Crop growth and yield varies among locations due to differences in environmental parameters, such as temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation and vapor pressure deficit. Previous research has shown that increasing vapor pressure deficit has a negative effect on radiation use efficiency of many crops. In this study, the radiation use efficiency of cot-ton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) grown in two contrasting production environments, Arkansas and California, was evaluated for two years, in 2006 and 2007. Temperature, relative humidity, vapor pressure deficit and photosyntheti-cally active radiation were recorded at both locations. Although the crop in California accumulated more dry matter during the period of the study, the radiation use efficiency was found to be lower compared to Arkansas. Radiation use efficiency for the Arkansas and California locations was estimated at 2.060 and 1.518 g?MJ–1 of intercepted photosynthetically active radiation, respectively. The higher productivity observed in California can be attributed to larger amounts of incident and intercepted radiation in this location. Radiation use efficiency of cotton was estimated to decrease with increasing vapor pressure deficit by a slope of –0.47 g?MJ–1?kPa–1.
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