Virtual Plant of Basil (Ocimum Basillicum) by Using Functional-Structural Plant Model

Abstract

Indonesia is one of the most populated and large country in south-east Asia. Its abundance of natural resources was well known. Supported by its tropical climate, made Indonesia is also among the largest tropical country in the world. However, according to the data, arable land in Indonesia has drastically decreased over the years in line with the rising demand for residency areas. This statistic shows a rather concerning fact that it is possible that even though Indonesia with this richness of natural resources one day would not fulfil its own domestic food needs. Moreover, competitions and hindrances that experienced by the Indonesian farmers might also worsen this limited food supply. In this research, the computational plant model (called virtual model) of the above-land Basil plant (Ocimum Basillicum P.) was proposed. The Basil plant that is taken as a research object is specific. It is a plant growing in a hydroponic environment. By using structural and functional plant model (FSPM) and simple mathematical and statistical methods, the constructed model was able to portray the growth pattern of each plant organ morphologically and biologically. The development and growth patterns of each plant organ (i.e., stem, petiole, leaves, etc.) are also depicted in detail and precisely. The model was quite novel. It practically can be exploited by agronomists and researchers to see the potential effort in optimizing the plant’s yield.