Plant architecture is important for light capture. In the field, plants compete with neighbours for light. In a competing system, game theory is needed to consider advantageous strategy (evolutionarily stable strategy; ESS). Yoshinaka et al. focus on a trade-off between lamina area and petiole length and analyse an evolutionarily stable petiole length in stands of […]

Plants usually compete with neighbouring plants for resources such as light as well as defend themselves against herbivorous insects. This requires investment of limiting resources, resulting in optimal resource distribution patterns and trade-offs between growth- and defence-related traits. A plant’s competitive success is determined by the spatial distribution of its resources in the canopy. de […]

Within-plant spatial variability in the production and demand for assimilates may have major implications for the formation of fruits. Gu et al. propose an FSP model for cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) based on local pools to quantify the variability of local carbohydrate availability within a plant. This model is plausible and simulates cotton performance effectively in […]

Transport of carbohydrates and water are essential aspects of plant functioning. This paper presents a novel approach for modelling these processes combining mathematical and computational methods. Seleznyova and Hanan have produced the first mechanistic transport model that is capable of simulating continuous distributions of the system variables in a complex developing structure. The model simulations […]

Robert et al. explore how canopy growth, spatial organization, and leaf senescence impact epidemics of wheat Septoria tritici blotch (STB) caused by Zymoseptoria tritici. Strikingly, the timing of leaf senescence is one of the most influential traits. When the green lifespan duration of leaves is reduced epidemics are strongly reduced. They introduce the notion of […]

Functional-structural plant modelling is an established approach to realistically represent plant growth, but testing and documenting realism beyond visual comparisons is challenging. We used elements of pattern-oriented modelling to test the realism of a new model of the annual growth module (AGM) of avocado (Persea americana, cv. Hass. Lauraceae). Wang et al. use seven patterns […]

This study presents a new model combining two wheat fungal diseases, caused by Zymoseptoria tritici (septoria) and Puccinia triticina (brown rust), with a functional-structural plant (FSP) model of wheat. Most epidemiological models focus on a single type of pathogen, ignoring the interactions between different fungal parasites competing on the same host and how properties of […]

Enhancement of light harvesting in annual crops has successfully led to yield increase and has been achieved by selecting plants with optimal canopy architecture for specific agronomic practices. In this simulation study, Perez et al. investigate potential improvements in light interception and carbon assimilation in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) under conventional agronomic conditions. A sensitivity […]

Ephemeral seagrasses provide important marine habitats, but are under threat due to human activity. Whitehead et al. develop a new functional-structural environmentally dependant model, in order to integrate existing knowledge of ephemeral seagrass growth dynamics and to assess potential management options, such as transplantation. The model is parameterised for a population of Halophila stipulacea (Hydrocharitaceae) […]

Louarn and Faverjon develop a generic model to account for the growth and development of herbaceous legume species with contrasting above- and below-ground architectures. The individual-based model (IBM) integrates plant responses to light, water and nitrogen and solves competition for multiple resources in a spatially explicit environment. The IBM’s behaviour was assessed on a range […]

There is limited knowledge on how variation in plastic responses plays a role in determining plant competitiveness. To address this issue, Bongers et al. combine experimentations and simulation modelling to test competitiveness for light in Arabidopsis thaliana growing in dense stands. Plant plasticity was represented by changes in leaf angle and petiole elongation in response […]

In many scenarios, water availability plays a determinant role in plant growth. Current functional-structural plant models (FSPs) mainly focus on plant-carbon relations and largely disregard the importance of plant-water relations. Coussement et al. adapted an existing water-flow and a storage model was made was for integration into FSPs. It applies explanatory concepts of water flow, […]