewed much more extensively than others whilst at other times the discussion is lacking. Although the book does contain a wealth of information, it is let down by a range of issues. Firstly, the text contains numerous typographical errors. Secondly, many information-rich paragraphs contain no references or lack clarity. Thirdly, many of the figures are poorly presented. My other issue with the book is that it doesn't really identify critical knowledge gaps or suggest the future direction for maize agronomy. In terms of enhancing food security, water use efficiency, carbon sequestration, etc., it is vital that we improve current management regimes. A focused and integrated discussion of these issues would have brought the book to a logical conclusion. Despite its shortcomings, the book does contain lots of valuable information and makes a suitable crop-specific companion for Horst Marschner's classic work Mineral Nutrition of Higher Plants. Academic Press (2011) ISBN 978-0123849052.