Leaf-Area and Average Leaf Angle From Transmission of Direct Sunlight

Abstract

Previously, leaf area indices and mean leaf angles were obtained from measurements of the mean transmissions of the direct beam at a range of sun angles by using a mathematical inversion. Results of equivalent accuracy can be obtained more simply with graphical methods described here. The procedure was tested with five hypothetical distributions of leaf angle and was applied to field measurements of transmission of a sorghum crop.