Validation of Non-destructive Methodology of Grapevine Leaf Area Estimation on cv. Blaufränkisch (Vitis vinifera L.)

This paper evaluates the application of a statistical model to estimate leaf surface area in grapevines, expressed asleaf area of an individual leaf as well as total leaf area per shoot, including any lateral shoots. Estimating the area ofan individual leaf was based on a formula obtained by regression analysis that uses the sum of length of two inferiorleaf veins as an independent variable. To estimate the leaf area per main shoot and per lateral shoot we used themodel derived from multiple regression analysis that has the following independent variables: the number of leaves,and surface area of the largest and of the smallest leaf on the shoot. High values of the coefficient of determination(r2), as well as satisfactory levels of mean absolute error (MAE), suggest that the applied models appear valid. Theseresults have shown a good fit of observed and predicted values of shoot and lateral leaf areas