Leaf Area Estimation of Radish from Simple Linear Measurements

Abstract

Accurate measurements of leaf area are important for agronomic and physiological studies. Determining individual leaf area (A) of radish ( Raphanus sativus L.) can involve measurements of leaf parameters such as length (L) and width (W) or combinations of these parameters. Two greenhouse experiments were carried out to compare models for radish leaf area estimation from simple linear measurements that were able to accommodate the effects of genetic material and nutrient solution concentration. Leaf area was predicted accurately from the product of L and W (R2=0.93 and MSE= 6.2 cm2), but this model was dependent on genetic material and nutrient solution concentration. The model became independent of nutrient solution concentrations and accessions when leaf length and width (L, W2) were added. The linear model having LW, W2 and L as an independent variable provided the most accurate estimation (R2=0.97, MSE= 3.8 cm2) of radish A irrespective of nutrient solution concentrations and accessions. Validation on leaves measured in the second experiment showed that the ratio between calculated and measured area was very high.