Studies on the productivity of tropical pasture plants. IV. Separation of photosynthetic and respiratory components of net assimilation rate by growth analysis and gas exchange techniques under natural lighting

The growth analysis technique for the separation of photosynthetic and respiratory components of net assimilation rate used in previous controlled environment studies of early vegetative growth was extended to natural lighting conditions. The use of short-wave radiation rather than days in the light as the quantification of photosynthetic opportunity in the regression analysis improved the accuracy of estimation of photosynthesis and respiration. In one experiment, concurrently with the growth analysis procedure, carbon dioxide exchange measurements were made on one grass and one legume. There was good agreement between the two methods in the estimates obtained. The data support conclusions from previous experiments concerning the superior growth rate of grasses. Species rankings were similar in both sets of experiments.