Optimizing Canopy Physiology Traits to Improve the Nutrient Utilization Efficiency of Crops

Foulkes, J.; Murchie, Erik H.

doi:10.1002/9780470960707.ch4

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 107 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…However, experimental data indicates that maximum photosynthetic capacity does not precisely match the light vertical gradient within a canopy (Kull, 2002). One of the assumptions of canopy optimization theory is that the distribution of light absorption among leaves is constant (Foulkes and Murchie, 2011; Niinemets, 2012). But this ratio changes depending on various factors such as time of day, solar elevation and cloud cover (Terashima et al , 2005).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploiting heterogeneous environments: does photosynthetic acclimation optimize carbon gain in fluctuating light?

Retkute

Smith-Unna

Smith

et al. 2015

Journal of Experimental Botany

Self Cite

110

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Plants have evolved complex mechanisms to balance the efficient use of absorbed light energy in photosynthesis with the capacity to use that energy in assimilation, so avoiding potential damage from excess light. This is particularly important under natural light, which can vary according to weather, solar movement and canopy movement. Photosynthetic acclimation is the means by which plants alter their leaf composition and structure over time to enhance photosynthetic efficiency and productivity. However there is no empirical or theoretical basis for understanding how leaves track historic light levels to determine acclimation status, or whether they do this accurately. We hypothesized that in fluctuating light (varying in both intensity and frequency), the light-response characteristics of a leaf should adjust (dynamically acclimate) to maximize daily carbon gain. Using a framework of mathematical modelling based on light-response curves, we have analysed carbon-gain dynamics under various light patterns. The objective was to develop new tools to quantify the precision with which photosynthesis acclimates according to the environment in which plants exist and to test this tool on existing data. We found an inverse relationship between the optimal maximum photosynthetic capacity and the frequency of low to high light transitions. Using experimental data from the literature we were able to show that the observed patterns for acclimation were consistent with a strategy towards maximizing daily carbon gain. Refinement of the model will further determine the precision of acclimation.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploiting heterogeneous environments: does photosynthetic acclimation optimize carbon gain in fluctuating light?

Retkute

Smith-Unna

Smith

et al. 2015

Journal of Experimental Botany

Self Cite

110

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Both the size and architecture of the plant canopy (green area) determine the amount of radiation intercepted for 'conversion' into biomass. The critical maximum LAI or green area index (GAI; to include spikes and stems) enables the highest productivity and for a cultivar depends on leaf orientation, arrangement, and planting density, and typically can vary between 3 and 5 (Link 1b) (with 3 commonly considered as a minimum for a fully expanded canopy) (Foulkes and Murchie, 2011). Canopy size has been optimized for, and supports, interception during stem elongation, and the importance of a rapid establishment of critical LAI in early stages of growth is relevant to various extents depending on the growing conditions, chiefly the length of the growing season.…”

Section: Canopy Size and Architecture Linked To Light Interception An...mentioning

confidence: 99%

A ‘wiring diagram’ for sink strength traits impacting wheat yield potential

Foulkes

Slafer

Reynolds

et al. 2022

Journal of Experimental Botany

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Identifying traits for improving sink-strength is a bottleneck to increasing wheat yield. The interacting processes determining sink-strength and yield potential are reviewed and visualized in a set of ‘Wiring Diagrams’, covering critical phases of development (and summarizing known underlying genetics). Using this framework, we reviewed and assembled the main traits determining sink-strength and identified research gaps and potential hypotheses to be tested for achieving gains in sink-strength. In pre-anthesis grain number could be increased through: (i) enhanced spike growth associated with optimized floret development and/or a reduction in specific stem-internode lengths and (ii) improved fruiting efficiency through accelerated rate of floret development, improved partitioning between spike or optimized spike cytokinin levels. In post-anthesis grain sink-strength could be augmented through manipulation of grain size potential via ovary size and/or endosperm cell division and expansion. Prospects for improving spike vascular architecture to support all rapidly growing florets, enabling the improved flow of assimilate, are also discussed. Finally, we considered the prospects for enhancing grain weight realization in relation to genetic variation in stay-green traits as well as stem carbohydrate remobilization. The Wiring Diagrams provide a potential workspace for breeders and crop scientists to achieve yield gains in wheat and other field crops.

show abstract

“…Respiration may consume 30% to 80% of the carbon fixed (Atkin et al 2005) and is commonly divided into growth and maintenance components, each exerting differing effects. Respiration, increasing with temperature and depending on phenological stage (McCullough andHunt 1993, Foulkes andMurchie 2011), may be positively but nonlinearly related to photosynthesis. High respiration rates (especially at night) can increase reactive oxygen species, leading to cell damage and affecting pollen viability (Prasad et al 1999).…”

Section: Interaction With Micro-organismsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Breeding for increased nitrogen‐use efficiency: a review for wheat (T. aestivum L.)

et al. 2016

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Nitrogen fertilizer is the most used nutrient source in modern agriculture and represents significant environmental and production costs. In the meantime, the demand for grain increases and production per area has to increase as new cultivated areas are scarce. In this context, breeding for an efficient use of nitrogen became a major objective. In wheat, nitrogen is required to maintain a photosynthetically active canopy ensuring grain yield and to produce grain storage proteins that are generally needed to maintain a high end-use quality. This review presents current knowledge of physiological, metabolic and genetic factors influencing nitrogen uptake and utilization in the context of different nitrogen management systems. This includes the role of root system and its interactions with microorganisms, nitrate assimilation and its relationship with photosynthesis as postanthesis remobilization and nitrogen partitioning. Regarding nitrogen-use efficiency complexity, several physiological avenues for increasing it were discussed and their phenotyping methods were reviewed. Phenotypic and molecular breeding strategies were also reviewed and discussed regarding nitrogen regimes and genetic diversity

show abstract

Optimizing Canopy Physiology Traits to Improve the Nutrient Utilization Efficiency of Crops

Cited by 14 publications

References 107 publications

Exploiting heterogeneous environments: does photosynthetic acclimation optimize carbon gain in fluctuating light?

Exploiting heterogeneous environments: does photosynthetic acclimation optimize carbon gain in fluctuating light?

A ‘wiring diagram’ for sink strength traits impacting wheat yield potential

Breeding for increased nitrogen‐use efficiency: a review for wheat (T. aestivum L.)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About