Leaf chlorophyll content index is often used to investigate nutrient deficiencies and changes in plant, and it is also a key indicator of seasonal carbon uptake in forest ecosystems. The present study explored the improvement for formulating above-ground biomass based on the chlorophyll content index, which may be used as a physiological calibration parameter.   

Under the guidance of Prof. CHEN Fang, LIU Chuang from Wuhan Botanical Garden identified the key roles and demonstrated the significance of using leaf chlorophyll content index for modelling above-ground biomass by conducting a field experiment on canopy changes and above-ground biomass from the early rice and late rice rotation system of southern China.   

This study obtained good simulation results with leaf chlorophyll content index, which revealed the significance of using leaf chlorophyll for estimating above-ground biomass in agricultural ecosystem. The paper also provides crop growth details in the model simulations, which helps in our understanding of biomass dynamics, accumulation and crop growth within a field.  

This research was financially supported by the Special Fund for Agro-scientific Research in the Public Interest of China and by the International Plant Nutrition Institute. Results have been published in PeerJ entitled “Use of a leaf chlorophyll content index to improve the prediction of above-ground biomass and productivity”. 

Simulated and observed values (A and B) of above-ground biomass for rice across datasets during 2016-2017 in Changsha, China. The dotted lines were 95% prediction band (Image by LIU Chuang)