Photosynthetica 2013, 51(4):613-620 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-013-0062-x

Leaf area estimation in muskmelon by allometry

E. Misle1,*, B. Kahlaoui2, M. Hachicha2, P. Alvarado1
1 Faculty of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Curicó, Chile
2 Institut National de Recherches en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forêts, (INRGREF), Ariana, Tunisia

This study developed a method for estimating the leaf area (LA) of muskmelon by using allometry. The best linear measure was evaluated first, testing both a leaf length and width (W). Leaf samples were collected from plants grown in containers of different sizes, leaves of four cultivars, at different develpoment stages, and of different leaf sizes. Two constants of a power equation were determined for relating allometrically a linear leaf measure and LA, in a greenhouse crop. W proved to be a better fit than the leaf length. The maximum attainable W and LA were estimated at Wx = 15.4 cm and LAx = 174.1 cm2. The indicators of fit quality showed that the function was properly related to LA and W as: LA/LAx = Ao × (W/WLx)b; the allometric exponent was b = 1.89, where R 2 = 0.9809 (n = 484), the absolute sum of squares, 0.4584, and the standard deviation of residues, 0.03084, based on relative values calculations (LA/LA x and W/WLx). The relationship was not affected by the cultivar, crop age, leaf size or stress treatment in the seedling stage. The empirical value of allometric constant (A0) was estimated as 0.963.

Additional key words: allometric model; Cucumis melo L.; growth analysis; nondestructive methods

Received: June 5, 2012; Accepted: April 5, 2013; Published: December 1, 2013  Show citation

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Misle, E., Kahlaoui, B., Hachicha, M., & Alvarado, P. (2013). Leaf area estimation in muskmelon by allometry. Photosynthetica, 51(4), 613-620. doi: 10.1007/s11099-013-0062-x
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