The Role of Different Daily Irradiations on Shoot Growth and Root/Shoot Ratio in Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.)

The effect of two levels of daily irradiation on shoot growthand root/shoot partitioning was investigated on two lucernevarieties (Medicago sativa L.). Individual plants were studiedunder constant temperature and optimal water and mineral nutritionconditions. For both lucerne varieties, daily irradiation did not changebiomass partitioning between shoots and roots. It can be shownthat leaf area expansion occurs independently of daily irradiationand that the process of shoot dry matter production is strictlyproportional to daily irradiation, since the ratio leaf area/shootdry matter is inversely proportional to it. From a model of shoot production of the isolated plant, we showthat the relative shoot specific activity is not affected bydaily irradiation. A simple model of partitioning leads us todetermine why partitioning remains the same for the two at thelevels of daily irradiation. Finally, the allocation between shoot and root turns out tobe independent of the main stem extension rate, which is fasterat the higher daily irradiation. Medicago sativa L., lucerne, daily irradiation, shoot production, root/shoot ratio, leaf area expansion, partitioning model