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| Home > Publications database > Structural properties of natural plant populations: assessing canopy traits with a novel software tool |
| Conference Presentation (Other) | FZJ-2015-00976 |
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2014
Abstract: Three-dimensional canopies form complex architectures with temporally and spatially changing leaf orientations. Variations in canopy structure are linked to canopy function and they occur within the scope of genetic variability as well as a reaction to environmental factor like light, water and nutrient supply, and stress. An important key measure to characterize these structural properties is the leaf angle distribution, which in turn requires the 3-dimensional knowledge on single leaf surface. A suitable approach is stereo imaging, which combines depth and color information and which is robust against wind and bright sun light. We developed a software package, which provides tools for the quantification of leaf surface properties within natural canopies via 3-d reconstruction from stereo images. Our approach includes a semi-automatic selection process of single leaves and different modes of surface characterization via polygon smoothing or surface model fitting. In a case study in the central experiment of CropSense.net at Campus Klein-Altendorf we monitored the seasonal development of sugar beet populations in order to investigate seasonal, genotypic and fertilization effects on leaf angle distributions. We could show that leaf angle distributions change during the course of the season with all varieties having a comparable development. Additionally, different varieties exhibited distinctive leaf angle orientation that could be separated in principle component analysis. In contrast nitrogen treatment had no effect on leaf angles. Stereo imaging together with the appropriate image processing tools is not only capable of retrieving the geometric leaf surface properties within a crop canopy, it also provides a basis for the analysis of other structural properties. We will show the potential with an example of fruit distributions and dimensions in apple orchards.
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