Excellent Canopy Structure in Soybeans Can Improve Their Photosynthetic Performance and Increase Yield

Shuyuan He, Xiuni Li, Menggen Chen, Xiangyao Xu, Wenjing Zhang, Huiling Chi, Panxia Shao, Fenda Tang, Tao Gong, Ming Guo, Mei Xu, Wenyu Yang and Weiguo Liu ()
Additional contact information
Shuyuan He: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China
Xiuni Li: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China
Menggen Chen: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China
Xiangyao Xu: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China
Wenjing Zhang: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China
Huiling Chi: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China
Panxia Shao: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China
Fenda Tang: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China
Tao Gong: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China
Ming Guo: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China
Mei Xu: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China
Wenyu Yang: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China
Weiguo Liu: College of Agronomy, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu 611100, China

Agriculture, 2024, vol. 14, issue 10, 1-25

Abstract: In the maize-soybean intercropping system, varying degrees of maize leaf shading are an important factor that reduces the uniformity of light penetration within the soybean canopy, altering the soybean canopy structure. Quantitative analysis of the relationship between the soybean canopy structure and canopy photosynthesis helps with breeding shade-tolerant soybean varieties for intercropping systems. This study examined the canopy structure and photosynthesis of intercropped soybeans during the shading stress period (28 days before the corn harvest), the high light adaptation period (15 days after the corn harvest), and the recovery period (35 and 55 days after the corn harvest), using a field high-throughput phenotyping platform and a plant gas exchange testing system (CAPTS). Additionally, indoor shading experiments were conducted for validation. The results indicate that shade-tolerant soybean varieties (STV varieties) have significantly higher yields than shade-sensitive soybean varieties (SSV varieties). This is attributable to the STV varieties having a larger top area, lateral width, and lateral external rectangular area. Compared to the SSV varieties, the four top areas of the STV varieties are, on average, 52.09%, 72.05%, and 61.37% higher during the shading stress, high light adaptation, and recovery periods, respectively. Furthermore, the average maximum growth rates (GRs) for the side mean width (SMW) and side rectangle area (SRA) of the STV varieties are 62.92% and 22.13% in the field, and 83.36% and 55.53% in the indoor environment, respectively. This results in a lower canopy overlap in STV varieties, leading to a more uniform light distribution within the canopy, which is reflected in higher photosynthetic rates (Pn), apparent quantum efficiency, and whole-leaf photosynthetic potential (WLPP) for the STV varieties, thereby enhancing their adaptability to shading stress. Above-ground dry matter accumulation was higher in STV varieties, with more assimilates stored in the source and sink, promoting assimilate accumulation in the grains. These results provide new insights into how the superior canopy structure and photosynthesis of shade-tolerant soybean varieties contribute to increased yield.

Keywords: soybean; canopy; photosynthesis; yield; shade tolerance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/10/1783/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/10/1783/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jagris:v:14:y:2024:i:10:p:1783-:d:1496090

Access Statistics for this article

Agriculture is currently edited by Ms. Leda Xuan

More articles in Agriculture from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().