Short communication

An indirect method of estimating leaf area index

in cordon trained spur pruned grapevines
A. Patakas
a,*
, B. Noitsakis
b,1
a
Laboratory of Viticulture, P.O. Box 236, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54006,
Thessaloniki, Greece
b
Department of Range and Wildlife Science, P.O Box 236, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki,
54006, Thessaloniki, Greece
Accepted 5 October 1998
Abstract
The aim of this study was to validate an indirect method of estimating leaf area index (LAI) in
cordon-trained spur-pruned grapevines. Indirect estimates were made using the LAI-2000
instrument, based on the principles of gap fraction theory. Results indicate that using an
adjustment coefficient factor, this method could provide rapid and accurate estimates of LAI.
# 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Leaf area index; Gap fraction method; Grapevines; Vitis vinifera L
1. Introduction
Knowledge of cumulative leaf area index (LAI) is important for the estimation
of a number of important physiological processes, including total photosynthesis
and transpiration as well as the penetration of light into the canopy (Chason et al.,
1991).
Estimates of LAI may be obtained using both direct and indirect methods.
Direct estimates can be realized by removing the leaves and measuring their area
either with planimeters or from area-to-weight ratios (Welles, 1990). Direct
Scientia Horticulturae 80 (1999) 299305
* Corresponding author. Fax: +30-3199-8886; e-mail: patak@agro.auth.gr
1
E-mail: noits@for.auth.gr
0304-4238/99/$ see front matter # 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
PII: S0304- 4238( 98) 00244- 1
methods, although accurate, are often laborious, destructive, time-consuming and
require many replicates to reduce sampling errors.
Indirect, non-destructive measurements of LAI can be obtained by using the
frequency of contacts of a needle with leaves when pushed through the vegetation
(Warren Wilson and Reeve, 1959) or the penetration of light rays through the
canopy (Bonhomme and Chartier, 1972).
Methods of gap fractions relate the leaf area to the probability of light passing
unintercepted through the plant canopy (Lang et al., 1985). This probability of
light penetration or the gap fraction depends on the cumulative foliage area, the
angular distribution of foliage elements as well as the angle of incoming sunlight.
A number of commercially available instruments estimate gap fractions by
measuring the transmission of light through the canopy at a range of angles and,
thereby, rapidly calculate LAI (Welles, 1990; Li-Cor, 1991).
Grapevines in the Mediterranean zone are cordon-trained, spur-pruned and they
are normally planted in comparatively widely spaced rows (23 m), forming a
discontinuous leaf canopy. Rapid and accurate estimates of grapevines leaf area
and canopy density are important for deciding on canopy management strategies
such as mechanical thinning and winter pruning.
The aim of this study was to validate an indirect technique for estimating LAI
in cordon-trained and spur-pruned grapevines by comparing the indirect with
direct estimates as well as the establishment of an adjustment coefficient factor
which could increase the accuracy of indirect method.
2. Materials and methods
Seven-year-old field grown grapevines (Vitis vinifera cv Victoria) grafted on
110R (V. Rupestris V. Berlandieri) rootstocks were used. The vines were spur-
pruned to a permanent horizontal unilateral cordon. Rows were oriented in a SW
to NE direction and the vine spacing was 1.80 m within the row to 2.40 m
between rows. The vines were pruned to 20 nodes per vine. Measurements were
conducted between May and September 1996.
Indirect measurements of plant area index (PAI) were made using the LAI-
2000 Plant Canopy Analyzer (Li-Cor, Lincoln, NE, USA). PAI was defined as the
surface area of all leaves, branches and fruits per unit area of ground. On the day
following the indirect measurements of PAI, vines were defoliated and their leaf
areas were determined directly using a leaf area meter (Delta-T Devices). The
PAI of the defoliated vine structure was then estimated again using the LAI-2000.
The obtained value was subtracted from the initially measured PAI to provide an
indirect estimation of the LAI (Lang, 1991).
Measurements were conducted six times during the growth period using three
plants on each sampling occasion. They were made during the late afternoon in
order to minimize the scattering of direct sunlight from the foliage.
300 A. Patakas, B. Noitsakis / Scientia Horticulturae 80 (1999) 299305
Indirect estimates of LAI were made using four procedures. In the first
procedure (Procedure 1) one reading above the canopy and four readings
below the canopy were recorded by always holding the sensor in the same
azimuthal direction. Below canopy readings were made at 30 cm intervals, close
to the ground, beginning SE and proceeding in that direction always holding the
sensor. A view restrictor, covering 3158 of the sensor's lens was used. The
opening of the view restrictor was always pointing towards NE in the direction of
the row.
In the second procedure (Procedure 2) below canopy readings were made
exactly as in Procedure 1 with the sensor pointed at cordon trunk height. The
distance of the sensor from the projection of the foliage canopy was 40 cm and
was calculated according to the LAI-2000 instruction manual in order to
determine the minimum foliage distance from the sensor (Li-Cor, 1991).
