Vegetative plasticity and floral branching compensate low plant density in modern spring rapeseed

MENENDEZ Y.; BOTTO JAVIER; GOMEZ N.V.; RONDANINI D.P.; MIRALLES D. J.

FIELD CROPS RESEARCH

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2017 vol. 210 p. 104 - 113

0378-4290

Sunlight is a crucial environmental factor for photosynthesis. Plant density affects both quality and quantity atlight penetration into the canopy. The effects of plant density on the expression of photomorphogenic traits incultivated spring rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), and their consequences on seed production per unit area areunknown. The aims of this work were to: i) analyze the magnitude of shade avoidance responses to plantdensities in five spring rapeseed genotypes, ii) describe the dynamics of floral branching in response to genotypeand plant density, and iii) study yield and its components and seed quality in field-cultivated plants with contrastingplant densities (15 and 240 pl m−2). Rosette diameter was the main attribute of vegetative plasticitymodified by plant density, without significant changes in petiole length. Plant density changed the relationshipbetween intercepted solar radiation (ISR) and red/far red ratio (R/FR) during crop development, but at floweringall densities reached ISR =95% and R/FR ratio