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The components of crop productivity: measuring and modeling plant metabolismSeveral investigators in the CELSS program have demonstrated that crop plants can be remarkably productive in optimal environments where plants are limited only by incident radiation. Radiation use efficiencies of 0.4 to 0.7 g biomass per mol of incident photons have been measured for crops in several laboratories. Some early published values for radiation use efficiency (1 g mol-1) were inflated due to the effect of side lighting. Sealed chambers are the basic research module for crop studies for space. Such chambers allow the measurement of radiation and CO2 fluxes, thus providing values for three determinants of plant growth: radiation absorption, photosynthetic efficiency (quantum yield), and respiration efficiency (carbon use efficiency). Continuous measurement of each of these parameters over the plant life cycle has provided a blueprint for daily growth rates, and is the basis for modeling crop productivity based on component metabolic processes. Much of what has been interpreted as low photosynthetic efficiency is really the result of reduced leaf expansion and poor radiation absorption. Measurements and models of short-term (minutes to hours) and long-term (days to weeks) plant metabolic rates have enormously improved our understanding of plant environment interactions in ground-based growth chambers and are critical to understanding plant responses to the space environment.
Document ID
20040090014
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Bugbee, B.
(Utah State Univ. Logan 84322-4820, United States)
Date Acquired
August 21, 2013
Publication Date
October 1, 1995
Publication Information
Publication: ASGSB bulletin : publication of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology
Volume: 8
Issue: 2
ISSN: 0898-4697
Subject Category
Man/System Technology And Life Support
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other
Keywords
NASA Discipline Life Support Systems
Non-NASA Center
NASA Program CELSS
Review, Tutorial
NASA Discipline Number 61-10
Review

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