Theoretical model development and demonstration of cultivation technology by defoliation to improve water use efficiency in dryland agriculture

为了解决干旱地区的水和粮食短缺问题，我设计了农业做法，通过保护水资源和通过落叶增加作物的粮食产量来提高水的利用效率。在日本和国外进行了盆栽和田间试验，以证明脱叶的影响并阐明其理论。发现干旱胁迫下孕穗期去叶可以提高高粱籽粒产量。这可能与缓解不育性、通过高气孔导度维持光合速率以及增加同化物向穗部的分配有关。

To tackle water and food deficit in drylands, I devised agricultural practice to enhance water use efficiency with conserving water resources and increasing grain yield of crops by defoliation. Pot and field experiments were conducted in Japan and overseas to demonstrate the effects of defoliation and elucidate its theory. I found that defoliation in booting stage under drought stress can increase grain yield of sorghum. This increment may attribute to mitigation of sterility, maintenance of photosynthetic rate through high stomatal conductance, and allocation increase of assimilates to spike.