Plant science articles
Improving Carbon Flux Modeling with Plant Canopy Analysis and Gas Exchange Measurement
Gross Primary Productivity models are crucial to estimate carbon flux in time and space. Integrating sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), which is sensitive to photosynthetic activity, can improve productivity estimates. However, scaling SIF from plants to landscape, while including a myriad of factors that influence how much incident solar light is used, is not easy. Therefore,… Continue reading…
Root Growth and Nitrogen Treatments in Wheat Crop Rotation
Increasing yield has been and continues to be the holy grail in crop breeding. Aided by minirhizotrons, root scanning is increasingly used to understand underlying causes, such as root growth response to management practices. This approach could help to achieve higher yields without increasing nitrogen inputs. In one such attempt, a team of scientists in… Continue reading…
Climate and Competition: Gas Exchange in Two Studies of Wild Species
Climate change studies are focusing on the possible effects of higher temperature on vapor pressure, soil water availability, and light quality on plants. In native species adapted to milder climates, altered patterns of evapotranspiration could lead to increased stomatal closure and decreased photosynthesis. On the other hand, weed species that usually thrive in warm and… Continue reading…
Light Interception and Nitrogen Fertilization to Increase Maize Yield
The yield response of maize to excessive fertilizers has plateaued and with it the economic returns. To avoid further resource waste in smart farming, crop scientists are trying to correlate yield to how plants intercept light and allocate dry matter to grains. In two studies, a plant canopy imager measured the effect of crop density… Continue reading…
Adaptive Strategies – Leaf Area and Physiological Plasticity in Drought
It is becoming increasingly important for ecologists and agronomists to understand how plants adapt to drought. Natural adaptations, which help a plant withstand changing climate, are now not just of theoretical interest but are also relevant for maintaining and improving agricultural production and ecosystem conservation. Leaf area can be an indicator or strategy for drought… Continue reading…
Hemispherical Photography for Silviculture and Forest Inventory
Canopy parameters are measured during forest inventories and to make silviculture recommendations. Despite the rise of satellite imagery and aerial photos, field estimation of trees and stands remain popular. Recently improved field-based methods, like hemispherical photography, can be powerful additions to the forester’s toolkit. So, how is hemispherical photography helpful in the forests? How Hemispherical… Continue reading…
Precision Forestry in 2023 – A Revolution in Intensive Management
Precision forestry uses advanced data collection and analysis systems to allow site-specific management of forests. This new approach to forestry is being used to replace the traditional system that has remained unchanged for nearly three centuries. It is relevant for managing monoculture plantations and semi-natural forests for producing goods, such as wood and biomass production,… Continue reading…
Advances in Photosynthesis Measurement 2023
Photosynthesis is undoubtedly one of the most important physiological processes on earth. It is how plants, algae, and bacteria produce food. Photosynthesis makes these organisms the primary producers of the earth, as all other organisms feed on them for their energy source. People depend on this important process for most of their needs: food, fiber,… Continue reading…
Correcting Misconceptions in Rootstock Propagation
To make citrus more resistant to root disease, easy and large-scale production of appropriate rootstocks is necessary. A novel experiment to study root growth and architecture of rootstocks propagated from seeds, cuttings, and tissue culture needed a non-destructive tool for underground data collection. The scientists used a minirhizotron, and their findings provide significant information for… Continue reading…
Studying Oak Response to Light Variability in Forests with a Portable Laser Leaf Area Meter
Leaf area measurements, along with other leaf dimensions, are important parameters to establish morphological plasticity in trees with a broad climatic range. In one such experiment, Iranian scientists decided to use a Leaf Area Meter to get precise data rapidly. This laser-based forestry technology helped scientists understand how trees adapt to light and could have applications in… Continue reading…
