Light-mediated self-organization of sunflower stands increases oil yield in the field

SADRAS, VICTOR O.; HALL, ANTONIO J.; LÓPEZ PEREIRA, MÓNICA; CASAL, JORGE J.; BATISTA, WILLIAM

PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

NATL ACAD SCIENCES

Lugar: Washington DC, USA; Año: 2017 vol. 114 p. 7975 - 7980

0027-8424

Here, we show a unique crop response to intraspecific interference, whereby neighboring sunflower plants in a row avoid eachother by growing toward a more favorable light environment andcollectively increase production per unit land area. In high-densitystands, a given plant inclined toward one side of the interrowspace, and the immediate neighbors inclined in the oppositedirection. This process started early as an incipient inclination ofpioneer plants, and the arrangement propagated gradually as a?wave? of alternate inclination that persisted until maturity. Measurements and experimental manipulation of light spectral composition indicate that these responses are mediated by changes inthe red/far-red ratio of the light, which is perceived by phytochrome. Cellular automata simulations reproduced the patternsof stem inclination in field experiments, supporting the proposition of self-organization of stand structure. Under high crop population densities (10 and 14 plants per m2), as yet unachievable incommercial farms with current hybrids due to lodging anddiseases, self-organized crops yielded between 19 and 47% moreoil than crops forced to remain erect.