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Light Acquisition02:16

Light Acquisition

In order to produce glucose, plants need to capture sufficient light energy. Many modern plants have evolved leaves specialized for light acquisition. Leaves can be only millimeters in width or tens of meters wide, depending on the environment. Due to competition for sunlight, evolution has driven the evolution of increasingly larger leaves and taller plants, to avoid shading by their neighbors with contaminant elaboration of root architecture and mechanisms to transport water and nutrients.
Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light02:00

Photoreceptors and Plant Responses to Light

Light plays a significant role in regulating the growth and development of plants. In addition to providing energy for photosynthesis, light provides other important cues to regulate a range of developmental and physiological responses in plants.
The Antenna Complex01:15

The Antenna Complex

Plants and other photosynthetic organisms comprise pigments capable of absorption of direct sunlight. These pigments are present in the reaction center - the main site of photochemical reactions as well as in the antenna complex. Under average light conditions, the rate at which reaction center pigments absorb light is far below the electron transport chain's capacity. As a result, the reaction center alone cannot provide enough energy to drive photosynthesis. The photosynthetic efficiency can...
Light as Energy01:35

Light as Energy

The energy required to carry out photosynthesis is light— typically electromagnetic radiation from the sun. The range of all possible wavelengths is known as the electromagnetic spectrum.
Photons
A photon is a discrete electromagnetic particle or bundle of energy. Photons are characterized by their frequency, wavelength, and amplitude, similar to the properties of a wave. Waves with higher frequencies transmit more energy and have shorter wavelengths than longer wavelengths that transmit less...
C4 Pathway and CAM01:27

C4 Pathway and CAM

Most plants use the C3 pathway for carbon fixation. However, some plants, such as sugar cane, corn, and cacti that grow in hot conditions, use alternative pathways to fix carbon and conserve energy loss due to photorespiration. Photorespiration is the process that occurs when the oxygen concentration is high. Under such conditions, the rubisco enzyme in the Calvin cycle binds O2 instead of CO2, which halts photosynthesis and consumes energy.
C4 Pathway
The C4 pathway is used by plants such as...
Key Elements for Plant Nutrition02:35

Key Elements for Plant Nutrition

Like all living organisms, plants require organic and inorganic nutrients to survive, reproduce, grow and maintain homeostasis. To identify nutrients that are essential for plant functioning, researchers have leveraged a technique called hydroponics. In hydroponic culture systems, plants are grown—without soil—in water-based solutions containing nutrients. At least 17 nutrients have been identified as essential elements required by plants. Plants acquire these elements from the atmosphere, the...

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Suits reflectance models for wheat and cotton: theoretical and experimental tests.

Applied optics·2010
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 15, 2026

High-Throughput, In-Field Screening of Photosynthetic Efficiency in Crop Plants Using an Autonomous Robot
07:12

High-Throughput, In-Field Screening of Photosynthetic Efficiency in Crop Plants Using an Autonomous Robot

Published on: January 9, 2026

Plant canopy light absorption model with application to wheat.

J E Chance, E W Lemaster

    Applied Optics
    |March 6, 2010
    PubMed
    Summary

    A new light absorption model (LAM) quantifies how much light vegetative plant canopies absorb. This model accurately predicts light absorption in wheat crops across various growth stages and canopy structures.

    Area of Science:

    • Plant Physiology
    • Agricultural Meteorology
    • Remote Sensing

    Background:

    • Understanding light absorption in plant canopies is crucial for crop yield prediction and optimizing agricultural practices.
    • Existing models often lack detailed consideration of canopy structure and dynamic growth stages.
    • The Suits reflectance model provides a basis for developing more comprehensive light interaction models.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To derive and validate a light absorption model (LAM) for vegetative plant canopies based on the Suits reflectance model.
    • To calculate light absorption within the photosynthetically active region (400-700 nm) for wheat canopies under various conditions.
    • To analyze light absorption as a function of canopy structure, leaf area index (LAI), and sun angle.

    Main Methods:

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    Analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana Growth Behavior in Different Light Qualities
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    Published on: February 2, 2018

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    • Developed a light absorption model (LAM) derived from the Suits reflectance model.
    • Calculated light absorption for a Penjamo wheat crop, considering a four-layer canopy structure (LAI 3.1).
    • Analyzed absorption by individual canopy layers, underlying soil, and varying sun angles; assessed cumulative absorption during growth.

    Main Results:

    • Quantified percent light absorption for a specific wheat canopy structure and LAI.
    • Detailed the distribution of light absorption within different canopy layers and by the soil.
    • Demonstrated agreement between model calculations and experimental data for wheat, validating the LAM's accuracy across growth stages and LAI.

    Conclusions:

    • The derived light absorption model (LAM) effectively simulates light absorption in vegetative canopies.
    • The model accurately predicts light absorption across different canopy layers, sun angles, and growth stages.
    • LAM provides a valuable tool for understanding plant canopy light interactions and their impact on crop productivity.