POTENTIAL VEGETATIVE PRODUCTIVITY IN CANADA

Abstract

Duration of the growing season appears to be the single most important factor limiting vegetative productivity in Canada. A theoretical estimate of annual vegetative productivity in the absence of limitations due to water, nutrients or soil structure, shows that potential productivity in the 5-mo growing season of Southern Canada is in the range of 25–55 tonne/ha. Maximum productivity, however, lies considerably below the potential productivity estimate due to lower-than-expected photosynthetic efficiency during periods of high solar irradiance. Crop growth rates appear to be rather independent of variation in radiant flux density during the growing season. Consequently, a realistic estimate of maximum vegetative productivity can be obtained by multiplying number of days of full light interception by a crop canopy, by a crop growth rate of 230 kg∙h−1∙day−1 and adding the weight of the crop at the onset of full light interception by the canopy. Maximum vegetative productivity could likely be improved by extending the period of full light interception by crop canopies through the cultivation of perennial species or double-crop sequences. Alternatively, vegetative productivity could likely be improved through increased photosynthetic efficiency. Very high photosynthetic efficiencies of crops grown under field conditions have been reported occasionally in the literature, but factors underlying this high photosynthetic efficiency have not yet been identified.Key words: Vegetative production, photosynthetic efficiency, potential productivity, duration of growing season, crop species