Decoding living systems: Reassessing crop model frontiers via biological dynamics and optimized phenotype
Fig 7
Phenotypic landscape explored by genetic algorithm optimization across four contrasting environments.
Each point represents a virtual cultivar evaluated through CERES-Rice simulation (n = 5,364). The HI-WUE index demonstrates strong correlation with grain yield (R² = 0.78–0.86, p 0.001), harvest index (R² = 0.88–0.97, p 0.001), and water use efficiency (R² = 0.86–0.93, p 0.001). Biomass, root architecture, and phenological timing exhibit negligible correlation (R² 0.08), revealing that efficiency optimization operates through assimilate partitioning rather than source accumulation. Complete correlation statistics in S2 Table (Supplementary Material).