PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND YIELD OF F ORAGE CROP LEGUMES ON THE DIFFERENCES OF LIGHT WAVELENGTH

Abstract

Experiment was aimed to investigate the effect of light wavelength on the leaf area and the content of chlorophyll, rate of photosynthesis and dry matter (DM) yield of forage crops (Puero, Pueraria phaseoloides; Calopo, Calopogonium muconoides and Sentro, Cenrrosema pubescenes). It was conducted in the green house, Forage Crops Science Laboratory, Faculty of Animal Agriculture, Diponegoro University, Semarang, INDONESIA. Split plot design with 3 replications was used to arrange the experiment. The main plot was (color/light wavelength) consists of poly chromatics, sunlight that was forwarded with uncolored paper (Poly), red (R), yellow (Y) and green (G). The sub plot was (forage crop legumes) consists of Puero (L1), Calopo (L2) and Sentro (L3). The leaf area and the content of chlorophylls, photosynthesis and DM yield of forage crop legumes were recorded throughout the experiments. The leaf area, content of chlorophyll and rate of photosynthesis were measured using the leaf area meter, spectrophotometer, and photosynthesis atomic absorption (PAA), respectively. Experiment resulted that the R (wavelength 660um) was higher, while Y at 580 um and G at 520 um were lower on the leaf area and the content of chlorophyll, rate of photosynthesis and DM yield compared to that of Poly.