International Journal of Statistics and Mathematics

Vol. 7(1), pp. 143-145, March, 2020. © www.premierpublishers.org. ISSN: 2375-0499

Research Article

Mathematical Modelling to Predict Plant Growth in Terms

Light Exposure and Leaf Area
Yalda Elbegi
Lecturer, Department of Mathematics Education Faculty, Jawzjan University, Sheberghan, Afghanistan
Email: yaldaelbegi01@gmail.com

Mechanistic modelling of plant growth is a relatively recent research field, and has gained an
increasing interest with the sophistication of the description of plant-environment interactions in
crop models. Contemporary agricultural engineering searches for safe methods of raising crop
yields, using a combination of knowledge from a number of sciences. Mathematical modelling of
agribiological processes is performed as a part of agricultural engineering. In this paper,
mathematical modelling was applied to plant growth and observed that it was theoretically
possible to derive an optimal control method by the proposed models.

Keywords: mathematical model, plant growth, leaf area, light exposure

INTRODUCTION

Plants are highly plastic in their potential to adapt to description of biological processes (Werker and Jaggard,
changing environmental conditions. For example, they can 1997). Biologists prefer the most often used models, such
selectively promote the relative growth of the root and the as logistic functions, Gompertz or monomolecular, which
shoot in response to limiting supply of mineral nutrients have only three parameters (if it is assumed that the
and light, respectively. This phenomenon is referred to as minimum value is 0) (Zeide, 1993; Birch, 1999).
balanced growth or functional equilibrium. Mathematical
modelling of agribiological processes are performed as a
part of agricultural engineering and its current activity METHODOLOGY
(Michalek, 2008). Since, application of modern prediction
methods in agriculture may bring notable financial Model 1
advantages, mathematical modelling answers the
challenges related thereto. The light falling on a sunlit crop at t minutes after sunrise
has intensity I given by 𝐼 = 𝐼𝑚 𝑠𝑖𝑛 ( ) cal
𝜋𝑡
ℎ
m −2 min −1
Despite numerous publications which describe the plant
growth and development processes, there is still no where I m is the maximum daily intensity and h is the day
agreement as to the value and usefulness of calculation length (min).
models in the developmental biology or agriculture. The
discussion concerns mainly the possibilities of application So, the total daily incoming light energy (S) can be
of research methods, including mathematical deduction, to determined as follows:
the data with biological nature (Keller, 2002). However,
despite a low number of negative opinions, it is estimated ℎ
𝜋𝑡 ℎ ℎ
that modelling and simulation constitute and will continue 𝑆 = ∫ 𝐼 𝑑𝑡 = [𝐼𝑚 𝑐𝑜𝑠 ( )] = 𝐼𝑚 [1 − 𝑐𝑜𝑠 𝜋]
0 ℎ 0 𝜋
to constitute one of the most important elements in the
description and prediction of plant growth and
ℎ
development (Room et al. 1996; Minorsky, 2003; Niklas, 𝑆 = 2𝐼𝑚
2003). 𝜋

If L is the leaf weight per square metre of ground and A is

Classical growth models, inter alia, logisitc, Gompertz and
Richards equations are widely and often used for the leaf area per square metre,  (= A L ) is termed the

Mathematical Modelling to Predict Plant Growth in Terms Light Exposure and Leaf Area
Elbegi Y. 144

