Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-04T12:53:36.472Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Measuring Light Interception and the Efficiency of Light Utilization by the Coconut Palm (Cocos nucifera)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

J. R. J. Moss
J. R. J. Moss
Affiliation:
Chumphon Horticultural Research Centre, Sawi, Chumphon Province, Thailand
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

A mobile sampling method was used to measure the amount of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) transmitted through the canopies of coconut palms in two long term field trials. PAR transmissions were measured at approximately monthly intervals for one year. Fractional interception of light was found to vary considerably between months, and to be associated with frond shedding caused by dry season water stress. Palms receiving potassium fertilizer intercepted more light and replaced leaf area lost during the dry season more rapidly than those receiving no potassium. Palms planted at a higher density intercepted more light and carried more fronds per palm, but intercepted less light per frond than those planted at a lower density. The ratio of moles of carbohydrate yield to moles of intercepted PAR quanta was calculated for six plots of hybrid palms, giving a dimensionless light efficiency index (LEI) comparable to harvest index. Mean LEI for all plots was 1.275 × 10−4 and was found to increase with increased light interception, results suggesting that there is a basal level of light interception below which no yield is produced. The potential for using LEI in agronomic experimentation on sole cropping and multicropping and as a criterion for genetic selection of coconut palms is discussed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 28 , Issue 3 , July 1992 , pp. 273 - 285
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Abeywardena, V. (1971). Yield variation in coconut. Ceylon Coconut Quarterly 22: 97–103.Google Scholar
Banzon, J. A. (1984). Harvestable energy from the coconut palm. Energy in Agriculture 3: 337–344.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Breure, C. J. (1988). The effect of different planting densities on yield trends in oil palm. Experimental Agriculture 24: 37–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Boardman, N. K. (1977). Comparative photosynthesis of sun and shade plants. Annual Review of Plant Physiology 28: 355–377.Google Scholar
Corley, R. H. V., Hardon, J. J. & Tan, G. Y. (1971). Analysis of growth of the oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacquin). l. Estimation of growth parameters and application in breeding. Euphytica 20: 307–315.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Corley, R. H. V. (1983). Potential productivity of tropical perennial crops. Experimental Agriculture 19: 217–237.Google Scholar
de Nuce De Lamothe, M. (1975). L'hybride Port-Bouet 121 nouveaux resultats. Oleagineux 30: 457–465.Google Scholar
Donald, C. M. & Hamblin, J. (1976). The biological yield and harvest index of cereals as agronomic and plant breeding criteria. Advances in Agronomy 28: 361–405.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dootson, J. (1988). Terminal report of the Overseas Development Administration Coconut Development Project, Thailand. Overseas Development Administration, London.Google Scholar
Drew, P. J. (1987). Report on a visit to Thailand to develop improved copra drying practices at Chumphon Horticultural Research Centre. Overseas Development and Natural Resources Institute Report R1464(R).Google Scholar
Eze, J. M. O. (1987). Growth of Amaranthus hybridus(African spinach) under different daylight intensities in the dry season in Southern Nigeria. Experimental Agriculture 23: 193–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Green, C. F. (1987). Nitrogen nutrition and wheat growth in relation to absorbed solar radiation. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 41: 207–248.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hardon, J. J., Williams, C. N. & Watson, I. (1969). Leaf area and yield in the oil palm in Malaysia. Experimental Agriculture 5: 25–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Harries, H. C. (1981). Practical identification of coconut varieties. Oleagineux 36: 63–72.Google Scholar
Harries, H. C., Thirakul, A. & Rattanapruk, V. (1981). The coconut genetic resources of Thailand. Proceedings of the Royal Thai Department of Agriculture seminar on coconut and cocoa.Google Scholar
Johnson, I. R. & Thornley, J. H. M. (1987). A model of shoot:root partitioning with optimal growth. Annals of Botany 60: 133–142.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Manthriratna, M. A. P. P. & Abeywardena, V. (1979). Planting densities and planting systems for coconut, Cocos nucifera L. Study of yield characters and the economics of planting at different densities. Ceylon Coconut Quarterly 30: 107–115.Google Scholar
Marshall, B. & Willey, R. W. (1983). Radiation interception and growth in an intercrop of pearl millet/groundnut. Field Crops Research 7: 141–160.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Monteith, J. L. (1977). Climate and the efficiency of crop production in Britain. Philosophical Transcripts of the Royal Society of London 281: 277–294.Google Scholar
Moss, J. R. J. (1987). The study of light interception through the canopy of the coconut palm (Cocos nucifera) for the development of coconut intercropping systems. MSc. thesis, University of Reading.Google Scholar
Murray, D. B. (1975). Shade and nutrition, In Cocoa(ed. by Wood, G. A. R.). London: Longmans.Google Scholar
Nair, & Balakrishnan, . (1976).Google Scholar
Newman, S. M. (1985). Low-cost sensor integrators for measuring the transmissivity of complex canopies to photosynthetically active radiation. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 35: 243–254.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pech, G. (1986). Mobile sampling of solar radiation under conifers. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 37: 15–28.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Santos, et al.(1986).Google Scholar
Sinclair, F. (1987). The influence of wide spacing on the interception of radiation and the growth of trees and pasture: progress report. University of Edinburgh Department of Forestry and Natural Re-sources.Google Scholar
Sivakumar, M. V. K. & Virmani, S. M. (1984). Crop productivity in relation to interception of photosynthetically active radiation. Agricultural Meteorology 31: 131–141.Google Scholar
Smith, M. A., & Whiteman, P. C. (1983). Evaluation of tropical grasses in increasing shade under coconut canopies. Experimental Agriculture 19: 153–161.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Spedding, C. R. W. (1981). Biological Efficiency in Agriculture. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Squire, G. R. (1984). Techniques in environmental physiology of oil palm: measurement of intercepted radiation. Palm Oil Research Institute of Malaysia Bulletin 8: 10–13.Google Scholar