The Contribution of Solar Brightening to the US Maize Yield Trend.

ABSTRACT: Predictions of crop yield under future climate change are predicated on historical yield trends^1-3, hence it is important to identify the contributors to historical yield gains and their potential for continued increase. The large gains in maize yield in the US Corn Belt have been attributed to agricultural technologies⁴, ignoring the potential contribution of solar brightening (decadal-scale increases in incident solar radiation) reported for much of the globe since the mid-1980s. In this study, using a novel biophysical/empirical approach, we show that solar brightening contributed approximately 27% of the US Corn Belt yield trend from 1984 to 2013. Accumulated solar brightening during the post-flowering phase of development of maize increased during the past 3 deca

SUBMITTER: Tollenaar M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6999786 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature