Manoharan Sakthiprasad Kuttankulangara, Megalingam Rajesh Kannan
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Amritapuri, India.
Plant Methods. 2025 May 18;21(1):64. doi: 10.1186/s13007-025-01379-4.
The biomechanics of growing trees, particularly coconut trees, are intricate due to various abiotic factors such as sunlight, wind, gravitropism, and cultivation practices. Existing structural growth models fail to capture the unique characteristics of coconut trees, which lack branches and have large crown leaves. This research introduces a novel coconut tree modeling approach, integrating abiotic factors and modified Cosserat rod theory. Factors like sunlight availability, wind speed, cultivation practices, and gravitropism influence coconut tree growth rates. The model encompasses both primary and secondary growth processes. Primary growth is influenced by gravitropism, sunlight availability, and wind effects, while secondary growth is determined by variations in trunk diameter. Additionally, the model incorporates the diameter at breast height to accommodate cultivation practice variations. Comparisons between the proposed model, classical rod theory, and biomechanics growth models reveal that the proposed model aligns more closely with real-time data on spatial and temporal growth characteristics. This research marks the first attempt to model coconut tree growth considering abiotic factors comprehensively. In summary, this study presents a pioneering coconut tree growth model that integrates abiotic factors and modified Cosserat rod theory. By considering unique features of coconut trees and environmental influences, the model offers more accurate predictions compared to existing approaches, enhancing our understanding of coconut tree biomechanics and growth patterns. Coconut tree modeling has diverse applications in precision agriculture, automated harvesting, tree health monitoring, climate change analysis, urban planning, and the biomass industry, helping optimize yield, resource management, and sustainability. It also plays a crucial role in genetic research, disaster preparedness, and risk assessment, enabling advancements in robotics, environmental conservation, and industrial applications for improved productivity and resilience.
正在生长的树木,尤其是椰子树的生物力学,由于阳光、风、向重力性和栽培方式等各种非生物因素而错综复杂。现有的结构生长模型未能捕捉到椰子树的独特特征,椰子树没有分支且有大的树冠叶子。本研究引入了一种新颖的椰子树建模方法,整合了非生物因素和修正的柯塞尔杆理论。阳光可用性、风速、栽培方式和向重力性等因素会影响椰子树的生长速度。该模型涵盖了初级和次级生长过程。初级生长受向重力性、阳光可用性和风的影响,而次级生长则由树干直径的变化决定。此外,该模型纳入了胸径以适应栽培方式的变化。将所提出的模型与经典杆理论和生物力学生长模型进行比较后发现,所提出的模型与关于空间和时间生长特征的实时数据更为吻合。这项研究标志着首次全面考虑非生物因素对椰子树生长进行建模的尝试。总之,本研究提出了一种开创性的椰子树生长模型,该模型整合了非生物因素和修正的柯塞尔杆理论。通过考虑椰子树的独特特征和环境影响,该模型与现有方法相比能提供更准确的预测,增进了我们对椰子树生物力学和生长模式的理解。椰子树建模在精准农业、自动收获、树木健康监测、气候变化分析、城市规划和生物质产业中有多种应用,有助于优化产量、资源管理和可持续性。它在基因研究、灾害准备和风险评估中也起着关键作用,推动机器人技术、环境保护和工业应用的进步,以提高生产力和恢复力。