The objective of this study was to evaluate two different methods to estimate cotton leaf area (LA), based on leaf dimensions (length - L and width - W) and leaf dry mass (DM). Two cultivars, IAC 23 and Coodetec 401, were used. For leaf dimensions method, leaves were classified by age: young, heart-shape, and mature. For each age class, a leaf shape factor (LSF) was obtained by simple linear regression between L*W and LA. For leaf dry mass method, leaves were classified in new and mature and a leaf dry mass factor (LDMF) was obtained by simple linear regression between DM and LA. LA estimates the two methods were compared to LA measured in an independent sample. Good accuracy was observed with both methods, but leaf dry mass method presented a better performance with r² ranging from 0.94 to 0.98 and regression slopes between 0.97 and 1.00, when regression line was forced thought the origin. In this case there is and advantage since leaf dry mass method is less time-consuming.
Gossypium hirsutum; cotton; leaf area index; leaf dimensions and dry mass
