Morphogenetic Fields

The Rice Morphogenetic Field comprises highly complex biological, genetic, and structural mechanisms that govern the growth, form, and development of the rice plant. It encompasses the regulation of tissue organization, cell division, and environmental responses that shape plant architecture throughout both vegetative and reproductive stages.In this book, we first describe the phasic development of the rice plant, followed by a detailed analysis of the developmental pathways of major organs-leaves, roots, and spikelets-as well as specific organs and tissues. For each organ, we propose a dedicated developmental staging system.Second, we investigate the geometrical structure of the rice canopy with the aim of optimizing light penetration, photosynthetic activity, and yield in relation to breeding programs. A simple method for measuring leaf geometry is developed to assess environmental radiation interception and photosynthetic performance. Canopy structure is then incorporated into a simulation model to elucidate differences in plant architecture, including leaf, tiller, and panicle formation.