Use of Interactive Computer Graphics for Simulation of Radiation Interception and Photosynthesis for Canopies of Kiwifruit Vines with Heterogeneous surface Shape and Leaf Area Distribution

A method incorporating interactive computer graphics to simulatespatially variable interception and canopy photosynthesis isdescribed. The method presents a graphical interface to a conventionalmodel of radiation interception and canopy photosynthesis. Includedis the capacity to consider a large number of positions withinthe canopy, thus providing a rapid and convenient representationof the dynamics of photosynthesis while also overcoming limitationsof one-dimensional models applied to complex plant canopies.The method was applied to examine spatial variability of photosynthesiswithin canopies of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) vines growingon two trellis types. The diurnal integral of simulated canopyphotosynthesis, assuming sunny conditions, for a vine trainedon a horizontal 'Pergola' trellis was 14% higher than that fora vine with similar leaf area distribution trained on a 'T-bar'trellis with inclined surfaces. Simulations of photosynthesisfor vines on a T-bar trellis, assuming spatially variable leafarea distributions as measured under filed conditions, indicateddisproportionate contributions from different regions of thecanopy. Canopy regions inclined to the east or the west wereusually the major sites for photosynthesis immediately aftersunrise and before sunset respectively, while regions near thecordon were the most important overall. For any day, the maximumsimulated photosynthetic rate generally declined with distancefrom the cordon and, at any distance from the cordon, increasedwith leaf index. For a vine with an average leaf area indexof 2·7, diurnal integrals of photosynthesis on a sunnyday in late summer ranged from 1·0 mol CO₂ m^-2 near thecordon to 0·5 mol CO₂ m^-2 at 1·5 m from the cordon.Within-canopy shading was more important on sunny days thanon cloudy days, while the spatial distribution of leaf areawas especially important on cloudy days. Comparison of simulationswith direct measurements of canopy photosynthesis indicatedthat a numerical integral of simulated photosynthesis, basedon a large number of canopy positions, provided a reasonableestimate of total canopy photosynthesis.Copyright 1993, 1999Academic Press Actinidia deliciosa, kiwifruit, interactive computer graphics, mathematical modelling, photosynthesis, radiation interception, spatial heterogeneity