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Reaumuria genus (Tamaricaceae) is widely distributed across the desert and semi-desert regions of Northern China, playing a crucial role in the restoration and protection of desert ecosystems. Previous studies mainly focused on the physiological responses to environmental stresses; however, due to the limited availability of genomic information, the underlying mechanism of morphological and ecological differences among the Reaumuria species remains poorly understood. In this study, we presented the first catalog of expressed transcripts for R. kaschgarica, a sympatric species of xerophyte R. soongorica. We further performed the pair-wise transcriptome comparison to determine the conserved and divergent genes among R. soongorica, R. kaschgarica, and the relict recretohalophyte R. trigyna. Annotation of the 600 relatively conserved genes revealed that some common genetic modules are employed by the Reaumuria species to confront with salt and drought stresses in arid environment. Among the 250 genes showing strong signs of positive selection, eight pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) superfamily protein genes were specifically identified, including seven PPR genes in the R. soongorica vs. R. trigyna comparison and one PPR gene in the R. kaschgarica vs. R. trigyna comparison, while the cyclin D3 gene was found in the R. soongorica vs. R. trigyna comparison. These findings suggest that genetic variations in PPR genes may affect the fertility system or compromise the extent of organelle RNA editing in R. trigyna. The present study provides valuable genomic information for R. kaschgarica and preliminarily reveals the conserved genetic bases for the abiotic stress adaptation and interspecific divergent selection in the Reaumuria species. The rapidly evolved PPR and cyclin D3 genes provide new insights on the endangerment of R. trigyna and the leaf length difference among the Reaumuria species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The equations that use the product between L and W are the most suitable for predicting LA. • The linear and power models are the most suitable for estimating the leaf area of sweet potato cultivars;. • The proposed non-destructive method presents high accuracy for four sweet potato cultivars. Many researchers consider the leaf area the most critical parameter for plant growth and physiology studies. Using allometric equations is considered an effective and non-destructive method for estimating the leaf area of plants. The objectives of this study were to construct allometric equations to predict the leaf area of sweet potato cultivars as a function of leaf dimensions and to verify the effectiveness of the allometric equations constructed for each cultivar individually and for the grouped data. Two hundred fifty leaves of the sweet potato cultivars Beauregard, BRS Amélia, BRS Cuia, and Coquinho were collected, and then the length and width of each leaf were measured. Subsequently, the product between leaf length and width and the actual leaf area was calculated. Linear, linear without intercept, power, and exponential regression models were used to construct allometric equations to predict leaf area. The best equations were chosen according to the highest coefficients of determination and correlation, Willmott agreement index, and lowest Akaike information criterion and root mean square error. The equations obtained with the linear models without intercept and power using the length and width of the leaves were the most indicated for predicting the leaf area of sweet potato cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Leaf area (A) is a crucial indicator of the photosynthetic capacity of plants. The Montgomery equation (ME), which hypothesizes that A is proportional to the product of leaf length (L) and width (W), is a valid tool for non-destructively measuring A for many broadleaved plants. At present, the methods used to compute L and W for the ME can be broadly divided into two kinds: using computer recognition and measuring manually. However, the potential difference in the prediction accuracy using either method has not been thoroughly examined in previous studies. Methods In the present study, we measured 540 Alangium chinense leaves, 489 Liquidambar formosana leaves and 215 Liriodendron  ×  sinoamericanum leaves, utilizing computer recognition and manual measurement methods to determine L and W. The ME was used to fit the data determined by the two methods, and the goodness of fits were compared. The prediction errors of A were analysed by examining the correlations with two leaf symmetry indices (areal ratio of the left side to the right side, and standardized index for bilateral asymmetry), as well as the leaf shape complexity index (the leaf dissection index). Key Results The results indicate that there is a neglectable difference in the estimation of A between the two methods. This further validates that the ME is an effective method for estimating A in broadleaved tree species, including those with lobes. Additionally, leaf shape complexity significantly influenced the estimation of A. Conclusions These results show that the use of computer recognition and manual measurement in the field are both effective and feasible, although the influence of leaf shape complexity should be considered when applying the ME to estimate A in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the appropriate leaf length, leaf width and leaf weight range of high-quality cured tobacco leaves in Guangyuan and provide data support for the production of high-quality flue-cured tobacco in Guangyuan, 10 tobacco farmers with representative planting levels were selected to take 2 kg samples of X2F, C2F, C3F and B2F from 5 purchase lines in Jiangue County, Guangyuan City, Sichuan Province in 2021. The tobacco leaf quality was evaluated according to different leaf length width and single leaf weight. The results showed as follows; with the increase of leaf length, the contents of total sugar and reducing sugar in X2F, B2F tobacco decreased, and the contents of nicotine and potassium increased with the increase of C3F. The content of total sugar and reducing sugar increased gradually with the increase of leaf width. The content of total sugar in tobacco leaves of X2F and C3F grades increased with the increase of single leaf weight, while the content of potassium decreased. The total appearance quality of X2F increased first and then decreased with the increase of leaf width and single leaf weight. With the increase of leaf length, the total appearance quality of C2F and C3F increased gradually, and the total appearance quality was ranked from high to low as > 75 cm, 65-75 cm,>55-65 cm, ≤55 cm. With the increase of leaf length, leaf width and single leaf weight, the sensory quality scores of C2F, C3F and B2F mainly showed the trend of first increase and then decrease. With the increase of leaf length and width, the scores of C2F and B2F were firstly increased and then decreased. The comprehensive quality of X2F tobacco leaves was better when the leaf length was controlled at >50-60 cm, leaf width at 15-19 cm and single leaf weight at >7-11 g. When the leaf length of C2F was > 55-65 cm, the leaf width was >15-23 cm and the weight of single leaf was >9-13g, the comprehensive quality of C2F tobacco was better. When the leaf length of C3F was >65-75 cm, the leaf width was >15-23 cm and the single leaf weight was >8-12 g, the comprehensive quality of C3F tobacco was better. When the leaf length of B2F was controlled at >55-65 cm, the leaf width was controlled at >15-23 cm, and the single leaf weight was controlled at >9-15 g, the comprehensive quality of B2F tobacco was better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the suitable range of single leaf weight for tobacco in the upper part of Zhangjiajie City, taking the main cultivar K326 as the research object, different single leaf weight intervals were set, the relationship between single leaf weight and the main physical characteristics, sensory quality of tobacco was analyzed,the suitable single leaf weight was determined. The results showed that combining the effects of single leaf weight on the physical properties and sensory quality of tobacco leaves,the performance of tobacco leaves with the single leaf weight of 8-10,>10-12,>12-14 g,respectively at Gaofeng test site was better. The upper leaves with the single leaf weight of 8-10 and >10-12 g at Jiangya test site had better quality and higher availability. According to the correlation between leaf length and single leaf weight, the suitable leaf length for Zhangjiajie tobacco area could be obtained,the proportion of upper leaves with the leaf length of 51. 25-67. 82 cm at Gaofeng test site and the proportion of upper leaves with the leaf length of 51. 21-63. 13 cm at Jiangya test site could be used as the technical control targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: The importance of rapid, non-destructive, and accurate estimation of leaf area (LA) in agronomic and physiological studies is well known. The need for such estimates of leaf area in particular for leaves with unusual shapes has led to studies relating leaf dimensions and leaf area. However, a search of literature revealed that little information is available for short day onion (Allium cepa L.). The objective of this study was to develop a statistically validated regression model for leaf area prediction from simple non-destructive measurements for onion cultivated in the South of Iran. Materials and Methods: In order to prepare the required plant samples to measure leaf area parameters, an experiment was conducted in the cropping year 2020-2021 in a field of 300 square meters located in Hormozgan province-Rahdad district. The short-day cultivar Takii was used because of its wide planting area in the province. 