The effect of leaf shape on the interception of solar radiation' F* P. K' q& w2 G. f
C.B.S. Teh* : u" y o2 |+ V- \* }* h) GDepartment of Land Management, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor,: [; z$ ]9 y! g# J
Malaysia ! P, s3 y* r1 j- ~; Q5 Abstract2 P# `$ b8 d$ c& e1 O( A
One of the properties of canopy architecture is leaf shape, and its effect on solar radiation . V& S: D8 a8 ]9 W. `9 M8 B$ ointerception by a plant is little understood and studied. Consequently, this study was to evaluate2 A# j& U/ Q+ S( S
the effect of six leaf shapes on both direct and diffuse solar radiation interception using a ; X, v5 O4 _1 p; m# U- ddetailed 3-D solar radiation model. Six hypothetical plant prototypes were computer-generated 3 y4 K* L9 o$ u; a' v; X10 so that each prototype was equal to each other in all aspects; only the leaf shape for each: b) ]+ v5 v) }. F0 F5 H1 z
prototype was varied. The leaf shapes selected were round (RD), square (SQ), triangle (TR),4 R& w* G; f- P% v2 W! R' S$ o7 R
inverted triangle (ITR), ellipse (EL) and lobe (LB). Computer simulations revealed that leaf. x3 g# ~4 ?$ V7 F# X) q
shape did have an effect on direct and diffuse solar radiation interception. However, its effect 0 y9 T/ ^$ w) A0 t. x+ rwas to a rather small extent of not more than 11% increase in solar radiation interception. The . f, C) e7 g- S6 w0 F15 mean hourly interception of solar radiation by the prototypes decreased in the following% f' R7 a0 q$ z8 z; k! a
manner: (ITR ≈ EL) > (RD ≈ SQ ≈ TR ≈ LB). Although leaf lobbing is often hypothesised to 2 L4 o/ j( w( q; E" N5 qproduce deeper sunflecks within the canopy, this study however revealed that leaf lobbing per 5 ?4 O) x* ?% jse had no effect on solar radiation interception. All properties being equal, solar radiation+ W: t' P6 |' N# Z$ Z0 s
interception could be increased by having leaf shapes that are: 1) long and narrow, 2) broader at9 s4 [! M5 H$ m& M2 M% ~
20 the apex than at the basal, and 3) supported by leaf petioles. These three conditions increase: r8 P% A& F# y* c/ l t8 ~
solar radiation interception by causing the canopy to be spread out more uniformly in the aerial$ k9 j" ]* y( q( {
space; this, in turn, means less leaf clustering and self-shading. However, the effect of leaf9 K; R1 }! n) r3 _! j/ F
shape on solar radiation interception decreases for near or full canopy cover because at this $ Y" b' t& B/ l. Vstage, the canopy is already intercepting solar radiation at near maximum capacity. Leaf shape* P& @/ B8 \7 t+ p: A3 [4 n
25 also did not affect the diurnal variation of direct and diffuse solar radiation interception. This0 D3 d# J/ I0 {$ H$ N( v
study may help to better select crop varieties having the “proper leaf form” for optimum plant a8 a4 r# j- H
production, as well as to better understand plant adaptation mechanisms in response to a& ~% _- K) R% h0 w
environmental stresses. |" h/ z- _. J+ _" m
Keywords: leaf shape; solar radiation; Beer’s law; canopy architecture/ s4 x7 Z% ]$ b C: m9 w
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