Radiation interception and leaf area index from foliage cover in diploid potato

• Published in: Agronomy journal 2020-07, Vol.112 (4), p.2805-2811
• Main Authors: Saldaña‐Villota, Tatiana M., Cotes‐Torres, José Miguel
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0002-1962; 1435-0645
• DOI: 10.1002/agj2.20241

The leaf area index (LAI) is defined as the proportion of leaf area per unit of land area. It is also considered as an essential factor in the crop's ability to capture solar energy. Direct methods of LAI estimation involve significant areas of cultivation and individually measuring the total leaf area, which is not an accurate method to assess the LAI in diploid potato (Solanum phureja Juz. et Buk.) cultivars. The objective of this study was to evaluate a practical method for determining the fractional radiation interception and the LAI based on the fractional foliage cover in diploid potato cultivars found using digital photographs and applying open‐source software. Then, we compared the results of this method with the results obtained using a canopy analyzer. The results obtained allow us to estimate foliage and obtain the fractional radiation interception properly, and with these two variables, it is possible to make reasonable estimates of the LAI. It is common to model the LAI, and from this value estimate, the fractional radiation interception. We propose to model the architecture of the plant to know how the diploid potato plant covers the soil in a given space and how much radiation it intercepts, then estimate LAI. This method of estimation would be the closest to the cultivation conditions. Foliage cover depends on the architecture, and the crop simulation model would approximate the plant architecture and not just biomass production and yield.