Determination of Specific Leaf Area and Leaf Area-leaf Mass Relationship in Oil Palm Plantation

Abstract

Specific leaf area (SLA), the ratio of leaf area to leaf mass is the most important determinant of oil palm growth, which is used in growth monitoring of oil palm and many crop simulation models to estimate total leaf area. Leaf dry weight and leaf area were determined by destructive methods in oil palm plantation. The objective of this study was to obtain suitable linear model for estimation of leaf area and calculation SLA of oil palm plantation with less error of estimation. The SLA was plotted on frond number and found that SLA was decrease systematically with time as the frond mature. In this study we found that the Leaf dry weight was strongly correlated (R =0.96-0.98) with leaf area in both linear and non-linear regression. The leaf mass were 2 regressed on leaf area using both linear and non-linear model and found following relationship: Leaf Mass=Leaf Area/99 (R =0.96) Leaf mass were calculated from rectangular leaf area by above linear equation. Leaf 2 Mass=0.0087 (Leaf Area) (R =0.98) Leaf mass were calculated from rectangular leaf area by above non-linear 1.027 2 equation. Actual leaf area (individual or whole of the oil palm plantation) were calculated from leaf dry weight by following linear and non-linear regression equation: Actual Leaf Area=78.89 x Leaf Mass (R =0.97) Actual 2 Leaf Area=80.926 (Leaf Mass) (R =0.98) Its also found that the calculated leaf area and measured leaf area 0.977 2 was strong linear relationship (R =0.98). 2