40 leaves were chosen at random from plants growing in the farm, half were left for validation of the model and the other 20 leaves were subjected to measurement and calibration. The standard method (LICOR LI-3000C) was used for measuring the actual areas of the leaves. Before measuring the leaf area, two main parameters related to leaf length and width were accurately determined for each leaf. To select the best variables and the regression model for estimating leaf area, the fitted simple and multiple linear regression were subjected to the stepwise elimination method. Finally, the accuracy of the selected models was validated using the root mean square error (RMSE) and coefficient of determination (R2 ). Results: All linear models for estimation of leaf area with width (W) and length (L) as well as models including both variables were subjected to regression analysis. The results indicated that leaf length (L) is more appropriate variable for estimating onion leaf area and leaf width (W) was not able to properly describe leaf area. Based on the findings of this research leaf area estimation model with both W and L had the best prediction, with RMSE%=8.64, RMSE=1.76 and R2 =0.91. (Area=0.121 + 0.01537 L2 + 0.3225 L×W). Conclusion: As the understanding of plant growth and development has been increasing, such mathematical models will be very useful tools for the prediction of leaf area for many plants without the use of expensive devices. Thus, the models from the present study will enable researchers of plant growth modeling to predict leaf area non-destructively with the equations developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both climate and environment changes can lead to variations in leaf morphological traits within or among herbaceous species. However, evidence for leaf morphological traits of alpine herbaceous species shifts with elevations, particularly under climate warming, is scarce. A field experimental warming experiment was conducted to address these questions in alpine meadows on the Tibetan Plateau. We measured the leaf morphological traits including leaf length, leaf width, leaf perimeter, leaf area of alpine herbaceous species along a slope of the Nyenqing-Tanggula Mountain (from 4600 m to 5200 m) on the Tibetan Plateau. Our results revealed that warming greatly decreased plant cover, species richness, and plant biomass of alpine meadows, but had no significant effects on soil carbon and nutrients. Leaf area across warming and control treatments was on average larger in low-elevation alpine meadows, and smaller toward the high-elevation alpine meadows, with leaf length and length/width ratio significantly decreased with increasing elevations. Leaf area and leaf length were positively corelated with growing season air temperature and soil temperature, but had no significant relationship with growing season precipitation, soil moisture, and photosynthetically active radiation. The decreasing elevational pattern in leaf size could be mainly attributed to the decreasing in leaf length. In response to experimental warming, our results further revealed that leaf size tended to be larger in warming plots than control plots along the elevational gradient, and the warming effects on leaf size varied greatly with herbaceous species. However, warming greatly decreased community-weighted means leaf area in mid-elevations, but increased that in both lower and higher elevations, which were mainly due to warming-induced variations in species richness and plant coverage. Our findings will fill the knowledge gap and provided valuable observational evidence in exploring elevational pattern of leaf size in Tibetan alpine meadows.

Leaf area of dried Flue-cured tobacco is a reflection of climate and stage of growth of fresh tobacco in field; it also serves as the foundation for calculating a number of significant physical properties of tobacco. So the purpose of this paper was to establish a model to estimate the leaf area of dried Flue-cured tobacco in China from linear dimensions. Three Hundred eight tobacco leaves from different growing area and stalk position were sampled randomly and separated for model selection among linear, proportional and power model type and external evaluation individually. Results showed that there was a significant and strong correlation between leaf area and length×width, The equation LA = 0.495(L×W), where LA is the leaf area and L×W is the product of leaf length and width, was optimum and adequate for the estimation of leaf area of dried tobacco in China examined by Fisher’s test, Akaike delta information criterion (AIC) and Bayesian information criterion (BIC). Growing area and stalk position had minor effect on the parameter before (L×W). The equation can sufficiently predict the area of leaf for external evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-fertilizers are in the present more and more of interest as alternative nutritive inputs. This research aim was to test different doses of yeast and caffeine on pepper growth and chlorophyll content. The experiment in controlled conditions consisted of 8 phytocosms treatments with 3 yeast and caffeine doses 1%, 2%, and 3%, one mixed treatment (2%), and the control treatment in five replications. The yeast addition promoted all the tested morphological parameters especially the middle dose tested. Caffeine treatments induced a slow growth of pepper vegetative period, even a delayed development compared with the control treatment. In conclusion, the mixed treatment was the most efficient pepper bio-fertilizer and provided the highest values of leaf length, width, seedling height, and also total chlorophyll content.

Premise: Variation in fruit and seed traits could originate from selection pressures exerted by frugivores or other ecological factors (adaptive hypotheses) and developmental constraints (by‐product hypotheses) or chance. Methods: We evaluated fruit and leaf traits for nearly 850 plant species from a rainforest in Tinigua Park, Colombia. Through a series of linear regressions controlling for the phylogenetic signal of the traits (minimum N = 542), we tested (1) whether the allometry between seed width and length depends on seed dispersal system (Mazer and Wheelwright's adaptive hypothesis of allometry for species dispersed in the guts of animals = endozoochory) and (2) whether fruit length is associated with leaf length (i.e., Herrera's by‐product hypothesis derived from the assumption that both organs develop from homologous structures). Results: We found a strong negative allometric association between seed width and length for seeds of endozoochorous species, as expected; but also, for anemochorous species. We found a positive relationship between fruit and leaf length, but this relationship was not evident for zoochorous species. Fruit size was highly correlated with seed size. Conclusions: The allometry between seed length and width varied among dispersal systems, supporting that fruit and seed morphology has been modified by interactions with frugivores and by the possibility to rotate for some wind dispersed species. We found some support for the hypothesis on developmental constraints because fruit and leaf size were positively correlated, but the predictive power of the relationship was low (10–15%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ciência Florestal (01039954) is the property of Ciencia Florestal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Morphological changes of sugar beet leaves in vegetative growth were monitored in the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons. In both years leaf samples were collected on 6 dates from late May to September at 20-day intervals, therefore more than 12,000 leaves were measured. On 20 August, the most common leaf length (309 leaves) ranged from 48.7 to 51.3 cm, petiole length was between 20.0 and 21.7 cm (274 leaves) and single leaf area (278 leaves) was between 117 and 139 cm² (278 leaves). The most common leaf blade width was recorded on 10 July, and it ranged from 10.1 to 10.8 cm (279 leaves). Linear regression showed a highly significant relation¬ship for leaf blade length and leaf area (R² = 0.55, p <0.001), leaf blade width and leaf area (R² = 0.87, p < 0.001) and leaf petiole length and leaf area (R² = 0.18, p <0.001). Thus, leaf blade width was the best parameter for predicting leaf area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is increasingly a popular vegetable salad, especially in the tropics where it is reputed for providing health benefits such as lowering cholesterol levels, fighting insomnia, preventing growth of cancerous cells and providing antioxidants. In Uganda, its yields are suboptimal, reportedly due to poor agronomic practices. The objective of this study was to determine the optimum combination of planting density and mulching of red-leaf lettuce under Uganda field conditions. A field experiment was conducted at the Agromax Uganda Limited farm in Kampala in 2018. The study involved two treatments, namely mulching using black polythene and varying intra-row spacing (15, 25 and 35 cm), all against inter-row spacing of 40 cm. The treatments were laid out in a split plot arrangement, in a randomised complete block design, with three replications. The main plot factor was mulching; while the subplot treatment was plant spacing. The interaction effect of plant spacing and mulching with polythene was significant (P<0.05) on plant heights, number of leaves per plant, leaf length and breadth, and fresh weight. Mulching at the widest intra-row spacing (35 cm) resulted in shorter plants (22.9 cm) with the highest leaf numbers per plant (23.6), longest and widest leaves (21.8 and 19.5 cm, respectively); and consequently the highest fresh yield (381.3 g m-2). It is, therefore, prudent that this plant spacing and plastic mulching be on a wider scale to validate the results across the country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the years, advances in technological and computational procedures have been made available for studies on plant morphology and physiology, and the cross-checking between the oldest and most recent information available in the literature is an important way to consolidate scientific knowledge. Due to its economic importance, studies on leaf allometry of Coffea arabica genotypes have been published in the last 50 years, making it an excellent model plant for comparing the technological advances in data collection and analysis for the development of individual leaf area prediction models. We conducted a study aiming the comparison of four allometric models available in the literature with a new allometric model from a simple linear regression with Bayesian statistics adjustment based on Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) to estimate the individual leaf area (LA) of two C. arabica genotypes. All leaves of six plants belonging to two cultivars ('Catuaí Vermelho' IAC44 and 'Catucaí Vermelho' 19/08) with approximately 1 year old were collected (n = 563). Measurements of length of leaf blade, width and LA were obtained from scanned images, using the software ImageJ. For regressions between observed and predicted LA, all the models available in the literature presented high coefficients of determination (R2), very low root-mean-square errors (RMSE) and very similar values for the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC). As expected, for regressions between observed and predicted LA our Bayesian regression model presented lower values of RMSE and AIC than the previous models proposed in the literature. Despite technological advances and the development of new computational procedures, all models tested in this study provided highly accurate predictions of the LA for C. arabica genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The estimative of the leaf area using a nondestructive method is paramount for successive evaluations in the same plant with precision and speed, not requiring high-cost equipment. Thus, the objective of this work was to construct models to estimate leaf area using artificial neural network models (ANN) and regression and to compare which model is the most effective model for predicting leaf area in sesame culture. A total of 11,000 leaves of four sesame cultivars were collected. Then, the length (L) and leaf width (W), and the actual leaf area (LA) were quantified. For the ANN model, the parameters of the length and width of the leaf were used as input variables of the network, with hidden layers and leaf area as the desired output parameter. For the linear regression models, leaf dimensions were considered independent variables, and the actual leaf area was the dependent variable. The criteria for choosing the best models were: the lowest root of the mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and absolute mean percentage error (MAPE), and higher coefficients of determination (R2). Among the linear regression models, the equation yˆ=0.515+0.584*LW was considered the most indicated to estimate the leaf area of the sesame. In modeling with ANNs, the best results were found for model 2-3-1, with two input variables (L and W), three hidden variables, and an output variable (LA). The ANN model was more accurate than the regression models, recording the lowest errors and higher R2 in the training phase (RMSE: 0.0040; MAE: 0.0027; MAPE: 0.0587; and R2: 0.9834) and in the test phase (RMSE: 0.0106; MAE: 0.0029; MAPE: 0.0611; and R2: 0.9828). Thus, the ANN method is the most indicated and accurate for predicting the leaf area of the sesame.

Sorghum is one of the most adaptable and undemanding forage crops cultivated in arid zones. The crop is characterized with high quality foliage, which can be used in fodder production in various forms (both in single-crop silage and in multi-crop mixtures). The purpose of the current study was to estimate the variability of the main productivity elements of sweet sorghum green mass depending on weather indicators. The initial material was presented by 180 collection samples of sweet sorghum from Russia, the USA and Ukraine. There have been used conventional breeding methods, such as hybridization, selection and inbreeding. The weather conditions during the study years of 2017–2021 were contrasting. The hydrothermal coefficient for the vegetation period of sorghum indicates that the year of 2018 was the driest one (HThC = 0.38). The variability coefficient of collection samples of sweet sorghum according to green mass productivity has shown a strong variability of this indicator (V = 27–35%). The green mass productivity had a close direct correlation with the length of a leaf (0.73±0.05) and an average correlation with its width (0.61±0.06). The variability coefficient has shown that the samples of sorghum collection had an average variability according to the traits ‘leaf length’ (V = 15.3%) and ‘leaf width’ (V = 11.8%), and were stable according to the trait ‘number of leaves per plant’ (V = 7.4%). Correlation and regression analysis has shown that ‘leaf length’ had an average inverse correlation with air temperature (r = –0.42±0.06) and a strong direct correlation with precipitation (r = 0.78±0.05). The trait ‘leaf width’ is practically independent of weather conditions. The number of leaves had an average negative correlation with air temperature (r = –0.55±0.06), and a weak correlation with amount of precipitation. A leaf length and width are marker indicators of high productivity, so they can be used in plant selection for productivity.

The recent availability of open‐access repositories of functional traits has revolutionized trait‐based approaches in ecology and evolution. Nevertheless, the underrepresentation of tropical regions and lineages remains a pervasive bias in plant functional trait databases, which constrains large‐scale assessments of plant ecology, evolution, and biogeography. Here, we present MelastomaTRAITs 1.0, a comprehensive and updatable database of functional traits for the pantropical Melastomataceae, the ninth‐largest angiosperm family with 177 genera and more than 5800 species. Melastomataceae encompass species with a wide diversity of growth forms (herbs, shrubs, trees, epiphytes, and woody climbers), habitats (including tropical forests, savannas, grasslands, and wetlands from sea level to montane areas above the treeline), ecological strategies (from pioneer, edge‐adapted and invasive species to shade‐tolerant understory species), geographic distribution (from microendemic to continental‐wide distribution), reproductive, pollination, and seed dispersal systems. MelastomaTRAITs builds on 581 references, such as taxonomic monographs, ecological research, and unpublished data, and includes four whole‐plant traits, six leaf traits, 11 flower traits, 18 fruit traits, and 27 seed traits for 2520 species distributed in 144 genera across all 21 tribes. Most data come from the Neotropics where the family is most species‐rich. Miconieae (the largest tribe) contains the highest number of trait records (49.6%) and species (41.1%) records. The trait types with the most information in the database were whole‐plant traits, flowers, and leaf traits. With the breadth of functional traits recorded, our database helps to fill a gap in information for tropical plants and will significantly improve our capacity for large‐scale trait‐based syntheses across levels of organization, plant–animal interactions, regeneration ecology, and thereby support conservation and restoration programs. There are no copyright restrictions on the dataset; please cite this data paper when reusing the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seagrasses create three-dimensional habitats (i.e. meadows) of paramount conservation relevance, which are distributed across large spatial scales, under varying environmental conditions. Cymodocea nodosa (Ucria) Ascherson is a warm-temperate seagrass, distributed along the entire Mediterranean and the adjacent Atlantic Ocean. As with many seagrasses, this species shows an annual (seasonal) pattern in canopy vitality, with maximums in leaf canopy structure (e.g. shoot density and leaf length) in spring-summer, while canopy leaf structure is reduced in winter. Since this seagrass experiences varying environmental (e.g. thermal) scenarios across its distribution range, we tested whether annual (seasonal) variation in the leaf canopy structure, in terms of shoot density, leaf length and above-ground biomass, are modulated by local environmental (here, thermal) variation. Annual variation in the shoot density of C. nodosa across its distribution range was not predicted by local environmental regimes (thermal regimes, in terms of variation in sea surface temperature, SST). However, annual variation in leaf length and biomass was significantly predicted by variation in local thermal regimes. A larger annual environmental variation, here in terms of SST, was connected with a more marked seasonal variation in leaf canopy structure, both in terms of leaf length and biomass. If a major effect of climate change is an increase in environmental variation, an increase in the annual leaf canopy variation for C. nodosa meadows along its distribution range might be expected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bio-fertilizers are in the present more and more of interest as alternative nutritive inputs. This research aim was to test different doses of yeast and caffeine on pepper growth and chlorophyll content. The experiment in controlled conditions consisted of 8 phytocosms treatments with 3 yeast and caffeine doses 1%, 2%, and 3%, one mixed treatment (2%), and the control treatment in five replications. The yeast addition promoted all the tested morphological parameters especially the middle dose tested. Caffeine treatments induced a slow growth of pepper vegetative period, even a delayed development compared with the control treatment. In conclusion, the mixed treatment was the most efficient pepper bio-fertilizer and provided the highest values of leaf length, width, seedling height, and also total chlorophyll content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf size varies conspicuously within and among species under different environments. However, it is unclear how leaf size would change with elevation, whether there is a general elevational pattern, and what determines the altitudinal variation of leaf size. We thus aimed to address these questions by focusing on the broad-leaved herbaceous species at high altitudes on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. We measured the leaf size, leaf length, leaf width and leaf mass per area for 39 broad-leaved herbaceous species inhabited in the open areas along two mountain slopes from 3200 to 4400 m at the Lenglongling and the Daban Mountain, the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. We analyzed the altitudinal patterns in leaf size in relation to leaf inclination and leaf surface features, and applied a leaf energy balance model to discuss the underlying mechanisms. Leaf size decreased significantly at higher altitudes. The altitudinal reduction of leaf size was mainly attributed to the reduction of leaf length, and differed in different species, and in leaves with different inclination and leaf surface features. A leaf energy balance model with local environmental measurements demonstrates that leaf temperature tracks air temperature more closely in small than in large leaves, and that the leaf-size impact is stronger at higher latitudes. Based on the observational findings, we propose that the distribution upper-limit for broad-leaved herbaceous species would be at an elevation of about 5400 m on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This data paper summarizes the data of a first survey of terrestrial ferns at Mashpi Biodiversity Reserve, an Ecuadorian Chocó forest relict, one of the most biodiverse areas in the world. We established 10 permanent plots of 400 m2 distributed in two elevational levels (800 and 1000 m a.s.l.) to register all species per plot and the abundance per species. In addition, we measured two morphological leaf functional traits of the species. We include a file with three tables, the first one includes a species list with scientific names and vouchers. The second one includes the abundance of each species per plot. The third one contains measurements of the leaf length and leaf thickness of several leaf samples of 28 species, representing the leaf functional traits of the species. This article also includes a table with coordinates and elevations of the plots and five figures with information about the number of genus and species per family, geographic location of plots and, the methodology for data collection. These data can be useful for plant ecologists to assess future changes of fern species composition and leaf functional traits of ferns caused by climate change and other threats at the study area.

In tasar host plants, estimation of leaf area is essential to evaluate and characterize the gene bank accessions for selecting suitable parental plants for crop improvement programme as well as to estimate the probable foliage area available at a given point of time prior to start silkworm rearing and also for studying plant canopy structure after pruning. Leaf area measurements usually done by sophisticated instruments or by manual method (graph sheet tracing) in which cost and laboriousness are limiting factors. To overcome these difficulties, an attempt was made to measure leaf area of Arjun, Asan and Jarul by utilizing a mobile app -"Petiole" with least expenditure coupled with high precision and to develop a model for leaf area estimation by regression equation. Fully expanded matured leaves from 6-12th, 8-12th and 6-8th position from shoot tip in Ajun, Asan and Jarul, respectively, were collected from the randomly selected branches of field grown plants in 10' x 6' spacing of the Farm section of CTRTI, Ranchi. Keeping 30 leaves per replication a total of 90 leaves in each species were considered for this study. Leaf morpho-metric parameters viz., maximum lamina length (L), width (W) and their squares L2, B2, leaf area and lamina length x width (L x B) were recorded from each sampled leaves. Correlation and regression analysis has been done and species specific regression equation has been developed, which is useful to estimate leaf area of these tasar host plants in a non-destructive manner with low input cost and high precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf shape and size can vary between hybrids and their parents. However, this has seldom been quantitatively tested. Photinia × fraseri is an important landscaping plant in East Asia as a hybrid between evergreen shrubs P. glabra and P. serratifolia. Its leaf shape looks like that of P. serratifolia. To investigate leaf shape, we used a general equation for calculating the leaf area (A) of broad-leaved plants, which assumes a proportional relationship between A and product of lamina length (L) and width (W). The proportionality coefficient (which is referred to as the Montgomery parameter) serves as a quantitative indicator of leaf shape, because it reflects the proportion of leaf area A to the area of a rectangle with L and W as its side lengths. The ratio of L to W, and the ellipticalness index were also used to quantify the complexity of leaf shape for elliptical leaves. A total of >4000 leaves from P. × fraseri and P. serratifolia (with >2000 leaves for each taxon) collected on a monthly basis was used to examine: (i) whether there is a significant difference in leaf shape between the two taxa, and (ii) whether there is a monotonic or parabolic trend in leaf shape across leaf ages. There was a significant difference in leaf shape between the two taxa (p < 0.05). Although there were significant differences in leaf shape on a monthly basis, the variation in leaf shape over time was not large, i.e., leaf shape was relatively stable over time for both taxa. However, the leaf shape of the hybrid was significantly different from its parent P. serratifolia, which has wider and more elliptical leaves than the hybrid. This work demonstrates that variations in leaf shape resulting from hybridization can be rigorously quantified and compared among species and their hybrids. In addition, this work shows that leaf shape does not changes as a function of age either before or after the full expansion of the lamina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research (TURKAGER) is the property of Publisher Ebubekir Altuntas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Barkworth and D.R. Dewey) is an important, highly salt-tolerant C3 forage grass. The objective of this work was to learn about the ecophysiological responses of accessions from different environmental origins under drought and salinity conditions, to provide information for selecting superior germplasm under combined stress in tall wheatgrass. Four accessions (P3, P4, P5, P9) were irrigated using combinations of three salinity levels (0, 0.1, 0.3 M NaCl) and three drought levels (100%, 50%, 30% water capacity) over 90 days in a greenhouse. The control treatment showed the highest total biomass, but water-use efficiency (WUE), δ13C, proline, N concentration, leaf length, and tiller density were higher under moderate drought or/and salinity stress than under control conditions. In tall wheatgrass, K+ functions as an osmoregulator under drought, attenuated by salinity, and Na+ and Cl− function as osmoregulators under salinity and drought, while proline is an osmoprotector under both stresses. P3 and P9, from environments with mild/moderate stress, prioritized reproductive development, with high evapotranspiration and the lowest WUE and δ13C values. P4 and P5, from more stressful environments, prioritized vegetative development through tillering, showing the lowest evapotranspiration, the highest δ13C values, and different mechanisms for limiting transpiration. The δ13C value, leaf biomass, tiller density, and leaf length had high broad-sense heritability (H2), while the Na+/K+ ratio had medium H2. In conclusion, the combined use of the δ13C value, Na+/K+ ratio, and canopy structural variables can help identify accessions that are well-adapted to drought and salinity, also considering the desirable plant characteristics. Tall wheatgrass stress tolerance could be used to expand forage production under a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological leaf traits are frequently used to quantify, understand and predict plant and vegetation functional diversity and ecology, including environmental and climate change responses. Although morphological leaf traits are easy to measure, their coverage for characterising variation within species and across temporal scales is limited. At the same time, there are about 3100 herbaria worldwide, containing approximately 390 million plant specimens dating from the 16th to 21st century, which can potentially be used to extract morphological leaf traits. Globally plant specimens are rapidly getting digitised, and images are made openly available via various biodiversity data platforms such as iDigBio and GBIF. Based on a pilot study to identify the availability and appropriateness of herbarium specimen images for comprehensive trait data extraction, we developed a spatio-temporal dataset on intraspecific trait variability containing 128,036 morphological leaf trait measurements for seven selected species. After scrutinizing the metadata of digitised herbarium specimen images available from iDigBio and GBIF (21.9 million and 31.6 million images for Tracheophyta; accessed date December 2020), we identified approximately 10 million images potentially appropriate for our study. From the 10 million images, we selected seven species (Salix bebbiana Sarg., Alnus incana (L.) Moench, Viola canina L., Salix glauca L., Chenopodium album L., Impatiens capensis Meerb., Solanum dulcamara L.), which have a simple leaf shape, are well represented in space and time, and have high availability of specimens per species. We downloaded 17,383 images. Out of these, we discarded 5779 images due to quality issues. The remaining 11,604 images were used to measure the area, length, width and perimeter on 32,009 individual leaf blades using the semi-automated tool TraitEx. The resulting dataset contains 128,036 trait records.We demonstrate its comparability to trait data measured in natural environments following standard protocols by comparing trait values from the TRY database. We conclude that the herbarium specimens provide valuable information on leaf sizes. The dataset created in our study, by extracting leaf traits from the digitised herbarium specimen images of seven selected species, is a promising opportunity to improve ecological knowledge about the adaptation of size-related leaf traits to environmental changes in space and time.

Abstract Background Leaf length and width could be a functioning relationship naturally as plant designs. Single-vein leaves have the simplest symmetrical distribution and structural design, which means that fast-growing single-vein species could interpret the scheme more efficiently. The distribution of leaf length and width can be modulated for better adaptation, providing an informative perspective on the various operational strategies in an emergency, while this mechanism is less clear. Here we selected six age groups of Cunninghamia lanceolata pure forests, including saplings, juveniles, mature, and old-growth trees. We pioneered a tapering model to describe half-leaf symmetric distribution with mathematical approximation based on every measured leaf along developmental sequence, and evaluated the ratio of leaf basal part length to total length (called tipping leaf length ratio). Results The tipping leaf length ratio varied among different tree ages. That means the changes of tipping leaf length ratio and leaf shape are a significant but less-noticed reflection of trees tradeoff strategies at different growth stages. For instance, there exhibited relatively low ratio during sapling and juvenile, then increased with increasing age, showing the highest value in their maturity, and finally decreased on mature to old-growth transition. The tipping leaf length ratio serves as a cost-benefit ratio, thus the subtle changes in the leaf symmetrical distribution within individuals reveal buffering strategy, indicating the selection for efficient design of growth and hydraulic in their developmental sequences. Conclusions Our model provides a physical explanation of varied signatures for tree operations in hydraulic buffering through growth stages, and the buffering strategy revealed from leaf distribution morphologically provides evidence on the regulation mechanism of leaf biomechanics, hydraulics and physiologies. Our insight contributes greatly to plant trait modeling, policy and management, and will be of interest to some scientists and policy makers who are involved in climate change, ecology and environment protection, as well as forest ecology and management.

Summary: Cellular and genetic understanding of the rice leaf size regulation is limited, despite rice being the staple food of more than half of the global population. We investigated the mechanism controlling the rice leaf length using cultivated and wild rice accessions that remarkably differed for leaf size.Comparative transcriptomics, gibberellic acid (GA) quantification and leaf kinematics of the contrasting accessions suggested the involvement of GA, cell cycle and growth‐regulating factors (GRFs) in the rice leaf size regulation. Zone‐specific expression analysis and VIGS established the functions of specific GRFs in the process.The leaf length of the selected accessions was strongly correlated with GA levels. Higher GA content in wild rice accessions with longer leaves and GA‐induced increase in the leaf length via an increase in cell division confirmed a GA‐mediated regulation of division zone in rice. Downstream to GA, OsGRF7 and OsGRF8 function for controlling cell division to determine the rice leaf length.Spatial control of cell division to determine the division zone size mediated by GA and downstream OsGRF7 and OsGRF8 explains the leaf length differences between the cultivated and wild rice. This mechanism to control the rice leaf length might have contributed to optimizing leaf size during domestication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Objectives] To explore the genetic mechanism that leaf length and leaf width in bitter gourd has realistic guiding significance for formulating breeding strategy. [Methods] In this paper, the cross was made between CN19-1 and Thai4-6 and an F2 segregation population was constructed. The genetic characteristics of leaf length and leaf width were analyzed by employing the major gene plus polygene mixed genetic model. [Results] The data analysis results demonstrated that the leaf length and leaf width of the F2 segregation population showed continuous distribution. The optimum model for leaf length genetic analysis was A-l, the additive effect value of the major gene was 3.176 6, the dominant effect value was -3.176 6, and the heritability was 74.51%. The optimum model for leaf width genetic analysis was B-l. The additive effect values of 2 pairs of major genes controlling the leaf width were 3.191 7 and 0.962 3, respectively. The dominant effect values were - 1.313 5 and -0.346 3, respectively. The additive x additive interaction effect was -0.359 1, the additive x dominant interaction effect was -0.257 0, the dominant x additive interaction effect was 1.991 6, the dominant x dominant interaction effect was 1.968 6. The heritability of major genes was 96.67%. [Conclusions] This study is expected to provide a theoretical basis for the breeding of bitter gourd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Leaf size has considerable ecological relevance, making it desirable to obtain leaf size estimations for as many species worldwide as possible. Current global databases, such as TRY, contain leaf size data for ~30 000 species, which is only ~8% of known species worldwide. Yet, taxonomic descriptions exist for the large majority of the remainder. Here we propose a simple method to exploit information on leaf length, width and shape from species descriptions to robustly estimate leaf areas, thus closing this considerable knowledge gap for this important plant functional trait. Methods Using a global dataset of all major leaf shapes measured on 3125 leaves from 780 taxa, we quantified scaling functions that estimate leaf size as a product of leaf length, width and a leaf shape-specific correction factor. We validated our method by comparing leaf size estimates with those obtained from image recognition software and compared our approach with the widely used correction factor of 2/3. Key Results Correction factors ranged from 0.39 for highly dissected, lobed leaves to 0.79 for oblate leaves. Leaf size estimation using leaf shape-specific correction factors was more accurate and precise than estimates obtained from the correction factor of 2/3. Conclusion Our method presents a tractable solution to accurately estimate leaf size when only information on leaf length, width and shape is available or when labour and time constraints prevent usage of image recognition software. We see promise in applying our method to data from species descriptions (including from fossils), databases, field work and on herbarium vouchers, especially when non-destructive in situ measurements are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the effect of compensatory behavior of planting density, corm weight and planting depth on vegetative characteristics and yield of saffron stigma (Crocus sativus L.), a factorial split plot experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted in the Khorasan Razavi Agriculture and natural resources Research and education Center (Gonabad Research Station) during the three cropping years 2018-2020. In this study, planting density treatment (four levels of 60, 90, 120 and 150 corms per square meter) was considered as the main plots and factorial of planting depth (two levels of 15±2 and 25±2 cm from the soil surface) and corm weight (two Levels 4± 1 and 8 ± 1 gr) were considered as the subplots. The results showed that density increasing caused a significant increase in yield (p <0.05) and the other studied traits. On the based of these, increasing density from 60 to 150 corms per square meter increased the number of flowers and stigma dry weight by 174 and 192 percent in the first year, 100 and 109 percent in the second year, 128 and 129 percent in the third year, respectively. The results also showed that increasing corm weight from 4 to 8 g increased flower number and stigma dry weight by 133 and 138% in the first year, 14 and 15% in the second year respectively, but decreased by 10 and 10% in the third year. Based on the results of this study, increasing the planting depth from 15 to 25 cm reduced the stigma yield and other traits of saffron. The effect of dual and triple interactions on the studied traits was mainly significant. Overall, the results showed that the use of larger mother corms has a higher priority only in the early years and its importance decreases with increasing farm age. It seems that in a different strategy, more profit can be achieved by planting less corm weight (i.e.lower costs) and its effect compensation via a combination of less depth and especially more density (i.e. higher yield and income). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf shape and size can vary between hybrids and their parents. However, this has seldom been quantitatively tested. Photinia × fraseri is an important landscaping plant in East Asia as a hybrid between evergreen shrubs P. glabra and P. serratifolia. Its leaf shape looks like that of P. serratifolia. To investigate leaf shape, we used a general equation for calculating the leaf area (A) of broad-leaved plants, which assumes a proportional relationship between A and product of lamina length (L) and width (W). The proportionality coefficient (which is referred to as the Montgomery parameter) serves as a quantitative indicator of leaf shape, because it reflects the proportion of leaf area A to the area of a rectangle with L and W as its side lengths. The ratio of L to W, and the ellipticalness index were also used to quantify the complexity of leaf shape for elliptical leaves. A total of >4000 leaves from P. × fraseri and P. serratifolia (with >2000 leaves for each taxon) collected on a monthly basis was used to examine: (i) whether there is a significant difference in leaf shape between the two taxa, and (ii) whether there is a monotonic or parabolic trend in leaf shape across leaf ages. There was a significant difference in leaf shape between the two taxa (p < 0.05). Although there were significant differences in leaf shape on a monthly basis, the variation in leaf shape over time was not large, i.e., leaf shape was relatively stable over time for both taxa. However, the leaf shape of the hybrid was significantly different from its parent P. serratifolia, which has wider and more elliptical leaves than the hybrid. This work demonstrates that variations in leaf shape resulting from hybridization can be rigorously quantified and compared among species and their hybrids. In addition, this work shows that leaf shape does not changes as a function of age either before or after the full expansion of the lamina.

Background Morphological leaf traits are frequently used to quantify, understand and predict plant and vegetation functional diversity and ecology, including environmental and climate change responses. Although morphological leaf traits are easy to measure, their coverage for characterising variation within species and across temporal scales is limited. At the same time, there are about 3100 herbaria worldwide, containing approximately 390 million plant specimens dating from the 16th to 21st century, which can potentially be used to extract morphological leaf traits. Globally, plant specimens are rapidly being digitised and images are made openly available via various biodiversity data platforms, such as iDigBio and GBIF. Based on a pilot study to identify the availability and appropriateness of herbarium specimen images for comprehensive trait data extraction, we developed a spatio-temporal dataset on intraspecific trait variability containing 128,036 morphological leaf trait measurements for seven selected species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Ecuador, the favorable climatic and ecological conditions allow small, médium and large producers to dedícate themselves to the exploitation of bananas and plantains. Inthe case of the orito, it is a special fruit, of great acceptance for its flavor and aroma. The plantations are found as monocultures in some cases and in others, as associations that are interspersed with different fruit species and timber trees. The different banana species reproduce asexually from vegetative fractions. On the other hand, the use of organic fertilizers is due to the fact that they are a source of bacterial life for the soil and are necessary for the nutrition of plants. They are obtained from the degradation and mineralization of organic materials (manure, kitchen waste, etc.). The different types of bioles are prepared with different manures that must be fermented for two to three months in a plástic container, it is a fertilizer that allows to replace a large part of chemical fertilizers. With this background, the present investigation aimed to evalúate the effect of two liquid organic fertilizers (worm manure liquid based on cow dung (HLV) and beef manure tea (TEV) at a concentration of 75% on the development of corms of orito (Musa acuminata AA) to obtain plants in a fast way and establish cash crops for the conditions of Cantón Cumandá province of Chimborazo The trial was conducted in a randomized blocks design with 3 treatments and 3 repetitions. root mass in g (PMR), root volume in mi (VR), root length in cm (LR), leaf length in cm (LH), foliage weight in g (PF) and leaf width in cm (AH) Every 14 days, evaluations were made from 111 days to 181 days for the development of the corms The variables evaluated did not show significant differences until 167 days. in the PMR, VR, PF, LH and AH, while the LR did not show significant differences. The best response was obtained with the HLV, which surpassed the TEV and the control (T). The outstanding valúes were found at 181 days for: PMR with 110.6 g, VR 110 ml, PF 205 g, LH 36 cm, AH 15.5 cm, LR 59.5 cm. do not show significance with the other treatments.

Tall wheatgrass (Thinopyrum ponticum (Podp.) Barkworth and D.R. Dewey) is an important, highly salt-tolerant C3 forage grass. The objective of this work was to learn about the ecophysiological responses of accessions from different environmental origins under drought and salinity conditions, to provide information for selecting superior germplasm under combined stress in tall wheatgrass. Four accessions (P3, P4, P5, P9) were irrigated using combinations of three salinity levels (0, 0.1, 0.3 M NaCl) and three drought levels (100%, 50%, 30% water capacity) over 90 days in a greenhouse. The control treatment showed the highest total biomass, but water-use efficiency (WUE), δ13C, proline, N concentration, leaf length, and tiller density were higher under moderate drought or/and salinity stress than under control conditions. In tall wheatgrass, K+ functions as an osmoregulator under drought, attenuated by salinity, and Na+ and Cl− function as osmoregulators under salinity and drought, while proline is an osmoprotector under both stresses. P3 and P9, from environments with mild/moderate stress, prioritized reproductive development, with high evapotranspiration and the lowest WUE and δ13C values. P4 and P5, from more stressful environments, prioritized vegetative development through tillering, showing the lowest evapotranspiration, the highest δ13C values, and different mechanisms for limiting transpiration. The δ13C value, leaf biomass, tiller density, and leaf length had high broad-sense heritability (H2), while the Na+/K+ ratio had medium H2. In conclusion, the combined use of the δ13C value, Na+/K+ ratio, and canopy structural variables can help identify accessions that are well-adapted to drought and salinity, also considering the desirable plant characteristics. Tall wheatgrass stress tolerance could be used to expand forage production under a changing climate.

Background: Leaf length and width could be a functioning relationship naturally as plant designs. Single-vein leaves have the simplest symmetrical distribution and structural design, which means that fast-growing single-vein species could interpret the scheme more efficiently. The distribution of leaf length and width can be modulated for better adaptation, providing an informative perspective on the various operational strategies in an emergency, while this mechanism is less clear. Here we selected six age groups of Cunninghamia lanceolata pure forests, including saplings, juveniles, mature, and old-growth trees. We pioneered a tapering model to describe half-leaf symmetric distribution with mathematical approximation based on every measured leaf along developmental sequence, and evaluated the ratio of leaf basal part length to total length (called tipping leaf length ratio). Results: The tipping leaf length ratio varied among different tree ages. That means the changes of tipping leaf length ratio and leaf shape are a significant but less-noticed reflection of trees tradeoff strategies at different growth stages. For instance, there exhibited relatively low ratio during sapling and juvenile, then increased with increasing age, showing the highest value in their maturity, and finally decreased on mature to old-growth transition. The tipping leaf length ratio serves as a cost-benefit ratio, thus the subtle changes in the leaf symmetrical distribution within individuals reveal buffering strategy, indicating the selection for efficient design of growth and hydraulic in their developmental sequences. Conclusions: Our model provides a physical explanation of varied signatures for tree operations in hydraulic buffering through growth stages, and the buffering strategy revealed from leaf distribution morphologically provides evidence on the regulation mechanism of leaf biomechanics, hydraulics and physiologies. Our insight contributes greatly to plant trait modeling, policy and management, and will be of interest to some scientists and policy makers who are involved in climate change, ecology and environment protection, as well as forest ecology and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to propose a reliable and accurate model using non-destructive measurements of leaf length (L) and/or width (W) for estimating leaf area (LA) of three genotypes of purging nut (Jatropha curcas L.), i.e. Astrea and Barranca, both Colombian and a Mexican genotype. For model construction, ~500 healthy leaves were collected from at least 20 healthy plants naturally grown at each locations, and encompassed the full spectrum of measurable leaf sizes. Equations with L and/or W were generated; however, the best fit were made when product between L and W (LW). To validate these models, independent data set of 450 leaves were used. Thus, we developed a single model (Yi = β0 * LWβ1) with high precision and accuracy, random dispersion pattern of residuals and unbiased. In spite of this, a single equation, joining all the studied genotypes, was developed [LA = 0.822 * (LW)0.983; standard errors: β0 = 0.020, β1 = 0.004; R2a = 0.976], which greatly simplifies the process of measuring the leaf area of the genotypes, a fact that should be highlighted.

