Leaf-air temperature difference as a reliable indicator for potato water status.

Abstract

Introduction Potato ( Solanum tuberosum L .) production in semi-arid regions requires precision irrigation management to address water scarcity, highlighting the critical need for real-time, non-destructive plant water status assessment techniques. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of measuring the leaf-air temperature difference (LAD) as an indicator for diagnosing potato water status. Methods A field experiment was conducted with five irrigation levels (0-300 mm) to evaluate LAD responses at three leaf positions (L 1 , L 4 , and L 8 ) across different growth stages. Results The results demonstrated that LAD significantly correlated with irrigation levels, plant water content (PWC), and soil moisture, with the strongest relationships observed for the fourth leaf from the top (L 4 ). L 4 exhibited the highest sensitivity to water status, the lowest variability among plants. A binomial regression between LAD and yield was identified, revealing a threshold LAD beyond which further LAD increases did not enhance the yield. These findings not only suggest that LAD can be a reliable indicator for monitoring potato water status but also identify L 4 as the optimal leaf position for LAD-based water status monitoring. Discussion The study provides a foundation for precision irrigation in potato production, enabling improved water use efficiency and sustainable potato production in a semiarid region.

Plant phenotyping relevance

葉温−気温差（LAD）によるジャガイモの水分状態推定を中心に、葉位別の感度・変動性・指標性能を評価しており、植物生理状態の計測法の検証に該当する。

Code and data availability

The article reports field-measured leaf-air temperature difference (LAD), plant water content, soil moisture, and yield data for potato under five irrigation levels, but no public repository deposit, dataset URL, image collection, or analysis code is provided. The data availability statement only directs inquiries to a

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