Light on Cut Chrysanthemum : Measurements and Simulation of Crop Growth and Yield

The effects of plant density and light intensity on crop growth and yield of cut chrysanthemum were investigated experimentally and simulated with a generic explanatory crop growth model (HORTISIM). In winter, supplementary light (HPS; 48 μmol m-2 s-1 PAR) increased total incident PAR with 24°whereas total dry matter production per m2 was increased with 45&Eth;The effect of supplementary light on plant dry and fresh mass, and number of flowers per plant at different plant densities (32, 48 or 64 m-2), was larger at lower densities. In summer, a linear relationship between cumulative dry mass production and cumulative intercepted PAR was observed in each of three shading treatments. However, the slope of this line (light use efficiency) decreased with increasing light level being 4.1 g MJ-1, 3.4 g MJ-1 and 2.7 g MJ-1 for 43°66 nd 100␕ight, respectively. HORTISIM could accurately predict crop growth and yield at most light conditions, with measured climatic data, initial plant mass and time course of leaf area index being model inputs. However, in summer at 100␕ight the model strongly overestimated dry mass production.