approximately 50% of both total leaf area and total leaf dry weight of the
plant, while the second (middle) leaf represents 33%. The AMAX, i.e. the
rate of leaf photosynthesis at light saturation, was 12.3 kg CH20 ha -1 h -1
for the bottom leaf and 10.2 kg CH20 ha -1 h-I for the second leaf. The
second leaf showed a small decrease in net photosynthesis rate at PAR of
200 J m -2 s -1 and higher. The AMAX of the bottom leaf is temperatureindependent
between 12 and 21°C, being 12.3 kg CH20 ha -1 h -1 . In the
temperature range 21--30 ° C, a decrease in AMAX of the bottom leaf was
observed from 12.3 kg to 8.2 kg CH20 ha -1 h-1.