Validation of an Automated Protocol for Leaf Area Measurement of forage peanuts (Arachis pintoi Krapov. & W.C. Greg.): A Method Comparison

Abstract

Leaves are the plant organs where photosynthesis occurs, which converts solar energy into chemical energy for the production of photoassimilates for plant growth and development. Thus, crop productivity depends on photosynthetic rates and is directly related to leaf area. Therefore, the search for precise, accurate methods for estimating leaf area is important. Therefore, the R pliman package is a tool that measures the area and shape of leaves, constituting a useful and free alternative to commercial software, being an interesting alternative for work in the area of plant physiology, as they allow obtaining the area leaf and, subsequently, correlate it with the physiological parameters and growth and development of plants, aiming for a better understanding of their life cycle and productivity. The objective of this study is to develop a protocol for applying image analysis with a focus on evaluating the leaf area of forage peanuts grown in soils with different concentrations of B. The experiment will be conducted in a greenhouse, in a completely randomized design, with 6 repetitions. The treatments are different concentrations of boron (0.5, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 mg of B. dm3 of soil-1). After 60 days of cultivation, 5 leaves will be collected from each plant. Using the LI-3000C portable leaf area meter and the protocol developed in the R software, the leaf area will be obtained. After drying the leaves in an oven, the total leaf area per plant will be calculated. The results obtained will be subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA), with the aid of the R Studio software.