We aimed to propose a reliable and accurate model using non-destructive measurements of leaf length (L) and/or width (W) for estimating leaf area (LA) of Surinam cherry (Eugenia uniflora L.). For model construction, 560 leaves were randomly sampled from different levels of the tree canopies and encompassed the full spectrum of measurable leaf sizes. Power models better fit E. uniflora leaf area than linear models; but, among of then, the best fit were made when product of the L and W (LW) were used. To validate these models, independent data set of 156 leaves were used. Thus, we developed a single power model (Yi = β0 xβ1) [LA = 0.685 (LW)0.989; standard errors: β0 = 0.014, β1 = 0.005; R2 a = 0.997] with high precision and accuracy, random dispersal pattern of residuals and unbiased. A simpler linear model [LA = 0.094 + (LW * 0.655); standard errors: β0 = 0.025, β 1 = 0.001; R2 a = 0.998] also described here to estimate leaf area of E. uniflora, which are as good as the first. The simplicity of the latter model may be relevant in field studies, as it does not demand high precision or expensive instruments.

Premise: The nondestructive measurement of leaf area is important for expediting data acquisition in the field. The Montgomery equation (ME) assumes that leaf area (A) is a proportional function of the product of leaf length (L) and width (W), i.e., A = cLW, where c is called the Montgomery parameter. The ME has been successfully applied to calculate the surface area of many broad‐leaved species with simple leaf shapes. However, whether this equation is valid for more complex leaf shapes has not been verified. Methods: Leaf A, L, and W were measured directly for each of 5601 leaves of 15 vine species, and ME and three other models were used to fit the data. All four models were compared based on their root mean square errors (RMSEs) to determine whether ME provided the best fit. Results: The ME was a reliable method for estimating the A of all 15 species. In addition, the numerical values of 13 of the 15 values of c fell within a previously predicted numerical range (i.e., between 1/2 and π/4). The data show that the numerical values of c are largely affected by the value of W/L, the concavity of the leaf base, and the number of lobes on the lamina. Conclusions: The Montgomery parameter can reflect the influence of leaf shape on leaf‐area calculations and can serve as an important tool for nondestructive measurements of leaf area for many broad‐leaved species and for the investigation of leaf morphology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristic traits of maize (Zea mays L.) leaves affect light interception and photosynthesis. Measurement or estimation of individual leaf area has been described using discontinuous equations or bell-shaped functions. However, new maize hybrids show different canopy architecture, such as leaf angle in modern maize which is more upright and ear leaf and adjacent leaves which are longer than older hybrids. The original equations and their parameters, which have been used for older maize hybrids and grown at low plant densities, will not accurately represent modern hybrids. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to develop a new empirical equation that captures vertical leaf distribution. To characterize the vertical leaf profile, we conducted a field experiment in Jilin province, Northeast China from 2015 to 2018. Our new equation for the vertical distribution of leaf profile describes leaf length, width or leaf area as a function of leaf rank, using parameters for the maximum value for leaf length, width or area, the leaf rank at which the maximum value is obtained, and the width of the curve. It thus involves one parameter less than the previously used equations. By analysing the characteristics of this new equation, we identified four key leaf ranks (4, 8, 14 and 20) for which leaf parameter values need to be quantified in order to have a good estimation of leaf length, width and area. Together, the method of leaf area estimation proposed here adds versatility for use in modern maize hybrids and simplifies the field measurements by using the four key leaf ranks to estimate vertical leaf distribution in maize canopy instead of all leaf ranks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of foliar application of Acadian seaweed extract and Biomix liquid poultry manure on vegetative growth, corm, and yield of saffron. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the city of Ferdows city during the 2017-2018 growing year. Experimental treatments included four levels of Acadian seaweed extract (0, 1, 1.5, and 2 kg. l000 L-1 water) and four levels of liquid Biomix liquid poultry manure (0, 4, 5, and 6 L. l000 L-1 water). The results showed a significant effect of treatments on the studied traits, such as maximum number of flowers (99.50 N. m-2), fresh yield of flowers (33.34 g.m-2), dry weight of saffron stigma (0.341 g. m-2), dry leaf weight (0.592 g plant-1), and leaf length (63.75 cm) obtained in 2 kg. l000 L-1 seaweed extract. Besides, the results showed a significant effect of liquid poultry manure on flower number and yield (94.250 N.m-2 and 32.285 g. m-2, respectively), leaf length (60.66 cm), fresh and dry leaf weight (0.74 and 0.46 g.m-2, respectively), and total weight of replacement corm (37.02 g.m-2). Also, the least amount of the mentioned traits were observed from the control treatment. The interaction between these two fertilizers was also significant in fresh and dry leaf weight and the total and average diameter of replacement corm. Thus, fresh and dry leaf weight (210% and 273%, respectively) were highest in the treatment of 2 kg. l000 L-1 of seaweed extract and 6 L. l000 L-1 of liquid poultry manure. Moreover, total and average diameter of replacement corm (33% and 50%, respectively) were highest in the treatment of 2 kg. l000 L-1 of seaweed extract and no liquid poultry manure. According to the results of this study, the use of Acadian seaweed extract (2 kg. l000L-1 water) alone or in combination with Biomix liquid poultry manure (6 L. l000 L-1 water) can play an important role in enhancing the vegetative growth, corm, and yield of saffron. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limited persistence of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) in dairy pastures is a significant issue in parts of New Zealand. The contribution of plant genetic background to this problem is not well understood. Temporal changes were investigated in genotypic and phenotypic composition of two perennial ryegrass cultivars (Nui SE and Alto AR37, older and newer cultivars respectively) sown as fields plots at three locations. Samples from survivor populations collected annually over 6 years from each location were established in a field nursery, analysed by simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers and assessed for vigour, leaf morphology and tiller number. SSR‐based estimates of the statistic G′ST indicated no significant (p >.05) genetic differentiation between survivor populations and plants grown from remnant seed (ex‐seed) after 5 years, and no significant change (p >.05) in within‐population genetic diversity for either cultivar at any location. SSR analysis of endophytic fungus (Epichloë festucae var. lolii) type revealed only limited ingress of off‐type ryegrass volunteers into plots at two locations. Vigour scores of survivor plants were not significantly (p >.05) different among plants collected from different locations and ex‐seed plants. Leaves on ex‐seed plants were longer (p <.001) than those on the survivor plants after four but not 6 years and may reflect a short‐term response to climatic conditions experienced in the field nursery. Our results suggest that the reported poor ryegrass persistence is not driven by changes in population genetic structure and that the sown cultivars survived and remained true to type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Light stress is an important factor limiting the biomass yield while combining forage production with crops or forestry. Guinea grass is a widely adapted perennial fodder grass. The species exhibits high degree of variation for morphology, adaptation and biomass yield. Objective: Since there is a need in identifying shade adapted forage grasses for the expanding area under agroforestry/silvipastures, the present investigation took the task of understanding how the morphologically distinct genotypes of guinea grass respond under different shaded intensities. Methods: In the present study, forty-four genotypes related with the shade