In the third procedure (Procedure 3) for each reading above the canopy four
readings below the canopy were collected. Below canopy readings were made at
15 cm intervals, close to the ground, along diagonal transects beginning close to
the trunk and proceeding towards the center of the inter-vine space so as to cover
half the vine and inter-vine space. The transects were performed in pairs: one
transect with the sensor looking along the row and the other with the sensor
looking across the row, according to instrument's manual for row crops.
The fourth procedure (Procedure 4) was performed in the same way as
Procedure 3 with the sensor pointing at cordon trunk height in the below-canopy
measurements.
Linear regression analysis was used in order to evaluate the above procedures.
3. Results
The values of PAI estimated indirectly with LAI-2000 using the Procedures 1
and 2 were higher compared to the directly estimated LAI (Fig. 1(a),(b)).
Conversely, when the below-canopy readings were made along the diagonal
transects (Procedures 3, 4) the values of PAI were lower than the directly
estimated LAI (Fig. 1(c),(d)). Furthermore, the coefficient of the determination
(R
2
) of the regression equation between indirect PAI and direct LAI was lower
using Procedures 3 and 4 (Fig. 1(c), (d)) compared to the first two procedures
(Fig. 1(a), (b)).
Direct and indirect measurements of LAI were better correlated using the
Procedure 2 (Fig. 2(b)). All the other procedures and especially the Procedure 3
appeared to underestimate grapevine LAI (Fig. 2). The R
2
of the linear regression
between direct and indirect estimates of LAI (Fig. 2) were slightly lower
compared to those calculated for the relationships between direct LAI and
indirect PAI (Fig. 1).
A. Patakas, B. Noitsakis / Scientia Horticulturae 80 (1999) 299305 301
4. Discussion
We expected that the values of PAI estimated indirectly with LAI-2000 would
be higher than the directly estimated LAI due to the fact that they include the
woody vine structure, such as trunk and shoots, which also intercept light and
thus increase the total PAI. However, this was evident only when the first two
procedures were used (Fig. 1(a), (b)). When the below-canopy readings were
collected along the diagonal transects (Procedures 3, 4), PAI was underestimated
Fig. 1. Relationship between direct estimates of LAI and indirect estimates of PAI. Letters (ad)
correspond to the four procedures used for indirect estimates. Dashed lines indicate the 1 : 1 line.
302 A. Patakas, B. Noitsakis / Scientia Horticulturae 80 (1999) 299305
suggesting that in these procedures the scattering of direct sunlight by the leaves
was higher (Fig. 1(c), (d)).
The lower values of the R
2
in the linear regression equations between direct and
indirect estimates of LAI (Fig. 2) compared with those calculated in the linear
regression between direct LAI and indirect PAI (Fig. 1) could be due to the
increased sources of error introduced by the additional measurements of the
defoliated vine structure. Furthermore, in all the procedures the estimated values
of LAI were lower when the below canopy readings were performed with the
sensor pointed close to the ground. Probably, in this position the sensor received a
larger proportion of diffused as well as of direct sunlight resulting in the greater
Fig. 2. Relationship between direct estimates of LAI and indirect estimates of LAI. Letters (ad)
correspond to the four procedures used for indirect estimates. Dashed lines indicate the 1 : 1 line.
A. Patakas, B. Noitsakis / Scientia Horticulturae 80 (1999) 299305 303
underestimation of LAI. Similar results of underestimating of LAI using the LAI-
2000 was also observed by Fassnacht et al. (1992) and Sommer and Lang
(1994).
The most accurate estimation of the actual LAI was provided using Procedure
2. In order for this procedure to be practically used for the estimation of LAI, an
adjustment coefficient factor relating indirect measurements of PAI and direct
values of LAI must be applied. This factor could lead to reliable estimates of LAI
of grapevines without undergoing a destructive defoliation of the plants.
Considering the entire growing season, indirect estimates of PAI using Procedure
2 were linearly related to the direct estimates of LAI (Fig. 3(a)). Linear
regression yields LAI 0.82 PAI with R
2
0.95. These results indicate that
the LAI-2000 could give rapid and accurate estimates of LAI in cordon-trained
spur-pruned grapevines when an adjustment coefficient factor of 0.82 was
applied. This method also appeared to be valid when applied in cordon trained
cane pruned grapevine of different variety (cv.Rosaki) (Fig. 3(b)).
Fig. 3. Relationship between direct estimates of LAI and indirect estimates of LAI calculated from
PAI using an adjustment coefficient factor in (a) cordon-trained spur-pruned and (b) cordon-trained
cane-runed grapevines.
304 A. Patakas, B. Noitsakis / Scientia Horticulturae 80 (1999) 299305
5. Conclusions
Measurements of light transmittance through the canopy gave reliable
estimates of the LAI in spur-pruned cordon grapevines. The most accurate and
precise results were obtained when the below-canopy measurements were
performed across the rows at cordon trunk height whereas there was a tendency
for LAI underestimation when the inter row vine space was included in the
below-canopy readings.
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