Virtual rice: simulating the development of plant architecture.

Information on the architecture and morphogenesis of plants is important in a range of research fields, such as in the development of ideotypes and direct-seeding techniques and for understanding competition against weeds and compensation for pest damage. Although several simulation models for predicting yield exist, there is no detailed model for simulating morphogenesis and plant architecture. In this study, the three-dimensional (3D) structure of plants was measured and the results were used to construct a virtual rice model that simulates morphogenesis and the development of plant architecture.