Lecture 13: Physiology of agricultural yield Flashcards
What do we produce and why?
Mostly crops as used for livestock feed too
Most fats and proteins from crops
Issue with land
we cannot use any more
How to improve yield in plants
more energy in via nutrients, efficiency of light interception and photosynthesis
use energy better via partitioning
Variables of light environment
variability in light
scattering of light
diffuse lower quality light
Factors affecting light interception
leaf morphology, shape, colour, duration of life, movements, angle, community structure
plant structure
canopy structure
How does leaf morphology effect light interception
diversity
bigger has increased area for photosynthesis but costly and more water loss
How does leaf shape effect light interception
long and narrow in dry climates
indentations if wet and windy
What is leaf area index?
The total one-sided green leaf area per unit of ground surface
How do we measure LAI
lab, satellites (global change over time)
Issues with LAI of grasses
measure other photosynthetic parts (stems, leaf sheaths)
Which cells absorb which lights
top: red and blue
green: bottom
FR: very bottom
Why do we not plant too close together?
Shaded and insulation effect of respiraiton so inefficient growth
What is an erectophile and which crops
within 30 degree leaf angle
rice, wheat, maize
What is a plagiophile and which crops
30-60 degree leaf angle
tobacco, rapeseed, sugar beet
What is a planophile and which crops
over 60 degrees
cucumber, clover, soybean
