Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Response of Cassava canopy to mid-day pseudo sunrise induced by solar eclipse

  • Short Communication
  • Published:
International Journal of Biometeorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Variations in CO2 concentration over a cassava canopy were measured during a solar eclipse at Thiruvananthapuram, India. The analysis presented attempts to differentiate between the eclipse effect and the possible effect of thick clouds, taking CO2 as a proxy for photosynthesis. CO2 and water vapor were measured at a rate of 10 Hz, and radiation at 1 Hz, together with other meteorological parameters. A rapid reduction in CO2 observed post-peak eclipse, due apparently to intense photosynthesis, appears similar to what happens at daybreak/post-sunrise. The increase in CO2 (4 ppm) during peak eclipse, with radiation levels falling below the photosynthesis cut-off for cassava, indicates domination of respiration due to the light-limiting conditions.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

References

  • Economou G, Christou ED, Giannakourou A, Gerasopoulos E, Kotoulas V, Lyra D, Tsakalis N, Tzortziou M, Vahamidis P, Papathanassiou E, Karamanos A (2008) Eclipse effects on field crops and marine zooplankton: the 29 March 2006 total solar eclipse. Atmos Chem Phys 8:4665–4676

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Shrakawy MA (2004) Cassava biology and physiology. Plant Mol Biol 56(4):481–501

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farquhar GD, Roderick M (2003) Pinatubo, diffuse light and the carbon cycle. Science 299:5615

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ham JM, Heilman JL, Lascano RJ (1990) Determination of soil water evaporation and transpiration from energy balance and stem flow measurements. Agric For Meteorol 52:287–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Indira P, Ravi V (1997) Photosynthesis and photorespiration in Cassava as influenced by leaf position, irradiance and Cassava mosaic disease. Plant Physiol Biochem 24(1):18–21

    Google Scholar 

  • Ravi V, James G, Latha R, Murthy BS, Dharamaraj T, Ravindran CS, Naskar SK (2010) Effect of the annular solar eclipse of 15 january 2010 on meteorological variables, photosynthetic electron transport rate and photosystem II efficiency of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz.). J. Root Crops 36:72–77

    Google Scholar 

  • Roderick M, Farquhar GD, Berry SL, Noble IR (1999) On the direct effect of clouds and atmospheric particle on the productivity and structure of vegetation. Oceologia 129:21–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steppe K, Lemeur R, Samson R (2002) Sap flow dynamics of a beech tree during the solar eclipse of 11 August 1999. Agric For Meteorol 112:3–4, 31 139–149

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsuno Y, Taniyama T, Suprato H (1983) The photosynthesis and estimation of productivity of Cassava. Jpn J Crop Sci 52:484–492

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Funding for this project came from the ISRO-CAWSES (India; project no. B.19013/15/2009-II) program. The authors are very grateful to one and all at CTCRI, Thiruvanathapuram, and our colleagues in IITM who helped out with the experiment.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pashan, Pune, 411008, India

    R. Latha & B. S. Murthy

Authors
  1. R. Latha
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B. S. Murthy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. Latha.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Latha, R., Murthy, B.S. Response of Cassava canopy to mid-day pseudo sunrise induced by solar eclipse. Int J Biometeorol 57, 645–648 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-012-0576-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-012-0576-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation