The effect of leaf shape on the interception of solar radiation) S7 X' a7 N t O/ t% U7 |
C.B.S. Teh* 9 B1 g# u5 P! Z6 \3 [; NDepartment of Land Management, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor,& E3 M+ ?0 O) @% {$ D1 i* h5 m r
Malaysia: t, ?2 h$ ~ ~0 u# d+ ?2 t) n5 C: r
5 Abstract + {( r1 c; x# g$ U1 pOne of the properties of canopy architecture is leaf shape, and its effect on solar radiation; M9 V# F: Q9 v+ F& u0 j0 m ]
interception by a plant is little understood and studied. Consequently, this study was to evaluate/ B5 S2 a! I) s0 ?7 ]' q
the effect of six leaf shapes on both direct and diffuse solar radiation interception using a x* \7 [ K Pdetailed 3-D solar radiation model. Six hypothetical plant prototypes were computer-generated) Y: s# o+ H: T& Q
10 so that each prototype was equal to each other in all aspects; only the leaf shape for each 0 y* ]+ [0 E$ h5 j, Eprototype was varied. The leaf shapes selected were round (RD), square (SQ), triangle (TR), * e5 h- E8 ^' D4 Z. ^inverted triangle (ITR), ellipse (EL) and lobe (LB). Computer simulations revealed that leaf , e7 v+ k6 X9 b+ y$ V3 ?1 q9 T# _shape did have an effect on direct and diffuse solar radiation interception. However, its effect6 M! X% E0 D. I: z0 |) e8 C. @
was to a rather small extent of not more than 11% increase in solar radiation interception. The 3 c4 X) |8 K1 y" T+ U15 mean hourly interception of solar radiation by the prototypes decreased in the following # B! [! t4 g- q/ vmanner: (ITR ≈ EL) > (RD ≈ SQ ≈ TR ≈ LB). Although leaf lobbing is often hypothesised to; B- e( a0 F7 z5 p( L! J
produce deeper sunflecks within the canopy, this study however revealed that leaf lobbing per" z7 m( D/ Y8 e9 c' P( [% w) g8 e% j
se had no effect on solar radiation interception. All properties being equal, solar radiation , F7 d7 D! `) F2 Tinterception could be increased by having leaf shapes that are: 1) long and narrow, 2) broader at ' Q+ |1 v& }$ p0 X8 S+ Y0 y2 G20 the apex than at the basal, and 3) supported by leaf petioles. These three conditions increase& o. Q' `/ G4 l- x
solar radiation interception by causing the canopy to be spread out more uniformly in the aerial , E5 V/ b U' z$ T& Tspace; this, in turn, means less leaf clustering and self-shading. However, the effect of leaf # l- }1 ^/ a4 ^7 U" dshape on solar radiation interception decreases for near or full canopy cover because at this; }# {- Q" H/ a
stage, the canopy is already intercepting solar radiation at near maximum capacity. Leaf shape + p! {5 Y2 ~. d% t% V5 E4 @25 also did not affect the diurnal variation of direct and diffuse solar radiation interception. This/ ^7 s, M4 K! n
study may help to better select crop varieties having the “proper leaf form” for optimum plant : I4 a! D: u% {: I0 R, vproduction, as well as to better understand plant adaptation mechanisms in response to& t# J2 G/ t( r. N8 X
environmental stresses. 7 D0 g( F7 L, M" yKeywords: leaf shape; solar radiation; Beer’s law; canopy architecture9 f- E& \, a4 Z; B- d