Models for estimating yacon leaf area

ABSTRACT The recent exploration of yacon demands scientific information for improving the crop production technology. This study aimed to set a leaf area estimate model for yacon plants, using non-destructive measurements of leaf length (L) and/or width (W). Sixty-four representative yacon plants were randomly selected in an experimental field during the full vegetative growth. One thousand leaves of various sizes were taken from those plants for setting and validating a model. The logarithmic model best fitted this purpose, the result of multiplying length by width being used as independent variable. Yacon leaf area can be determined with high precision and accuracy by LALW = (-27.7418 + (3.9812LW / ln LW ) , disregarding the leaf size.