Quantifying and manipulating the angles of light in experimental measurements of plant gas exchange

• DOI: 10.1111/pce.14309
• Publication Date: 2022-03-17T02:59:15Z
• Authors: Z. Carter Berry; Jerry Larue; Gregory R. Goldsmith
• Keywords: 0106 biological sciences; 0301 basic medicine; photosynthesis; Diffuse light; LEDs; Botany; Plant Biology; 01 natural sciences; infrared gas analysis; 03 medical and health sciences; Technical Report; integrating sphere; Other Plant Sciences

Diffuse light has been shown to alter plant leaf photosynthesis, transpiration and water-use efficiency. Despite this, the angular distribution of for artificial sources used with common gas exchange systems is unknown. Here, we quantify from demonstrate use an integrating sphere manipulating those distributions. Among three different systems, a 90° angle perpendicular surface (±5.75°) was <25% total reaching surface. The resulted in greater range possible distributions predominantly direct (i.e., >40% 90 ± 5.75° surface) almost entirely diffuse even drawn nearly 0° horizontal angle). can thus create environments that more closely mimic variation sunlight under both clear cloudy conditions. In turn, proportions increased, decreased or did not change photosynthetic rates depending on species observed. This new tool should allow scientific community explore creative questions about function within context global climate change.