Current: Canopy Architecture

This project is focusing on sugar beet radiation use efficiency (RUE) which is examining radiation (sunlight) interception by the canopy and measuring its resulting biomass across the season. In recent years, breeders have released sugar beet varieties which differ widely in canopy architecture. Some have a very prostrate canopy whilst others have a much more upright growth habit. A direct relationship exists between radiation interception by sugar beet and sugar yield. Therefore, rapid canopy expansion and closure is vital to maximising yield, which would suggest that a more prostrate canopy would be beneficial. However, in other crops, such as rice and wheat, more upright leaf angles are desirable due to better light distribution through the canopy which leads to higher radiation use efficiency. The aim is to investigate whether a more upright canopy increases the radiation use efficiency and subsequent yield of sugar beet.