Maize list members:
I make the statement in one of my recurring presentations that
"There's not much hope in improving the transpiration ratio
(biomass/transpiration) for crops" based on
information in some well-respected published literature reviews.
When I hear people talk about gene manipulation, I wonder if I need
to qualify my statement. Is my statement still accurate?? Or would
there still be a limitation imposed by physics ( ie only so much
energy for photosynthesis and transpiration)?? To clarify
my statement, I recognize that aspects of drought tolerance or
drought resistance might be added by gene manipulation, but they aren't
the same thing as having an effect on biomass/transpiration. Drought
tolerance and drought resistance might have a greater effect on
Harvest Index.
A couple of references that discuss transpiration ratio.
Howell, T. A., R. H. Cuenca, and K. H. Solomon. 1990. Crop yield
response. Chapter 5 in Management of Farm Irrigation Systems, pp.
93-122. Edited by G. J. Hoffman, T. A. Howell, and K. H. Solomon.
ASAE Monograph, ASAE, St. Joseph, Michigan. 1040 pp.
Tanner, C. B., and T. R. Sinclair. 1983. Efficient water use in crop
production: research or re-search? Chapter 1a in Limitations to
Efficient Water Use in Crop Production, pp. 1-27. Edited by H. M.
Taylor, W. R. Jordan and T. R. Sinclair. American Society of
Agronomy, Madison, Wisconsin. 538 pp.
Freddie
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Freddie Lamm *
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Email:flamm at oznet.ksu.edu It's all downhill from here.
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