Effects of the weather on growth and radiation intercepted by faba bean

Abstract

The effects of the weather on growth and radiation intercepted by faba bean (Vicia faba L.) were studied in field grown plants throughout the summer of 1991 and 1992. At 7-day intervals, measurements of leaf area and plant dry weight were measured. The radiation intercepted by the crops and the values of air temperature, solar radiation and rainfall were collected throughout the season. Under the warmer summer of 1992 the plants had a greater rate of leaf expansion but a shorter period of growth. The weather also had an effect on the ability of a crop to capture and to use light for the growth process. The different weather prevailing during the 1991 and 1992 seasons brought large differences in the behaviour of the crops. A comparison of the classical and radiation approaches to analyze the effects of the weather on crop growth showed that both the classical and the radiation methods were not able to answer if the differences were due to physiological or morphological changes in the crops.