Canopy Temperature and Heat Flux Prediction by Leaf Area Index of Bell Pepper in a Greenhouse Environment: Experimental Verification and Application

Abstract

Accurate classification of multilayered plants is vital to understanding the interaction of each canopy in a greenhouse environment and designing plant models based on the irradiation, canopy temperature, transpiration, and heat flux by the leaf area index (LAI). Based on the measurements from a greenhouse in operation, plant models for each LAI are discussed in this study. If the heat flux between plants and air can be accurately predicted through plant models using LAI, the heating and cooling load in various virtual greenhouses with densely planted crops can be predicted. To enhance the measurement accuracy, a temperature and humidity sensor with an aspirated shield, an infrared canopy sensor, and CO2 sensor were installed. The plant environment was measured with a portable pyranometer, porometer, ceptometer, and anemometer. The measurements were inputted to the plant models, and the canopy temperature was calculated. The canopy temperature from the models was evaluated for reliability by comparing it with field measurements (R2 = 0.98 and RMSE = 0.46). The results indicated that the big leaf model is suitable when the air circulation layer is larger than the canopy size, but when physical properties of the plant change band affect the LAI, as in a greenhouse, a multi-layer model should be considered.