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What Is Leaf Area Index and Why Is It Essential for Plant and Climate Research?

December 23, 2025 at 5:04 pm | Updated December 23, 2025 at 5:04 pm | 12 min read

Leaf area index (LAI) is one of the most widely used measurements for describing plant canopy structure and interactions with the environment in plant research. LAI is widely used in research because it can upscale crucial leaf physiological processes and is easy to compare across scales and ecosystems. It can be estimated from remote-sensed data… Continue reading…

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Additional reading

CI-600 Root Imager vs. Soil Core + Lab Root Scanning: Which Is Faster and More Reliable?

Root research is one of the trickiest aspects of plant science. The hidden half of plants—buried in soil, intertwined with microbes and moisture—holds key insights into nutrient uptake, stress tolerance, and overall plant health. For decades, scientists have relied on soil coring and lab scanning to study roots, but the process is time-consuming and inherently… Continue reading…

What is the Importance of Leaf Area Index?

Leaf area index (LAI) is a key vegetation parameter used in plant research. Global collections of LAI show that plantations have the highest LAI and deserts have the least LAI. Temperate forests have higher LAI than tropical forests. LAI is used to increase food security, support forest research and management, and track the effects of… Continue reading…

How Do Stomatal Traits and Transpiration Efficiency Impact Crop Yield?

Stomatal traits must meet mesophyll demand for CO2, conserve water, and maintain optimum leaf temperatures for higher transpiration efficiency. The stomatal traits associated with transpiration efficiency include size, density, patterning, guard cells, and responsiveness to environmental factors. So far, no crop breeding effort using stomatal traits has been able to prevent water loss/ transpiration without… Continue reading…

What Are the Key Root Traits to Improve Transpiration Efficiency?

Root traits are one of the main factors influencing transpiration efficiency or the yield produced per unit of water transpired. The root traits to improve transpiration efficiency are rooting depth, root: shoot ratio, density, root hairs, and mucilage. No root architecture type suits all species or even all hydrological conditions. Transpiration efficiency is used to… Continue reading…

Leaf Area Influence On Transpiration Depends On External Environment

As leaf area increases, the transpiration rate also increases. However, there are exceptions to this rule. Small leaves have higher transpiration rates in hot and dry regions for better thermoregulation and cooling effects. Smaller leaves have higher transpiration in cold, dry regions with high radiation to provide better hydraulic movements and nutrient uptake. Transpiration determines… Continue reading…

Canopy Design in Orchards: Improving Fruit Quality and Yield

Canopy design in orchards achieves a targeted tree form using grafts, pruning, and training. Orchards use 3-D canopy designs in low to medium-density orchards. 2-D planar canopy designs are used in high-density planting and to facilitate orchard management by machines and robots. As tree density increases, fruit quality, and resource use efficiency increase to boost… Continue reading…