From fluorescence to biomass: A comprehensive analysis via crop modeling and sensing techniques

Abstract

User-friendly handheld plant phenotyping devices, such as the MultispeQ, provide quick and easy measurements that effectively capture the dynamic nature of photosynthesis. This study demonstrates the added value of integrating measurements of such devices with both process-based and empirical modeling approaches for estimating the maximum leaf photosynthetic capacity ( A m a x ) and biomass production (DMP) of potato crops. Utilizing leaf fluorescence measurements, such as the efficiency of photosystem II ( ϕ 2 ) and the electron transport rate, gathered from two fields in the Netherlands from May to September 2019, we determined the A m a x to be 34 kg C O 2 ha −1 hr −1 with a standard deviation of 6.6 kg C O 2 ha −1 hr −1 . By incorporating dynamic photosynthetic parameters, leaf area index (LAI) retrieval, and crop modeling techniques to scale assimilation from the leaf to the canopy level, we successfully reduced the discrepancy between simulated and measured dry matter production in 16 out of 18 cases, offering significant advantages over fixed, literature-based photosynthetic parameter values.

Code and data availability

The paper's MultispeQ fluorescence measurements, derived photosynthetic parameters, and analysis are not publicly deposited; the authors state data are available only upon request. No author code repository or public dataset URL for this study's phenotyping data is provided (the PCSE GitHub link is a generic third-tool

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