Amit Sharma
2022A07D
[email protected]
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
GROWTH
ANALYSIS
▶ Growth analysis is a expression of environmental effects
on growth and development of crop plants.
▶ This is a useful tool in studying the complex interactions
between the plant growth and the environment.
▶ This analysis depends mainly on primary values (Dry
weights) and they can be easily obtained without great
demand on modern lab equipments.
MEASUREMENT OF GROWTH
Growth can be measured by a variety of parameters as follows-
A. Fresh Weight
B. Dry Weight
C. Length
D. Area
COMMON PARAMETERS USED IN GROWTH ANALYSIS
1. CROP GROWTH RATE (CGR)
2. RELATIVE GROWTH RATE (RGR)
3. ABSOLUTE GROWTH RATE (AGR)
4. NET ASSIMILATION RATE (NAR)
5. LEAF AREA INDEX (LAI)
6. LEAF AREA DURATION (LAD)
CROP GROWTH RATE(CGR)
This concept was 1st described by Watson in 1952.
The crop growth rate simply indicates the change in dry
matter accumulation over a period of time.
CGR= (W2-W1)/(t2-t1) * 1/P
• Where:
• t1 = first sampling ( in days)
• t2 = second sampling (days)
• W1 = Dry weight of plant at time one ( in grams)
• W2 = Dry weight of plant at time two ( in grams)
• P = Unit area
Unit : g/m2 /unit time(day)
RELATIVE GROWTH RATE (RGR)
▶ This concept was 1st given by Blackman in 1919.
▶ The RGR expresses the dry weight increase in time
interval with respect to the initial weight. In practical
situations, the mean RGR is calculated from measurements
at t1 and t2 .
▶ In Plant Physiology, RGR is a measure used to quantify
the speed of plant growth.
▶ It is measured the mass increase per aboveground
biomass per day.
▶ It is considered to be the most widely use way of
estimating plant growth.
Formula:
RGR=(ln W2 – ln W1 )/(t2-t1)
Where:
In =natural logarithm
t1 = first sampling ( in days)
t2 =second sampling (in days)
W1 = Dry weight of plant at time one ( in grams)
W2 = Dry weight of plant at time (in grams)
Unit: g/g/day
NET ASSIMILATION RATE(NAR)
The concept was 1st given by Gregory (1918).
It directly indicates the rate of net photosynthesis.
Net assimilation rate (NAR) or unit leaf rate is the net
gain of assimilate per unit of leaf area and time.
For calculating NAR, leaf area of individual plants has to
be used but not leaf area index.
Formula:
NAR= (W2-W1)(log L2 – log L1)/(t2 – t1) (L2 – L1)
Where
W1 = Dry weight of plant at time one ( in grams)
W2 = Dry weight of plant at time ( in grams)
t1 = first sampling ( in days)
t2 = second sampling (in days)
log = natural logarithm
L1 & L 2 = Leaf Area
Unit : g(dry matter production)/ dm2/day
ABSOLUTE GROWTH RATE(AGR)
▶ This concept was 1st given by West et al. in 1925.
▶ It indicates the rate of increase of total dry weight per plant.
▶ It aims at what rate the crop is growing i.e. whether the crop is
growing at faster rate or slower rate than normal.
▶ AGR= (W2-W1)/ (t2-t1)
Where
W1 = Dry weight of plant at time one ( in grams)
W2 = Dry weight of plant at time ( in grams)
t 1 = first sampling ( in days)
t 2 = second sampling (in days)
Unit: g(dry matter)/day
Leaf Area Index(LAI)
▶ The concept was 1st given by Watson (1947)
▶ Leaf area is important for photosynthesis. It estimates both
assimilating area and growth.
▶ Leaf area index is the ratio between leaf area to ground area.
Optimum LAI differs with crop and their leaf orientation.
▶ Optimum LAI is between 4 to 5 for crops with horizontally oriented leaves.
▶ Optimum LAI is between 6 to 9 for crops with upright leaves.
Formula
LAI=Leaf area/Ground area
Unit: unitless
Optimum LAI
▶ LAI increases slowly in early stage of crop growth and rapidly after
seedling stage.
▶ As LAI increases, light interception is more resulting in dry matter
production.
However, at high LAI mutual shading of leaves occur and as shaded leaves
respire more than unshaded leaves, they contribute less to the dry matter
production. There is, therefore, an optimum LAI for maximum dry matter
production which is reached when the largest number of leaves receive just
sufficient sunlight for photosynthesis to balance respiration.
▶ Below optimum LAI, light is not being fully intercepted and above
optimum LAI, the leaf area is not being fully utilized at maximum
efficiency. At higher than optimum LAI, lower leaves become parasitic even
under condition of full light intensity.
Leaf Area Duration(LAD)
▶ Leaf area duration of a crop is a measure of its ability to produce
leaf area on unit area of land through out its life .
▶ Formula :
LAD(days) = (𝐿2 + 𝐿1)(𝑡2 − 𝑡1)/2
Where, L1,L2……..Ln indicates Leaf area during t1,t2,…….tn
times respectively.
Unit: - cm2 d-1
LEAF PRODUCTION RATE(LPR)
▶ Leaf production rate can be estimated by counting the
number of leaves on tagged plants at periodical intervals.
▶ It is expressed as number of leaves per day.
▶ Formula: LPR = (L2 – L1)/(t2-t1)
▶ Where,
L1 = numbers of leaves at time t1
L2 = numbers of leaves at time t2
PANICLE EMERGENCE RATE (PER)
▶ Panicle emergence rate indicates the rate at which panicle emerges
from the leaf sheath.
▶ As panicle emerges due to force of internodal elongation, this
parameter is helpful in moisture stress studies.
▶ It expresses as length increases per time.
▶ Formula : PER = ( Pl2 – Pl1)/(t2 – t1)
Where,
Pl1 = length of emerged panicle at time t1
Pl2 = length of emerged panicle at time t2
RATE OF FLOWERING(FR)
▶ This parameter indicates whether most of the tillers or
branches flowers in quick succession or not. In other
words, it indicates synchronous flowering.
▶ It is expressed as number of flowering that appear per
day.
▶ Formula: FR = (Fr2 – Fr1)/(t2 – t1) Where
Fr1 = number of flowers that appear per plant at time t1
Fr2 = number of flowers that appear per plant at time t2
Advantages of Growth Analysis :
▶ a) We can study the growth of the population or plant community in a
precise way with the availability of raw data on different growth
parameters.
▶ b) The primary production plays an important role in the energetics of
the whole ecosystem.
▶ c) The studies also provide precise information on the nature of the
plant and environment interaction in a particular habitat.
▶ d) It provides accurate measurements of whole plant growth
performance in an integrated manner at different intervals of time.
Drawbacks of Growth Analysis
▶ It is impossible to follow the same plants or plots through out
whole experiment.
▶ In classical growth analysis sampling for primary values consist
of harvesting (destructively) representative sets of plants or plots
REFERENCES
▶Reddy, T.Y.,Reddi, G.H., 2014.Priciples of Agronomy. Kalyani
Publishers, New Delhi.
▶Reddy, S.R.,2013.Principles of Agronomy. Kalyani Publishers,
New Delhi.
▶Chapman, S.R. and L.P. Carter, 1982. Crop Production-
Principls and Practices. Surjeet Publications, Delhi.
▶Watson, D.J. 1952. The physiological basis of variation in
yield. Adv. Agron., 4: 101-112
▶Google and Wikipedia.
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