Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) tuber-root modeling method based on physical properties

The development of tuber-root models based on the physical properties of the root system of a plant is a prominent but complicated task. In this paper, a method for the construction of a 3D model of a potato tuber-root system is proposed, based on determining the characterization parameters of the potato tuber-root model. Three early maturing potato varieties, widely planted in Northeast China, were selected as the research objects. Their topological and geometric structures were analyzed to determine the model parameters. By actually digging potatoes in the field, field data measurement and statistical analysis of the parameters were performed, and a model parameter database was established. Based on the measured data, the root trajectory points were obtained by simulating the growth of the root tips. Then MATLAB was used to develop a system that would complete the construction of the potato tuber-root 3D visualization model. Finally, the accuracy of the model was verified experimentally. Case studies for the three different types indicated an acceptable performance of the proposed model, with a relative root mean square error of 6.81% and 15.32%, for the minimum and maximum values, respectively. The research results can be used to explore the interaction between the soil-tuber-root aggregates and the digging components, and provide a reference for the construction of root models of other tuber crops.