The effect of leaf shape on the interception of solar radiation + c- H3 U5 b4 V' W% _C.B.S. Teh* 1 M5 @& o" ~6 r# hDepartment of Land Management, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, 6 {4 {. f1 M1 [; x2 X$ J6 S) oMalaysia 9 V! Y* Q3 s, N6 v5 e1 V5 Abstract - X. [& k% t7 kOne of the properties of canopy architecture is leaf shape, and its effect on solar radiation/ w0 _* r0 ]1 `# F/ N1 N
interception by a plant is little understood and studied. Consequently, this study was to evaluate! ?, F" Q) J2 K! Q% @9 P
the effect of six leaf shapes on both direct and diffuse solar radiation interception using a % a: \5 a" D' B! _8 T* V- ydetailed 3-D solar radiation model. Six hypothetical plant prototypes were computer-generated . Z. V) M% V9 [. Y5 r7 p10 so that each prototype was equal to each other in all aspects; only the leaf shape for each ( g1 D7 } i2 ]: m7 r- Qprototype was varied. The leaf shapes selected were round (RD), square (SQ), triangle (TR), ( n9 M" P% E' N' M2 z- C B v* t1 p; jinverted triangle (ITR), ellipse (EL) and lobe (LB). Computer simulations revealed that leaf - v( n% ^5 S9 z/ p5 Bshape did have an effect on direct and diffuse solar radiation interception. However, its effect / {: P# K M% r5 Zwas to a rather small extent of not more than 11% increase in solar radiation interception. The) E+ v) G8 D8 A( }) B, s* @7 X
15 mean hourly interception of solar radiation by the prototypes decreased in the following1 Q+ s* G; ~: P5 q
manner: (ITR ≈ EL) > (RD ≈ SQ ≈ TR ≈ LB). Although leaf lobbing is often hypothesised to/ V6 I: x7 o% O% J% W
produce deeper sunflecks within the canopy, this study however revealed that leaf lobbing per 6 A5 }: p: ?8 S$ @6 zse had no effect on solar radiation interception. All properties being equal, solar radiation* r- a+ ~6 _0 S F6 Y a
interception could be increased by having leaf shapes that are: 1) long and narrow, 2) broader at0 P/ |2 l* @ z, S/ [
20 the apex than at the basal, and 3) supported by leaf petioles. These three conditions increase8 G+ G' E/ [6 ]; L ~- V- R: Q
solar radiation interception by causing the canopy to be spread out more uniformly in the aerial : p5 S4 E" d" Zspace; this, in turn, means less leaf clustering and self-shading. However, the effect of leaf+ {# a5 j. G0 g7 C
shape on solar radiation interception decreases for near or full canopy cover because at this9 U7 }: {4 x6 J4 r% Y5 ?! }0 ]
stage, the canopy is already intercepting solar radiation at near maximum capacity. Leaf shape" T2 y) N; ^5 a* q: y
25 also did not affect the diurnal variation of direct and diffuse solar radiation interception. This ( q: E( g1 I+ ?' p2 _( _( Fstudy may help to better select crop varieties having the “proper leaf form” for optimum plant& B2 o# c4 f; P# {; E" h8 f! M
production, as well as to better understand plant adaptation mechanisms in response to; p" F6 y H2 Q$ u* Y9 q. F" V# N
environmental stresses.+ f# g) w9 A2 |& ?/ b
Keywords: leaf shape; solar radiation; Beer’s law; canopy architecture! @$ M& k8 g ?) P