Simulating leaf area of corn plants at contrasting water status

An exponential decay function was fitted with literature data to describe the decrease in corn leaf expansion rate as predawn leaf water potential decreases. The fitted function was then applied to modify an existing leaf area simulation module in a soil–plant–atmosphere continuum corn simulation model (MaizSim) in order to simulate leaf area of corn plants at different water status. Data were collected from field for two years as well as from sunlit growth chambers located at USDA-ARS facilities in Beltsville, MD with different irrigation frequencies. Comparison among simulations and measurements indicated that the modified leaf area module improved leaf area simulation for corn plant under different drought stress. For plants under more severe drought stress, the improvement in leaf area simulation was more significant. These results suggested that the modified leaf area model presented an approach to mechanistically link corn leaf area with corn plant water status, and was suitable for integration with existing corn models that simulate corn leaf area.