Estimating leaf area by using vegetative characteristics in in bread and durum wheat cultivars

In order to investigate relationships between leaf area (LA) cm2plant-1 with leaf dry weight ( LDW) g plant-1, total dry weight of vegetative organs (leaf stem)(TDWV) g plant-1, total plant leaf number (TPLN) and plant height (PH) cm plant-1; two field experiments were conducted at research farm of Islamic Azad University, Ramhormoz Branch in 2006-2008 cropping seasons with 13 bread wheat cultivars(Atrak, Bayat, Chamran, Chenab, Dez, Ineia, Kavir, Marvdasht, Shiraz and S78-18) and two durum wheat (Yavaroos and shova-Mald) cultivars. The experimental design was randomized complete block with four replications. Various equations including linear and none-linear equations were used to describe relationships between leaf area and mentioned characteristics. The best results were obtained with linear form of power equation {ln(Y)=ln(a)湙(x)}. Results showed that there was no significant difference between cultivars and in respect to coefficients of allometric relationships. So one equation was used for all cultivars in both years. Equation Y=219.2X0.96(R2=0.99) showed very good description of the estimation of leaf area (Y) Using LDW (X), Also according to equation Y=84.77X0.6 (R2=0.92) , leaf area using data of TDWV (X) was well estimated. although relationship between LA and PTLN was suitable but LA was estimated with less precision compared to LDW and TDWV (Y=1.34X1.57, R2=0.89). Estimation of leaf area Using data of PH was not well estimated. It was concluded that the equations could be used for estimation of leaf area especially when the leaf area meter device is not available or can be used in simulation models of wheat.