Solar Radiation Utilization by Tropical Forage Grasses: Light Interception and Use Efficiency

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the nutrition, accumulation of nutrients in residual straw, pure seed yield, and seed quality of the tropical forage grasses 'Mombaça' and 'Xaraés' subjected to topdressing with nitrogen fertilizer management. Field experiments were carried out in the municipalities of Rancharia and Presidente Prudente, in the state of São Paulo, Brazil. The treatments included a control (without N topdressing) and four N fractionation forms at different forage stages: 150 kg ha-1 N, at the vegetative phase (VP); 150 kg ha-1 N, at the beginning of the reproductive phase (RP), between panicle initiation and the prebooting stages; 100 kg ha-1 N, at VP plus 50 kg ha-1 N at RP; and 50 kg ha-1 N at VP plus 100 kg ha-1 N at RP. Fertilization with N as topdressing, regardless of the N fractionation form, increased N concentration in the flag leaf and in residual straw, and the quantities of N accumulated by 'Mombaça' and 'Xaraés' forage grasses. The application of all or most N in the VP increased the quantities of residual straw and of P and K accumulated by the 'Mombaça' forage grasses. The application of all or most N in the RP provided a greater pure seed yield and N use efficiency in both forage grasses. The seed physiological quality of the forages is not affected by fertilization with N topdressing.

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Improved post-silking light interception increases yield and P-use efficiency of maize in maize/soybean relay strip intercropping

Field Crops Research ◽

10.1016/j.fcr.2020.108054 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 262 ◽

pp. 108054

Author(s):

Tao Zhou ◽

Li Wang ◽

Xin Sun ◽

Xiaochun Wang ◽

Tian Pu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Light Interception ◽

P Use Efficiency ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Strip Intercropping

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Contrasting yield formation characteristics in two super-rice hybrids that differ in growth duration

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479721000120 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-10

Author(s):

Min Huang ◽

Zui Tao ◽

Tao Lei ◽

Fangbo Cao ◽

Jiana Chen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Radiation ◽

Biomass Production ◽

Field Experiments ◽

Crop Improvement ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Growth Duration ◽

Area Index ◽

Rice Hybrid ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Yield Formation

Summary The development of high-yielding, short-duration super-rice hybrids is important for ensuring food security in China where multiple cropping is widely practiced and large-scale farming has gradually emerged. In this study, field experiments were conducted over 3 years to identify the yield formation characteristics in the shorter-duration (∼120 days) super-rice hybrid ‘Guiliangyou 2’ (G2) by comparing it with the longer-duration (∼130 days) super-rice hybrid ‘Y-liangyou 1’ (Y1). The results showed that G2 had a shorter pre-heading growth duration and consequently a shorter total growth duration compared to Y1. Compared to Y1, G2 had lower total biomass production that resulted from lower daily solar radiation, apparent radiation use efficiency (RUE), crop growth rate (CGR), and biomass production during the pre-heading period, but the grain yield was not significantly lower than that of Y1 because it was compensated for by the higher harvest index that resulted from slower leaf senescence (i.e., slower decline in leaf area index during the post-heading period) and higher RUE, CGR, and biomass production during the post-heading period. Our findings suggest that it is feasible to reduce the dependence of yield formation on growth duration to a certain extent in rice by increasing the use efficiency of solar radiation through crop improvement and also highlight the need for a greater fundamental understanding of the physiological processes involved in the higher use efficiency of solar radiation in super-rice hybrids.

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RADIATION USE EFFICIENCY, ABOVE GROUND BIOMASS ACCUMULATION, CANOPY DEVELOPMENT, LEAF AREA-LIGHT INTERCEPTION PROFILES AND RADIATION INTERCEPTION OF SUNFLOWER (Helianthus annuus L.) AS INFLUENCED BY IRRIGATION REGIMEN / INFLUENCIA DEL RÉGIMEN DE IRRIGACIÓN SOBRE LA EFICACIA DEL USO DE LA RADIACIÓN, LA ACUMULACIÓN DE BIOMASA, EL DESAROROLLO DEL CANOPEO, EL ÁREA DE LA HOJA Y LOS PERFILES DE INTERCEPCIÓN DE LUZ Y DE RADIACIÓN EN GIRASOL (Helianthus annuus L.) / EFFICACITÉ DE L’UTILISATION DES RADIATIONS SOLAIRES, ACCUMULATION DE LA BIOMASSE DANS LA PARTIE AÉRIENNE, DÉVELOPPEMENT DE L’OMBRELLE, PROFILS D’INTERCEPTION DE LA LUMIÈRE PAR LA FEUILLE ET INTERCEPTION DES RADIATIONS SOLAIRES CHEZ LE TOURNESOL (Helianthus annuus L.) SOUS L’INFLUENCE D’UN RÉGIME D’IRRIGATION

