Canopy Light Interception of a Conventional and an Erect Leafed Sorghum

Dennis  C. Gitz III; Zhanguo  Xin; Jeffrey  T. Baker; Robert  J. Lascano; John  J. Burke

doi:10.4236/ajps.2015.616260

Dennis C. Gitz III^*, Zhanguo Xin, Jeffrey T. Baker, Robert J. Lascano, John J. Burke

Abstract: Two sorghum lines, an erect leafed mutant sorghum and the wild type from which the mutant was generated, were field grown in rectilinear arrays at low (10 plants m^-2) and high (23 plants m^-2) population densities. Canopy light interception, biomass accretion and yield were measured. Photosynthetically active radiation under the canopy at ground level and midway through the canopy were higher in the erect leafed line, as compared to the normal leafed line. Planting density had less effect on mean grain yield and biomass in the erect leaf line than in the wild type. Though not conclusive, when taken together, the results suggested that optimal planting densities are higher for the erect leaf line and that the erect leaf trait could be useful for incorporation into breeding programs.

Keywords: Sorghum, Erectophile, Mutant, Erect Leaf

Cite this paper: C. Gitz III, D. , Xin, Z. , T. Baker, J. , J. Lascano, R. and J. Burke, J. (2015) Canopy Light Interception of a Conventional and an Erect Leafed Sorghum. American Journal of Plant Sciences, 6, 2576-2584. doi: 10.4236/ajps.2015.616260.

References

[1] De Candolle, A. (1886) Plants Cultivated for Their Seeds. In: Origin of Cultivated Plants, 2nd Edition, International Scientific Series Vol. XLIX, Kegan Paul Trench & Co., London, 376-384.
https://archive.org/download/originofcultivat00cand/originofcultivat00cand.pdf

[2] Harlan, J.R. (1971) Agricultural Origins: Centers and Non-Centers. Science, 174, 468-474.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.174.4008.468

[3] Dahlberg, J., Berenji, J., Sikora, V. and Latkovic, V. (2011) Assessing Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] Germplasm for New Traits: Food, Fuels & Unique Uses. Maydica, 56, 85-92.
http://www.maydica.org/articles/56_165.pdf
Hu, T. and Desai, J.P. (2004) Soft-Tissue Material Properties under Large Deformation: Strain Rate Effect. Proceedings of the 26th Annual International Conference of the IEEE EMBS, San Francisco, 1-5 September 2004, 2758-2761.

[4] Borman, T.A. (1914) Sorghums: Sure Money Crops. The Kansas Farmer Company, Topeka.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5962/bhl.title.43352

[5] Ball, C.R. (1913) The Grain Sorghums: Immigrant Crops That Have Made Good. In: Yearbook of Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture, 221-238.
http://naldc.nal.usda.gov/naldc/download.xhtml?id=IND43747834&content=PDF

[6] Martin, J.H. (1936) Sorghum Improvement. In: Yearbook of Agriculture, US Department of Agriculture, 523-560.

[7] Musick, J.T., Pringle, F.B., Harman, W.L. and Stewart, B.A. (1990) Long-Term Irrigation Trends—Texas High Plains. Applied Engineering in Agriculture, 6, 717-724.
http://dx.doi.org/10.13031/2013.26454

[8] Rosenow, D.T., Quisenberry, J.E., Wendt, C.W. and Clark, L.E. (1983) Drought Tolerant Sorghum and Cotton Germplasm. Agricultural Water Management, 7, 207-222.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-3774(83)90084-7.

[9] Blum, A., Mayer, J. and Golan, G. (1989) Agronomic and Physiological Assessments of Genotypic Variation for Drought Resistance in Sorghum. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research, 40, 49-61.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar9890049

[10] Fussell, L.K., Bidinger, F.R. and Bieler, P. (1991) Crop Physiology and Breeding for Drought Tolerance: Research and Development. Field Crops Research, 27, 183-199.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0378-4290(91)90061-y

[11] Mutava, R.N., Prasad, P.V.V., Tuinstra, M.R., Kofoid, K.D. and Yua, J. (2011) Characterization of Sorghum Genotypes for Traits Related to Drought Tolerance. Field Crops Research, 123, 10-18.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2011.04.006

[12] Xin, Z., Wang, M.L., Burow, G. and Burke, J.J. (2009) An Induced Sorghum Mutant Population Suitable for Bioenergy Research. BioEnergy Research, 2, 10-16.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12155-008-9029-3

[13] Xin, Z., Gitz, D.C., Chen, J., Burow, G.B., Hayes, C. and Burke, J.J. (2015) Registration of Two Allelic Erect Leaf Mutants of Sorghum. Journal of Plant Registrations, 9, 254-257.
http://dx.doi.org/10.3198/jpr2014.09.0060crgs

[14] Frederiksen, R.A. and Miller, F. (1972) Proposal for Release and Increase ATx622, BTx622, ATx623, BTx623, ATx624, BTx624. TAES Form 96-72: Seed Release Committee of the Texas Agricultural Experiment Station College Station.

[15] Vanderlip, R.L. and Reeves, H.E. (1972) Growth Stages of Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor, (L.) Moench.]. Agronomy Journal, 64, 13-16.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj1972.00021962006400010005x

[16] Donald, C.M.T. (1968) The Breeding of Crop Ideotypes. Euphytica, 17, 385-403.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/bf00056241

[17] Tungland, L., Chapko, L.B., Wiersma, J.V. and Rasmusson, D.C. (1987) Effect of Erect Leaf Angle on Grain Yield in Barley. Crop Science, 27, 37-40.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2135/cropsci1987.0011183X002700010009x

[18] Khush, G.S. (1995) Breaking the Yield Frontier of Rice. GeoJournal, 35, 329-332.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00989140

[19] Pendleton, J.W., Smith, G.E., Winter, S.R. and Johnston, T.J. (1968) Field Investigations of the Relationships of Leaf Angle in Corn (Zea mays L.) to Grain Yield and Apparent Photosynthesis. Agronomy Journal, 60, 422-424.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj1968.00021962006000040027x

[20] Feil, B. (1992) Breeding Progress in Small Grain Cereals—A Comparison of Old and Modern Cultivars. Plant Breeding, 108, 1-11.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0523.1992.tb00093.x

[21] Angus, J.F., Jones, R. and Wilson, J.H. (1972) A Comparison of Barley Cultivars with Different Leaf Inclinations. Crop and Pasture Science, 23, 945-957.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/ar9720945

[22] Ghannoum, O. (2013) Potential Contribution of Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency to Increased Yield Potential of Maize. Applying Photosynthesis Research to Improvement of Food Crops, ACIAR Proceedings #140, Proceedings of a Workshop Held at the Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia, 2-4 September 2009, 70-76.
http://aciar.gov.au/files/pr140_web.pdf

[23] Tollenaar, M. and Dwyer, L.M. (1999) Physiology of Maize. In: Smith, D.L. and Hamel, C., Eds., Crop Yield, Physiology and Processes, Springer Verlag, Berlin, 169-204.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-58554-8_5