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Radiation absorption, growth and yield of cereals

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

J. N. Gallagher  and
P. V. Biscoe
J. N. Gallagher
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology and Environmental Studies, School of Agriculture, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, U.K.
P. V. Biscoe
Affiliation:
Department of Physiology and Environmental Studies, School of Agriculture, Sutton Bonington, Loughborough, LE12 5RD, U.K.
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Summary

Analysis of measurements of absorbed radiation and leaf area indices of wheat and barley crops showed that throughout most of growth the fraction of absorbed solar radiation could be described by a simple exponential equation.

For several of these crops grown under a wide range of weather and husbandry at Sutton Bonington and Rothamsted, 2-weekly values of crop growth rate (C) were closely related to radiation absorbed until ear emergence and about 3·0 g of dry matter (D.M.) were produced by each MJ of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) absorbed. Final crop weight was closelyrelated to total PAR absorbed during growth (SA); on average about 2·2 g D.M. were produced per MJ absorbed, equivalent to a growth efficiency (Eg) of approximately 3·9%. Unfertilized and drought-stressed crops had a smaller Eg.

The fraction of total crop D.M. harvested as grain (harvest index) varied more for wheat than for barley. Calculations of a maximum realizable grain yield made using the largest values of Eg and SA for the crops measured and assuming a harvestindex of 0.53 (achieved in an experimental crop) showed a grain D.M. yield of 10·3 t D.M./ha to be possible. To achieve such a yield would require full crop cover from the beginning of April until the end of July in a typical English growing season.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 91 , Issue 1 , August 1978 , pp. 47 - 60
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1978

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