ADEL-maize: an L-system based model for the integration of growth processes from the organ to the canopy. Application to regulation of morphogenesis by light availability

ADEL-maize is a crop simulation model, whose specific feature is to consider the canopy as a set of individual plants. It combines a 3D model of maize development with physical models computing the microclimate on the 3D structure. Processes within the plant are described at the level of individual organs. We complemented the previous version of ADEL that simulated development as a function of temperature, with a module for the regulation of growth by dry matter availability. Dry matter production is based on the concept of light-use efficiency and allocation is a function of the sink strength of each organ, calculated according to organ sire and temperature. Validation against independent data sets demonstrates the ability of the model to simulate the effects of density on leaf development and, to a lesser extent; on stem development. Finally, we present and discuss some simulations of the development of variability between plant,. ((C) Inra/Elsevier, Paris.).