HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) A correction has been published Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Berdahl, J. D. Articles by Moss, D. N. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Berdahl, J. D. Articles by Moss, D. N. Agricola Articles by Berdahl, J. D. Articles by Moss, D. N.

Effects of Leaf Area on Photosynthetic Rate, Light Penetration, and Grain Yield in Barley¹

Related barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) lines, with small- and large-leaf areas were developed and used to study the effect of leaf area on photosynthesis, light penetration, and grain yield. An infrared gas analyzer was used to measurep hotosynthesis of flag leaves in the laboratory and photosynthesis of plant canopies in the field. Light penetration into plant canopies was measured with tube solarimeters. LAI, grain yield, and the components of yield were determined in field plots.

Photosynthetic rates per unit leaf area in the laboratory were similar in small and large flag leaves; thus, total photosynthetic activity per leaf was about twice as great in the large flag leaves. In field comparisons, however, no consistent differences in photosynthetic rates of small- and large-leaf canopies could be detected, even though LAI's were greater in large- than in small-leaf canopies by 19% in Population I and by 33% in Population II. Photosynthesis in the barley canopies as a whole was limited by lack of light throughout the entire range in intensity of solar radiation.

In yield trials large-leaf lines exceeded small-leaf lines in flag leaf area by 70% and in LAI by 25%. Lines with small leaves produced more heads and higher grain yields than lines with large leaves when plants did not lodge. Where lodging occurred, however, large-leaf lines had higher kernel weights and were higher yielding. We postulate that large leaves favor higher kernel weights and that small leaves favor production of more culms.

Key Words: Horden vulgare L. • Crop canopies • LAI • Components of yield

² Former graduate student and now Research Associate, Department of Agronomic Crop Science, Oregon State University, Corvallis, and Professors, Department of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minn. 55101.

Received for publication July 12, 1971.