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Non-destructive measurement of leaf area and dry biomass in Tectona grandis

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Abstract

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The surface area and dry biomass of leaves can be satisfactorily estimated from simple dimension measurements. These data are useful for estimating carbon allocation in trees using functional–structural growth models.

Abstract

Leaf area and leaf dry biomass are key parameters linked to plant production and they are used in functional–structural plant models to simulate plant growth, but they are difficult to ascertain. Measuring leaf dimensions (length and width) to estimate them provides a non-destructive and rapid approach that can be used in the field. This was tested on teak (Tectona grandis) in Togo. Leaves were sampled to maximize variability in sizes along two categories of axes and at different ranks on the growth units. Two different equations were determined to estimate leaf area and dry biomass from leaf dimensions. The relation between leaf area (A) and the product of length (L) × width (Wi) was defined by the linear equation A = 0.60 × L × Wi whereas dry biomass (We) was predicted by a power law We = 0.004 × (L × Wi)1.11. This method could also be tested and applied to other species.

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Author contribution statement

Kodjo Tondjo wrote the article, took the experimental measurements and contributed to the data analysis and discussion. Sylvie-Annabel Sabatier, Loïc Brancheriau and Acardius Akossou carried out the data extractions and performed the statistical analysis. Adzo Dzifa Kokutse, Kouami Kokou and Thierry Fourcaud supervised the work and coordinated the research project.

Acknowledgments

This work was supported, in part, by the AUF-PCSI programme, by a grant from CIRAD AIRD and by AMAP [Botany and Computational Plant Architecture, joint research unit which associates CIRAD (UMR51), CNRS (UMR5120), INRA (UMR931), IRD (2M123), and Montpellier 2 University (UM27)]; http://amap.cirad.fr/. The authors thank the owner of the experimental plots, Professor Messanvi GBEANSSOR at the University of Lomé and the University’s students for their help with measurements in the field.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIRAD, UMR AMAP, 34398, Montpellier, France

    Kodjo Tondjo, Loïc Brancheriau, Sylvie-Annabel Sabatier & Thierry Fourcaud

  2. Département de Botanique, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Lomé, Lomé, Togo

    Kodjo Tondjo, Adzo Dzifa Kokutse & Kouami Kokou

  3. CIRAD, UR BioWooEB, 34398, Montpellier, France

    Loïc Brancheriau

  4. Faculté d’Agronomie, Université de Parakou, Parakou, Benin

    Arcadius Akossou

Authors
  1. Kodjo Tondjo
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  2. Loïc Brancheriau
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  3. Sylvie-Annabel Sabatier
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  4. Adzo Dzifa Kokutse
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  5. Arcadius Akossou
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  6. Kouami Kokou
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  7. Thierry Fourcaud
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Loïc Brancheriau.

Additional information

Communicated by R. Matyssek.

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Tondjo, K., Brancheriau, L., Sabatier, SA. et al. Non-destructive measurement of leaf area and dry biomass in Tectona grandis . Trees 29, 1625–1631 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-015-1227-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-015-1227-y

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