Analysis and Simulation of Plant Type on Canopy Structure and Radiation Transmission in Rice

Three typical hybrid rice cultivars, together with three artificially modified plant types by the application of N fertilizer during the elongation of the two uppermost leaves were used to analyze how the plant type affected the layered leaf area and radiation transmission. Plant type factors, layered leaf area and radiation distribution were measured at the full heading, 10 d and 25 d after full heading stages, respectively. A model for calculating the layered leaf area from plant type factors was established and validated to determine the effects of plant type factors on the layered leaf area for the three hybrids. Furthermore, the relationship between layered leaf area and radiation transmission was established by using the radiation transmission model. The effects of the plant type factors on the radiation transmission for the three hybrids were evaluated by using this model. Finally, a method was established to describe the canopy structure, such as the layered leaf area index and the radiation distribution in the rice canopy.