specific leaf area. A is called the leaf area index and is Model 2
important because if A  1 , all leaves receive direct
sunlight while if A>1, only the leaves in the top layer In the initial stages of growth, the allometric ratio may be
receive direct sunlight. Hence, assumed constant and the root weight is assumed
 A, A  1 negligible in comparison to the leaf weight. One can show
Sunlit leaf area index AS =  that the initial leaf growth is exponential.
1, A  1 𝛥𝐿𝑗 =
𝑑𝐿 𝛼𝐿(𝑆𝐴𝑆 𝑘 − 𝐴𝑟ℎ)
=
Conversion of sunlight into growth materials is governed 𝑑𝑡 𝑊
𝛼(𝑆𝐴𝑆 𝑘 − 𝑟ℎ)𝐴
by a law, P = kI − r =
𝐴
𝐴 = 𝜌𝐿
Where P is the rate of growth per square metre
(gm −2
)
min −1 , r the leaf respiration rate per square metre,
= 𝛼(𝑆𝑘 − 𝑟ℎ)𝜌𝐿
= 𝛼(𝜌𝑆𝑘 − 𝜌𝑟ℎ)𝐿
I the light intensity and k is a constant conversion factor.
𝑑𝐿
∫ = ∫ 𝛼(𝜌𝑆𝑘 − 𝜌𝑟ℎ)𝑑𝑡
For a crop canopy of leaf area index, A, area AS receives 𝐿
direct sunlight and has the growth given above while the
⇒ 𝑙𝑛 𝐿 = 𝛼(𝜌𝑆𝑘 − 𝜌𝑟ℎ)𝑡 + 𝑙𝑛 𝛽
remainder may be considered to have I = 0.
Assuming no growth or loss during the night, one can ⇒ 𝐿 = 𝛽𝑒 𝛼(𝜌𝑆𝑘−𝜌𝑟ℎ)𝑡
𝐿(0) = 𝐿0
obtain an expression for the daily increase W in weight
per square metre of crop.
𝐿 = 𝐿0 𝑒 𝛼(𝜌𝑆𝑘−𝜌𝑟ℎ)𝑡
𝛥𝑊 = 𝛥𝑊(𝑆𝑢𝑛𝑙𝑖𝑡) + 𝛥𝑊(𝑈𝑛𝑙𝑖𝑡)
ℎ ℎ Model 3
𝜋𝑡
𝛥𝑊 = 𝐴𝑆 ∫ (𝑘𝐼𝑚 𝑠𝑖𝑛 − 𝑟) 𝑑𝑡 + (𝐴 − 𝐴𝑆 ) ∫ −𝑟 𝑑𝑡
0 ℎ 0 Model 2 can be improved by considering a crop of leaf area
𝛥𝑊 = 2𝐴𝑆
ℎ𝑘
𝐼 − 𝐴𝑟ℎ index A where the leaves are at an angle  to the vertical.
𝜋 𝑚 The leaf canopy is assumed to consist of a number of
ℎ
Using the fact that 𝑆 = 2𝐼𝑚 layers, each of leaf area index B. Hence, a proportion
𝛥𝑊 = 𝐴𝑆 𝑘𝑆 − 𝐴𝑟ℎ
𝜋
B sin  of the light (assumed vertical) is intercepted by
this layer and a proportion (1 − B sin  ) is transmitted to
The leaf weight L is a function of total weight only. The the second layer. If there were n layers, we can determine
allometric ratio  is defined thus: the sunlit area AS per square metre in terms of A, n and
Proportional increase in leaf weight
𝛼= 𝜃.
Proportional increase in total weight
𝛥𝐿⁄𝐿 𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃
so 𝛼 = ⁄ (1 − 𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃)
𝛥𝑊 𝑊
hence,  is also a function of W only. 𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 (1 − 𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃)
One can obtain an expression for the increase L j in day .
.
j in terms of 𝐿𝑗−1 , 𝑊𝑗−1 , 𝛼𝑗−1 , and parameters k, S, r, A and .
AS as follows: (1 − 𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃)𝑛−1 𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 (𝑛th layer)
𝑛
𝐿𝑗 = 𝐿𝑗−1 + 𝛥𝐿𝑗−1
𝛥𝑊𝑗−1 𝑊𝑗−1 𝛥𝐿𝑗−1 𝑊𝑗−1 𝐴𝑆 = ∑(1 − 𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃)𝑛−1 𝐵 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃
𝛼𝑗−1 = × = 𝑗=1
𝐿𝑗−1 𝛥𝑊𝑗−1 𝐿𝑗−1 (𝑆𝐴𝑆 𝑘 − 𝐴𝑟ℎ) 𝐴
𝛼𝑗−1 𝐿𝑗−1 (𝑆𝐴𝑆 𝑘 − 𝐴𝑟ℎ) But 𝐵 =
𝛥𝐿𝑗−1 = 𝑛
𝑊𝑗−1 𝑛
𝐴
𝐴 1 − (1 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃)
∴ 𝐴𝑆 = 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃 𝑛
𝛼𝑗−1 𝐿𝑗−1 (𝑆𝐴𝑆 𝑘 − 𝐴𝑟ℎ) 𝑛 𝐴
Now 𝐿𝑗 = 𝐿𝑗−1 + 1 − (1 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃)
𝑛
𝑊𝑗−1 𝐴 𝑛
so Δ𝐿𝑗 = 𝐿𝑗 − 𝐿𝑗−1 ∴ 𝐴𝑆 = 1 − (1 − 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝜃)
𝑛
𝛼𝑗−1 𝐿𝑗−1 (𝑆𝐴𝑆 𝑘 − 𝐴𝑟ℎ)
=
𝑊𝑗−1 In the production of any vegetable crop, there will be an
optimum density of planting, as below a certain separation
distance competition between plants for materials and light
will become excessive. In modelling the growth of plants in
Mathematical Modelling to Predict Plant Growth in Terms Light Exposure and Leaf Area

such a situation, we can assume that the initial rate of
growth is exponential and that the rate of growth tends to
zero as the yield y (weight per unit area) approaches the
ultimate value y. We can use the assumptions to derive an
expression for the yield at time t given that the plants
initially have average weight w and are planted with
density d (number of plants per unit area).
𝑑𝑦 𝑦 morphogenesis. American Journal of Botany, 90: 515-
= 𝑟𝑦 (1 − )
𝑑𝑡 𝑦𝑚
𝑦𝑚 𝑑𝑤𝑒 𝑟𝑡
∴𝑦=
𝑦𝑚 − 𝑑𝑤(1 − 𝑒 𝑟𝑡 )
Modern agricultural engineering searches for safe
methods of raising the quality of crop yields with the use of
an interdisciplinary combination of mathematics,
biophysics, agronomy, molecular biology and physics
(Ciesla et al., 2015). Since, application of modern
prediction methods in agriculture may bring notable
financial advantages, mathematical modelling answers the
challenges related thereto. In this paper, mathematical
modelling was applied to plant growth and observed that it
was theoretically possible to derive an optimal control
method by the proposed models.
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Accepted 18 February 2020
Citation: Elbegi Y. (2020). Mathematical Modelling to
Predict Plant Growth in Terms Light Exposure and Leaf
Area. International Journal of Statistics and Mathematics,
7(1): 143-145.
Copyright: © 2020 Elbegi Y. This is an open-access
article distributed under the terms of the Creative
Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original author and source are cited.