Helia ◽

10.1515/helia.2001.24.35.101 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 24 (35) ◽

pp. 101-110 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S. Sridhara ◽

T.G. Prasad

Keyword(s):

Helianthus Annuus ◽

Biomass Accumulation ◽

Light Interception ◽

Radiation Use Efficiency ◽

Leaf Nitrogen Content ◽

Radiation Interception ◽

Canopy Development ◽

Helianthus Annuus L ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Radiation Use

SUMMARYA field experiment was conducted at Gandhi Krishi Vignana Kendra, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore to study the effect of irrigation regimens on the biomass accumulation, canopy development, light interception and radiation use efficiency of sunflower. The treatments includes irrigating the plants at 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0 cumulative pan evaporation. The results indicated that the aboveground biomass, canopy development, radiation interception and radiation use efficiency were influenced favorably by the irrigation regimens. Irrespective of the irrigation regimen, the radiation use efficiency of sunflower increased from 15 DAS to 75 DAS and then tended to decline. The decrease in RUE after anthesis is coupled with decrease in leaf nitrogen content. In general the RUE of sunflower ranged from 0.49 g MJ-1 to 1.84 g MJ-1 at different growth stages. The light transmission within the canopy increased exponentially with plant height and the canopy extension coefficient is found to be 0.8.

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Enhanced light interception and light use efficiency explain overyielding in young tree communities

Ecology Letters ◽

10.1111/ele.13717 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Laura J. Williams ◽

Ethan E. Butler ◽

Jeannine Cavender‐Bares ◽

Artur Stefanski ◽

Karen E. Rice ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Light Interception ◽

Light Use Efficiency ◽

Young Tree ◽

Tree Communities ◽

Use Efficiency

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99/02095 Light interception, use-efficiency and energy yield of switchgrass (panicum virgatum L.) grown in a short season area

Fuel and Energy Abstracts ◽

10.1016/s0140-6701(99)97865-7 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 40 (3) ◽

pp. 215

Keyword(s):

Panicum Virgatum ◽

Light Interception ◽

Energy Yield ◽

Panicum Virgatum L ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

Short Season

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SEED-ORIENTED PLANTING IMPROVES LIGHT INTERCEPTION, RADIATION USE EFFICIENCY AND GRAIN YIELD OF MAIZE (Zea mays L.)

Experimental Agriculture ◽

10.1017/s0014479716000326 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 53 (2) ◽

pp. 210-225 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

GUILHERME M. TORRES ◽

ADRIAN KOLLER ◽

RANDY TAYLOR ◽

WILLIAM R. RAUN

Keyword(s):

Grain Yield ◽

Canopy Structure ◽

Maize Yield ◽

Light Interception ◽

Plant Population ◽

Radiation Use Efficiency ◽

Seed Placement ◽

Use Efficiency ◽

The Difference ◽

Radiation Use

SUMMARYSeed-oriented planting provides a manner to influence canopy structure. The purpose of this research was to improve maize light interception using seed-oriented planting to manipulate leaf azimuth across the row thereby minimizing leaf overlap. To achieve leaf azimuths oriented preferentially across the row, seeds were planted: (i) upright with caryopsis pointed down, parallel to the row (upright); and (ii) laying flat, embryo up, perpendicular to the row (flat). These treatments were compared to conventionally planted seeds with resulting random leaf azimuth distribution. Seed orientation effects were contrasted with three levels of plant population and two levels of hybrid specific canopy structures. Increased plant population resulted in greater light interception but yield tended to decrease as plant population increased. The planophile hybrid produced consistently greater yields than the erectophile hybrid. The difference between planophile and erectophile hybrids ranged from 283 to 903 kg ha−1. Overall, mean grain yield for upright and flat seed placement increased by 351 and 463 kg ha−1 compared to random seed placement. Greater cumulative intercepted photosynthetically active radiation (CIPAR) was found for oriented seeds rather than random-oriented seeds. At physiological maturity upright, flat and random-oriented seeds intercepted 555, 525 and 521 MJ m−2 of PAR, respectively. Maize yield responded positively to improved light interception and better radiation use efficiency. Under irrigated conditions, precision planting of maize increased yield by 9 to 14% compared to random-oriented seeds.

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