Mathematical models based on dynamic growth process of greenhouse melon leaves
were built. Two experiments, involving different years, organic fertilizer rates and cultivar
types in melon, were carried out for data acquisition. In each experiment, time-course
observations of leaf morphological properties (leaf length and leaf width) on different
leaf positions of melon were obtained. The results showed that the logistic mathematical
models were suitable to simulate the dynamic elongation of leaf length and leaf width
with the dynamic changes of
Σ
TU (accumulated thermal units), logarithmic equation and
quadratic curve equation fit the dynamic changes of the final leaf length and the maximum
leaf width with different leaf positions well, and the leaf area dynamic changes were
simulated by binary regression equation. In addition, the effects of nitrogen conditions on
leaf growth were quantified by the effectiveness values of nitrogen concentration in leaves.
The model was validated with independent field experiment data, and the results showed
that the mean RMSE (root mean square error) of leaf length, leaf width and leaf area under
different
Σ
TU was 0.54 cm, 1.19 cm, 0.44 cm2, respectively.
© 2010 Elsevier