Diurnal variation in gas exchange characters of leaves of Hevea brasiliensis exposed to sun light at different canopy levels and their contribution to dry matter production

Abstract

As in many other crops a significant percentage of leaves in the canopy of a rubber plantation are found under limiting light levels. The photosynthetic capacity of these shaded leaves may play an important role in determining the productivity of the rubber plants. The dry matter production capacity of shade leaves was srudied using polybag plants of Hevea brasiliensis and grown under different light regimes. The CO2 assimilation rates and related parameters were monitored through-out the day using a portable photosynthesis system. The diurnal variation pattern of CO2 assimilation rates and the internal leaf CO2 concentration to ambient CO2 concentration ratio (ci/ca) were different in plants grown under different light regimes. Though peak CO2 assimilation rates are shown at around 0930h in all treatments, the assimilation rates tend to decline very early in plants grown under full light. During the early and latter parts of the day, plants grown under full light showed significantly higher CO2 assimilation rates than in plants grown under 40 per cent and 25 per cent of incident light. However, stomatal conductance declined with time of the day and it was similar in all treatments. Low CO2 assimilation rates later in the day could be either due to accumulation of abscisic acid or due to end product inhibition. It is apparent that photosynthesis is only marginally high during the major part of the day, ie 0930h - 1430h in plants grown in full light. Therfore, sun and shde leves may be comparable as the daily photosynthetic integral and hence the dry matter production is concerned. Thus, shaded leaves in rubber plantations may significantly contribute to the total dry matter production of the plant.