Square root and quadratic equations for the study of leaf diagnosis in wheat

• Published in: Journal of plant nutrition Vol. 22; no. 9; pp. 1469 - 1479
• Main Authors: Sanchez de la Puente, L, Belda, R.M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, NJ Taylor & Francis Group 01-01-1999; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; biomass; crop yield; Economic plant physiology; evaluation; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; leaves; mathematical models; Mineral nutrition; nutrient content; Nutrition. Photosynthesis. Respiration. Metabolism; nutritional status; plant nutrition; plant physiology; seeds; Triticum aestivum; Monocotyledones; Nutrition; Square root; Plant leaf; Concentration; Forecast model; Inorganic element; Cereal crop; Quadratic equation; Gramineae; Angiospermae; Nutrient; Spermatophyta; Diagnosis; Yield component; Nutritional status; Triticum aestivum
• ISSN: 0190-4167; 1532-4087
• DOI: 10.1080/01904169909365728

Difficulties in the use of diagnosis in annual plants have led the authors to explore the quadratic and square-root functions as models for nutritional status in wheat. These equations were chosen to explain more readily the physiological aspects that lie behind the relationship between nutrient content and yield. Ninety-one equations were fitted using the results from five sets of experiments. In all equations x-values were the mineral concentrations in the leafs and y-values the dry weight of leaves, grain or aboveground matter. Although both equations represent the relationship well, the square-root function is considered more suitable because its asymmetry reflects the observed behavior of growth with respect to nutrition.