Significance of Plant Canopy Maintenance in Crop Yield

Abstract

The yield of any crop depends on the capacity of a plant canopy to intercept and efficiently use the sunlight, which is dependent on canopy architecture of a plant viz., leaf size, shape and angle, number of leaves and branches, and a crop geometry viz., row orientation, row spacing, plant geometry, plant density, etc. The amount and distribution of leaf area in a crop canopy determine the way, by which, the photosynthetic active radiation is intercepted and consequently it influences the canopy photosynthesis and yield. The balance between the source and sink significantly contributes towards the higher accumulation of photosybthates Cropping geometry of a plant/crop affects the radiation use efficiency, intercepted photosynthetic active radiation (IPAR) and thereby the biological and economical yield of a crop. Optimum plant population stand and its density and a planting pattern with adequate spatial arrangement are important cultural factors that increase radiation interception and yield production.