FURTHER DISCUSSIONS ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CUMULATED INTERCEPTEDSOLAR-RADIATION AND CROP GROWTH

A strong correlation exists between intercepted solar radiation and cr op growth. We cautioned that many derivations of the functional relati onship between solar energy and biomass use cumulated data, and theref ore have logical and arithmetic weaknesses. We examined the growth res ponse of plants to solar energy by using rates of change, of both inte rception and growth. Our analysis revealed that measurements of light interception can only establish the relationship a posteriori. Replaci ng interception data with normalized random numbers did not change the quality of the relations. Several scientists have contested our views . This article reconfirms the general validity of our analysis and of our conclusions, that it is not possible to determine plant growth on the sole basis of intercepted solar energy.