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Leaf Nitrogen, Photosynthesis, and Crop Radiation Use Efficiency: A Review

USDA-ARS, Agronomy Physiology Lab., Univ. of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0621
Lab. of Crop Science, Kyoto Univ., Kyoto 606, Japan

^* Corresponding author.

Effects of N in crops are profound, but much understanding of crop growth responses to N is empirical. This review attempts to develop a mechanistic understanding of the effects of N on crop biomass accumulation by elucidating quantitative relationships among leaf N content, CO₂ assimilation rate, and crop radiation use efficiency. Three crop species were considered: soybean (Glycine max [L.] Men.), rice (Oryza sativa L.), and maize (Zea mays L.). The correlation between leaf N content and leaf CO₂ assimilation rates was high within each species, although the response functions were markedly different among species. A relationship was developed predicting crop radiation use efficiency (biomass accumulated per unit solar radiation intercepted) for each of the crops as a function of both leaf CO₂ assimilation rate and leaf N content. Radiation use efficiency within each species was nearly constant at high leaf CO₂ assimilation rates, but decreased appreciably at low leaf CO₂ assimilation rates. At the leaf CO₂ assimilation rates typical of a species, the radiation use efficiency was predicted to be about 1.2 g MJ^–1 for soybean, 1.4 g MJ^–1 for rice, and 1.7 g MJ^–1 for maize. Simple calculations during early crop growth examined the competitive use of N for the construction of either large leaf area or high leaf N content. Maize had the greatest biomass accumulation because it had low leaf N contents that allowed the most crop leaf area growth, and it had high radiation use efficiencies. For each rate of N supply to leaves, an optimum leaf N content existed to maximize crop biomass accumulation.

Received for publication December 21, 1987.

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