DEVELOPING A DYNAMIC MODEL FOR GLASSHOUSE LETTUCE GROWTH AND NITRATE ACCUMULATION

This paper presents a framework for a dynamic mechanistic model for predicting lettuce dry matter accumulation and nitrate concentration during growth.
The model assumes that lettuce has three separate pools: a structural biomass pool, a soluble carbohydrates pool and an insoluble carbohydrates pool.
Both soluble and insoluble carbohydrates pools receive carbon assimilate from canopy photosynthesis.
The soluble carbohydrates pool, which also receives carbon assimilate from insoluble carbohydrates pool, provides carbon assimilate to the structural biomass pool.
At the same time, the model also simulates time-dependent water mass stored in lettuce.
Nitrate concentration is calculated using a turgor maintenance hypothesis assuming that nitrate accumulates in the plant in response to a decline in soluble carbohydrates in order to contribute to the solute potential for leaf expansion.
Predictions including plant fresh/dry matter and nitrate concentration were found to be in good agreement with the measurements.

International Workshop on Models for Plant Growth and Control of Product Quality in Horticultural Production

K. Zhang, I.G. Burns, M.R. Broadley, M. Turner

model development, simulation, glasshouse lettuce, water mass

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2004.654.6