A Simple, Cost-Effective Method for Leaf Area Estimation

Easy, accurate, inexpensive, and nondestructive methods to determine individual leaf area of plants are a useful tool in physiological and agronomic studies. This paper introduces a cost-effective alternative (called here millimeter graph paper method) for standard electronic leaf area meter, using a millimeter graph paper. Investigations were carried out during August–October, 2009-2010, on 33 species, in the Botanical garden of the Banaras Hindu University at Varanasi, India. Estimates of leaf area were obtained by the equation, leaf area (cm2) = x/y, where x is the weight (g) of the area covered by the leaf outline on a millimeter graph paper, and y is the weight of one cm2 of the same graph paper. These estimates were then compared with destructive measurements obtained through a leaf area meter; the two sets of estimates were significantly and linearly related with each other, and hence the millimeter graph paper method can be used for estimating leaf area in lieu of leaf area meter. The important characteristics of this cost-efficient technique are its easiness and suitability for precise, non-destructive estimates. This model can estimate accurately the leaf area of plants in many experiments without the use of any expensive instruments