Improving crop yield II

Question 1

What is the acclimatory response to light?

Answer 1

Adjusting components of the ETC to reflect the environment.

Question 2

What is an acclimatory response to high light conditions?

Answer 2

In high light, PSII gets overwhelmed. So plants increase expression of molecules needed for photosynthesis.

Question 3

What would be ideal dynamic acclimation for plants to increase yield?

Answer 3

• Plant tracks the environment in real time
• Plant matches photosynthesis to light level.

Question 4

What switches dynamic acclimation off?

Answer 4

Switching off GTP2.

Question 5

How could canopy architecture be improved to maximise yield?

Answer 5

Top:
- Leaves are more erect, paler
- Lots of small light harvesting complexes
Bottom:
- Leaves are flatter and darker (more chlorophyll)
- Fewer bigger light harvesting complexes.

Question 6

What are the impacts of double row spacing of crops?

Answer 6

• Plants are shaded by each other
• 10% lower yield
• Easier to harvest
• Less soil degradation

Question 7

What has modelling LAI shown about soybean productivity?

Answer 7

Productivity plateaus, so not much point having a LAI of over 5.

Question 8

What is actual LAI of soybean at ambient CO2 and elevated CO2?

What LAI could the same yield be obtained from?

Answer 8

Ambient: ~7
Elevated: ~7.5

~2.5

Question 9

What is optimum LAI of soybean at ambient and elevated CO2?

Answer 9

Ambient: ~4
Elevated: ~4.5