Far-red radiation reflected from adjacent leaves: an early signal of competition in plant canopies

• Published in: Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 1990-01, Vol.247 (4940), p.329-332
• Main Authors: Ballaré, Carlos L., Scopel, Ana L., Sánchez, Rodolfo A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Biological and medical sciences; biological competition; Biology; Botany; brassica alba; canopy; competencia biologica; competition biologique; couvert; crecimiento; croissance; cubierta de copas; datura; Demecology; Forest ecology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Growth; Internodes; Jimson weed; Jimsonweed; Leaves; Light; Optical filters; Plant physiology; Plants; Plants and fungi; Plants, Effect of light on; Seedlings; Sinapis alba; Stem elongation; stems; tallo; tige; Vegetation canopies; Visible spectrum; Water filtration
• ISSN: 0036-8075; 1095-9203
• DOI: 10.1126/science.247.4940.329

When individual seedlings of Datura ferox and Sinapis alba were transferred to populations formed by plants of similar stature, they responded with an increase in the rate of stem elongation. The reaction was detected within 3 days after transplanting and occurred well before shading among neighbors became important. This rapid response, which may be crucial for success in the competition for fight, was reduced or abolished when individual internodes were "blinded" to the far-red radiation scattered by the surrounding seedlings. These results show the operation of a localized, photomorphogenetic control of stem elongation that may play a central role in the plastic adjustment of plants during the early stages of canopy development.