Image-based 3D canopy reconstruction to determine potential productivity in complex multi-species crop systems

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Physiology
• Computational Biology

Background:

• Intercropping systems involve multiple species, making light environment and photosynthetic productivity assessment complex.
• Accurate quantification of light and productivity is crucial for optimizing intercropping yields.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a low-tech, high-resolution method for characterizing the light environment in single- and multi-species cropping systems.
• To analyze new opportunities for intercropping research using this method.

Main Methods:

• Utilized three-dimensional plant reconstruction with stereo cameras and ray tracing to model light environments.
• Integrated gas exchange data to predict carbon gain for individual crops within intercropping systems.

Main Results:

• Proso millet's shading reduced Bambara groundnut's light interception and carbon gain.
• Increased proso millet rows enhanced overall light interception and carbon gain per area due to millet's C4 pathway and Bambara's shade acclimation.

Conclusions:

• 3D reconstruction and ray tracing offer a novel, accurate method for analyzing intercrop light environments without complex measurements.
• This approach facilitates productivity calculations, quantifies physiological differences, and aids in predicting novel crop combinations.