Field studies of leaf gas exchanges in oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

Abstract

Several authors have been working on the C0 2 assimilation rate (A) in oil palm. Most of them have used young plants under laboratory conditions to study effects of photosynthetically active radiation (Corley et al., 1973; Hirsch, 1975), foliar temperature (Hong and Corley, 1976) or leaf water potential and stomatal conductance (Adjahossou, 1983). Only 2 experiments were conducted in the field: Bolle-Jones (1968) determined the amount of soluble sugars in 9 yr old leaflets and Corley (1983) observed the effects of leaf senescence on photosynthesis using the 14 CO 2method.