Physiological and molecular responses of maize and soybean to shade avoidances

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The shade avoidance response is considered to be an adaptive, plastic response that enhances the probability of successful reproduction of plants in natural environments. Within an agricultural environment, however, this shade avoidance response expressed by crop plants in the presence of early emerging weeds species can result in a loss in the number of seeds produced per plant. This loss in number of seeds produced occurs in the absence of any direct competition for light, water or nutrients. Physiological mechanisms that account for this potential yield loss are not understood. The research outlined in this proposal, will explore possible mechanisms to explain this yield loss. This research highlights the continuation of over ten years of research by our team aimed at determining how weed management interacts with crop productivity and how this knowledge can be used to enhance opportunities for future genetic crop improvement.