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Reassessment of Maximum Growth Rates for C3 and C4 Crops

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

J. L. Monteith
J. L. Monteith
Affiliation:
University of Nottingham School of Agriculture, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, Leics. LE12 5RD
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Summary

Figures for maximum crop growth rates, reviewed by Gifford (1974), suggest that the productivity of C3 and C4 species is almost indistinguishable. However, close inspection of these figures at source and correspondence with several authors revealed a number of errors. When all unreliable figures were discarded, the maximum growth rate for C3 stands fell in the range 34–39 g m−2 d−1 compared with 50–54 g m−2 d−1 for C4 stands. Maximum growth rates averaged over the whole growing season showed a similar difference: 13 g m−2 d−1 for C3 and 22 g m−2 d−1 for C4. These figures correspond to photosynthetic efficiencies of approximately 1·4 and 2·0%.

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 14 , Issue 1 , January 1978 , pp. 1 - 5
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

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