Crop growth models without hormones.

Abstract

For the simulation of organ formation and assimilate partitioning, information is required on the current level of activities like CO2 assimilation and the growth of various organs, as well as state variables such as leaf and root wt., N content and carbohydrate reserves and exogenous variables like radiation and temp. This information may be retained in auxiliary state variables by considering the dynamic equilibrium between growth of roots and shoots. Auxiliary state variables are not tangible quantities but mathematical artefacts of the simulation program; it is speculated that in real plants similar information may be retained and transferred by the hormonal system. A hormonal system is a communication system and such systems may be analysed either in terms of means (of the hardware used) or in terms of purpose (of the messages transferred). In dynamic models of crop growth, interest should be focused on the latter. Wheat, maize and ryegrass are used as examples. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)