title: Effects of Diffuse Light on Radiation Use Efficiency of Two Anthurium Cultivars Depend on the Response of Stomatal Conductance to Dynamic Light Intensity.
abstract: The stimulating effect of diffuse light on radiation use efficiency (RUE) of crops is often explained by the more homogeneous spatial light distribution, while rarely considering differences in temporal light distribution at leaf level. This study investigated whether diffuse light effects on crop RUE can be explained by dynamic responses of leaf photosynthesis to temporal changes of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). Two Anthurium andreanum cultivars ('Pink Champion' and 'Royal Champion') were grown in two glasshouses covered by clear (control) and diffuse glass, with similar light transmission. On clear days, diffusing the light resulted in less temporal fluctuations of PPFD. Stomatal conductance (g s) varied strongly in response to transient PPFD in 'Royal Champion,' whereas it remained relatively constant in 'Pink Champion.' Instantaneous net leaf photosynthesis (P n) in both cultivars approached steady state P n in diffuse light treatment. In control treatment this only occurred in 'Pink Champion.' These cultivar differences were reflected by a higher RUE (8%) in 'Royal Champion' in diffuse light treatment compared with control, whereas no effect on RUE was observed in 'Pink Champion.' We conclude that the stimulating effect of diffuse light on RUE depends on the stomatal response to temporal PPFD fluctuations, which response is cultivar dependent.
authors: Horticulture and Product Physiology Group, Wageningen University and Research CentreWageningen, Netherlands; Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development in Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agriculture SciencesBeijing, China.
authors: Tao
authors: T
authors: Li
authors: Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois Urbana, IL, USA.
authors: Johannes
authors: J
authors: Kromdijk
authors: Horticulture and Product Physiology Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre Wageningen, Netherlands.
authors: Ep
authors: E
authors: Heuvelink
authors: Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture Wageningen, Netherlands.
authors: F R
authors: FR
authors: van Noort
authors: Horticulture and Product Physiology Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre Wageningen, Netherlands.
authors: Elias
authors: E
authors: Kaiser
authors: Horticulture and Product Physiology Group, Wageningen University and Research Centre Wageningen, Netherlands.
authors: Leo F M
authors: LF
authors: Marcelis
keywords: Anthurium andreanum; diffuse light; dynamic leaf photosynthesis; radiation use efficiency; stomatal conductance; temporal light distribution