response were studied in varying shading conditions (pure sunlight, 25, 50 and 75 % shade) created artificially. Results: Based on green and dry matter yields ranking, the genotype IG 01-98 performed the best followed by genotypes IG 01-92, IG 97-5, IG 97-6 and IG 01-89 in decreasing order. Particularly, IG 01-93 was identified as the best performing under 50 % shading conditions. On the other hand, most of the top ranking genotypes performed well both under open and up to 50 % of shade. Morphologically, these genotypes were taller and possessed longer and broader leaves. Under shaded conditions (over 50 %), leaf length and width showed an increasing trend compared to open conditions. Also, chlorophyll content increased with shading intensity. Conclusions: Most of the genotypes collected from the southern Indian humid tropical environment with early flowering nature were tolerant to shade. Differential genotypic response was observed for biomass yield and yield attributes under shade. The study established appreciable variability for shade tolerance among genotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf area are very important parameter for the understanding of growth and physiological responses of invasive plant species under different environmental factors. This study was conducted to build non‐destructive leaf area model of Wedelia trilobata that were grown in greenhouse. Regression analysis and artificial neural network (ANN) approaches were used for the development of leaf area model with the help of leaf length and width of 262 plants samples. In selection of best method under both techniques, the lower value of mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and higher value of R2 were considered. According to the results it was found that ANN have higher value of (R2 = 0.96) and lower value of error (MAE = 0.023, RMSE = 0.379, MAPE = 0.001) than regression analysis (R2 = 0.94, MAE = 0.111, RMSE = 1.798, MAPE = 0.0005). It was concluded that error between predicted and actual value was less under ANN. Therefore, ANN model approach can be used as an alternating method for the estimation of leaf area. Through estimation of leaf area, invasive plant growth can predict under different environment conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In the present study, six potato varieties (Evora, Hannat white, Lacetta, Mustang, SH-5, Anats) were evaluated for phenotypic diversity and pest management based on various qualitative and quantitative traits. Data on various morphological traits and insect/pest infestation frequencies were compile for three plants of each variety. Statistical investigation of data showed significant variations in different morphological characteristics such as plant height, leaf length, leaf width, tuber diameter, and tuber yield, and insects/frequencies (aphids, leafhopper, thrips and whiteflies). Our results showed that despite the maximum infestation frequency for aphids (20.80 insect/plot), leafhopper (24.22 insect/plot), thrips (11.09 insect/plot) and whiteflies (15.73), significantly higher plant height (22.65 cm), leaf length (6.20 cm), leaf width (4.66 cm), tuber diameter (3.43 cm), and tuber yield (12.80 kg), of Lacetta (v.no3) revealed, indicating that this variety is highly resistant/tolerant to these insects/pests. While SH-5 was second to it as regards insect infestation rate and yield, potato varieties Hannat white showed minimum plant height (18.18 cm), leaf length (4.09 cm), leaf width (3.41 cm), tuber diameter (2.41 cm), and tuber yield (7.55 kg), with lowest infestation frequencies for aphids (14.43 insects per plot), leafhopper (17.72 insects/plot), thrips (7.22 insects/plot), and whiteflies (12.97 insects/plot), indicating that this variety is more susceptible to various insects. Based on these results, the varieties Lacetta and SH-5 should be recommended for the cultivation of agro-climatic conditions of Mansehra in order to get maximum yield and to protect the environment and human health from the adverse effects of insecticides and pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Specific leaf area (SLA) is a good predictor of aboveground net primary productivity. However, the SLA of bamboo species is generally estimated on the basis of destructive measurements rather than the cost-effective and recyclable nondestructive measurements using easily accessible leaf traits such as leaf length (L) and width (W). Considering the strong empirical relationships between leaf area (LA) and leaf structural parameters of bamboo species that were developed by previous studies, this study explores the feasibility of estimating the leaf dry mass (LDM) and SLA of 50 bamboo species using L and W. The results show that the Montgomery equation and its similar forms precisely estimated LA of the 50 bamboo species at both leaf scale (R2 > 0.96 and MAE% < 4.67%) and the canopy scale (R2 > 0.99 and RMSE < 0.09); the LDM of the 50 bamboo species could also be estimated using L and W at both leaf scale (R2 > 0.52 and MAE% < 26.35%) and the canopy scale (R2 > 0.99 and RMSE < 0.003), and the estimated mean SLA of each of the 50 bamboo species had good agreement with the measured values (R2 > 0.99 and RMSE < 1.88) because of the precisely estimated mean LA and mean LDM at the canopy scale, indicating the feasibility of estimating SLA of the 50 bamboo species at the canopy scale based on nondestructive measurements. However, the empirical relationships used for mean SLA estimations are not suitable for SLA estimations at the leaf scale because of the uncertainties in the estimated LDM at the leaf scale.

Many plant species produce ovate leaves, but there is no general parametric model for describing this shape. Here, we used two empirical nonlinear equations, the beta and Lobry–Rosso–Flandrois (LRF) equations, and their modified forms (referred to as the Mbeta and MLRF equations for convenience), to generate bilaterally symmetrical curves along the x-axis to form ovate leaf shapes. In order to evaluate which of these four equations best describes the ovate leaf shape, we used 14 leaves from 7 Neocinnamomum species (Lauraceae) and 72 leaves from Chimonanthus praecox (Calycanthaceae). Using the AIC and adjusted root mean square error to compare the fitted results, the modified equations fitted the leaf shapes better than the unmodified equations. However, the MLRF equation provided the best overall fit. As the parameters of the MLRF equation represent leaf length, maximum leaf width, and the distance from leaf apex to the point associated with the maximum leaf width along the leaf length axis, these findings are potentially valuable for studying the influence of environmental factors on leaf shape, differences in leaf shape among closely related plant species with ovate leaf shapes, and the extent to which leaves are bilaterally symmetrical. This is the first work in which temperature-dependent developmental equations to describe the ovate leaf shape have been employed, as previous studies lacked similar leaf shape models. In addition, prior work seldom attempted to describe real ovate leaf shapes. Our work bridges the gap between theoretical leaf shape models and empirical leaf shape indices that cannot predict leaf shape profiles.

Saffron is the main medicinal plant of Iran. In order to study the relations of sink and source between saffron leaves and corms, a split plot experiment was conducted on the basis of complete randomized block design with three replications in a field in the Ashkezar city of Yazd province during 2013-2014. The main plots and sub plots were irrigated with three levels (100%, 75% and 50% of ETc) and the fertilization management methods including control (without any fertilizer or manure), applying 10 t/ha cow manure, 10 t/ha vermicompost by spreading, 10 t/ha vermicompost buried under planting corm rows, 5 t/ha vermicompost buried under planting corm rows, or spraying 10 l/ha Humaster Saffron fertilizer for 1 or 2 times after flowering. The Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between leaf length in every measuring stage and the weight of biggest corm at the end of the first year (as daughter corm). The results showed that correlation coefficients were decreased until 40 days after emergence and then increased. The highest correlation coefficient reached around 80 days after emergence and followed until the end of the growth period. The best corm yield was reached for 10 t/ha vermicompost buried under planting corm rows. Also under different irrigation regimes, the best results were obtained through full irrigation treatment.