Leaf area index simulation of different layers in summer maize canopy based on photosynthetically active radiation vertical distribution model

Abstract: Photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is an important parameter in agricultural applications. Some researchers showed that many parameters, such as leaf area index (LAI), leaf angle distribution (LAD) and the heterogeneity of vegetation, were concerned with the distribution of PAR. Many models were used to simulate the distribution of PAR effectors, such as the structure of canopy and sun zenith angle. This paper simulated the vertical distribution of PAR in the canopy and analyzed the relationships between PAR and some parameters, such as solar zenith angle, LAD, LAI, maize canopy structure, special for the heterogeneous canopies such as that crop with width and narrow ridges. It took account the effects of structural features of different type canopies. In this study, the distributions of solar radiation at different heights in maize canopy were simulated based on the radiation transfer model. The row structure model was used to simulate the vertical distribution of PAR in canopies. It accounted for direct radiation including radiation paths going through one or more rows. Leaf angle distribution was generated by using this model to measure leaf angle distributions in canopies. Intensive investigation was made on the effect of these canopy architecture on the penetration of total visible radiation into the canopy at various solar zenith angle. The simulation result of PAR in maize canopy was validated with the measured data, and it appeared good accuracy. By simulation with box model, the regularity of vertical distribution of PAR in the canopy showed that: 1) the transmittance of solar incidence was affected by the effective light path; 2) the attenuation of light in the canopy was diminishing exponentially along the light path. It could be reflected by the vertical distribution of light extinction coefficient (K); 3) the solar altitude angle varying from 60° to 45° or 30° solar altitude angle with the RMSE value of 0.07 or 0.08, it could improve PAR estimation accuracy. The vertical distribution of leaf area was affected by the light attenuation through the canopy. In this paper, we proposed the method based on the regularity of vertical distribution of PAR by using Beer-Lambert law for inversion of the vertical distribution of LAI in maize canopy. The relationships between the vertical distribution of the leaf area index and solar zenith angle was analyzed, and the results were validated with the measured data. Results showed that the algorithm of Bonhomme&Chartier was proved to be effective for inversion of the vertical distribution of LAI. There were differences in inversion results with different solar zenith angles. In the upper canopy, the solar altitude angle varying from 30° to 45° solar altitude angle could improve LAI estimation accuracy with the RMSE of 0.18, and from 45 to 30 solar altitude angle with the RMSE of 0.30 in the middle canopy, 30° and 45° with the RMSE value of 0.11 and 0.09 in the under canopy. The result showed that it had a fairly good agreement between calculated and observed data, which proved the validity of the theoretical model.