Simulating the response of photosynthate partitioning during vegetative growth in winter wheat to environmental factors

Currently available models of photosynthate partitioning in crops are poorly developed compared to carbon and water balance models. This paper presents a dynamic photosynthate partitioning model (PPModel) that simulates the partitioning of crop biomass to leaf, stem and root through the interaction between carbon gain (assimilation less respiration) and transpiration, in relation to environmental factors. The central concept is the theory of plant functional equilibrium, in which transpirational loss and water uptake are balanced, within acceptable limits, by a dynamic partitioning of assimilates between shoot and root growth. The model was shown to perform effectively against experimental data for growth and partitioning of biomass in winter wheat (collected over a 2-year period), when environmental factors varied daily and water supply was controlled over a wide range.