Abstract
The adaptive significance of the emergence mode ofDioscorea japonica was studied with respect to initial plant size (seed, bulbil and tuber) and light intensity, using mathematical simulation based on Yokoi's (1976) model.
Under 1.5% full sunlight conditions, plants emerging with only one leaf did not develop a shoot system throughout the growing period (Hori and Oshima, 1986). Simulation indicated that, for this species of plant under poor productive conditions, the optimal time for switch-over from the vegetative to reproductive growth phase to maximize the tuber weight at the end of the growing period, occurred immediately following the start of autotrophic growth. By means of shoot growth patterns, small and large size plants acquired the ability of shade tolerance and shade avoidance, respectively.
Further, the life history ofD. japonica could be expressed as a flow chart based on plant size and light intensity data.
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Hori, Y. Life history and population dynamics of the Japanese Yam,Dioscorea japonica Thunb.. Bot. Mag. Tokyo 102, 1–8 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02488108
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02488108