Physiological and molecular responses of maize and soybean to shade avoidances

避荫反应被认为是一种适应性的、可塑的反应，它提高了植物在自然环境中成功繁殖的可能性。然而，在农业环境中，作物植物在出现早期杂草物种时表达的这种避荫反应可能导致每株植物产生的种子数量的损失。这种种子数量的损失发生在没有任何对光、水或养分的直接竞争的情况下。造成这种潜在产量损失的生理机制尚不清楚。本提案中概述的研究将探讨解释这种产量损失的可能机制。这项研究强调了我们团队十多年来研究的延续，旨在确定杂草管理如何与作物生产力相互作用，以及如何利用这些知识来增加未来基因作物改良的机会。

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.