Assessing the effects of temperature increase on soybean development and growth

抄録

A growth model for soybean, focusing particularly on its development and leaf expansion, was developed to predict how changes in temperature level (shift of the normal temperature by degrees C) affect soybean growth.
Simulations were conducted with the model with seven temperature levels. Vegetative growth periods were shorter with higher temperature levels. However the length of the seed growth period did not differ among the temperature levels.
Maximum leaf area (total leaf area of each simulated plant at the end of vegetative growth period) changed depending on temperature levels. The balance between developmental rate and leaf area expanding rate, both of which depend on temperature, determined the maximum leaf areas.
At the lowest highest temperature levels, the maximum leaf areas and the length of seed growth periods were almost the same. However, the final dry weight of seeds in highest temperature level was much greater because high temperature hastened development, and thus seed growth was initiated in mid-summer under intense radiation.