Plant Penetration Research Articles

Photovoltaic Penetration with MILP Method and Technical Minimum Loading Consideration

Technological development and the reduction of installation costs have caused a rapid growth of solar power plants in Indonesia. The National Electricity Company (Perusahaan Listrik Negara, PLN) strives to achieve the energy mix of renewable energy to 23% by 2025. Solar power plants are unique in that they only supply their power during the daytime. It makes solar power plants connected to the power system change the load profile of the Java-Bali system. In this study, the penetration of solar power plants changed the scheduling of the Java-Bali system because the penetration was installed to the technical minimum loading of existing power plants. When penetration is too big, thermal generator scheduling failure is possible. Unit commitment and economic dispatch with mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) method using CPLEX and Python were carried out to calculate the fuel and generation costs per kWh before and after the penetration. MILP was used to solve the cost fuel equation, namely an integer and nonlinear mix equations, that are challenging to be solved using standar nonlinear programming methods. Due to the use of the MILP-UC, all objective function equations and restraint functions must be linear functions. The tests were conducted for three years, from 2023 to 2025. Simulation results on the Java-Bali system show that the capacity of solar power plants penetrating the Java-Bali system against the peak load will be 52%, 52%, and 50% in 2023, 2024, and 2025, respectively. Meanwhile, penetration of solar power plants to technical minimum loading of existing power plants resulted in the fuel cost falling by 23% in 2023 and 22% in 2024 and 2025. Lastly, the cost of generation per kWh will be decreased by 8% in 2023 and will be as low as 7% in 2024 and 2025.

Multi-Objective Dispatch of PV Plants in Monopolar DC Grids Using a Weighted-Based Iterative Convex Solution Methodology

The design of an efficient energy management system (EMS) for monopolar DC networks with high penetration of photovoltaic generation plants is addressed in this research through a convex optimization point of view. The EMS is formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem that involves economic, technical, and environmental objective functions subject to typical constraints regarding power balance equilibrium, thermal conductor capabilities, generation source capacities, and voltage regulation constraints, among others, using a nonlinear programming (NLP) model. The main characteristic of this NLP formulation of the EMS for PV plants is that it is a nonconvex optimization problem owing to the product of variables in the power balance constraint. To ensure an effective solution to this NLP problem, a linear approximation of the power balance constraints using the McCormick equivalent for the product of two variables is proposed. In addition, to eliminate the error introduced by the linearization method, an iterative solution methodology (ISM) is proposed. To solve the multi-objective optimization problem, the weighted optimization method is implemented for each pair of objective functions in conflict, with the main advantage that in this extreme the Pareto front has the optimal global solution for the single-objective function optimization approach. Numerical results in the monopolar version of the IEEE 33-bus grid demonstrated that the proposed ISM reaches the optimal global solution for each one of the objective functions under analysis. It demonstrated that the convex optimization theory is more effective in the EMS design when compared with multiple combinatorial optimization methods.

Secretomic Insights into the Pathophysiology of Venturia inaequalis: The Causative Agent of Scab, a Devastating Apple Tree Disease

Apple scab, caused by Venturia inaequalis, is one of the world's most commercially significant apple diseases. The fungi have a catastrophic impact on apples, causing considerable losses in fruit quality and productivity in many apple-growing locations despite numerous control agents. Fungi secrete various effectors and other virulence-associated proteins that suppress or alter the host's immune system, and several such proteins were discovered in this work. Using state-of-the-art bioinformatics techniques, we examined the V. inaequalis reference genome (EU-B04), resulting in the identification of 647 secreted proteins, of which 328 were classified as small secreted proteins (SSPs), with 76.52% of SSPs identified as anticipated effector proteins. The more prevalent CAZyme proteins were the enzymes engaged in plant cell wall disintegration (targeting pectin and xylanase), adhesion and penetration (Cutinases/acetyl xylan esterase), and reactive oxygen species formation (multicopper oxidases). Furthermore, members of the S9 prolyl oligopeptidase family were identified as the most abundant host defense peptidases. Several known effector proteins were discovered to be expressed during the V. inaequalis infection process on apple leaves. The present study provides valuable data that can be used to develop new strategies for controlling apple scab.

THE IMPACT OF REFORESTATION ON PHYSICAL AND HYDROPHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SOILS OF THE FALLOW LANDS (SKOLIVSKI BESKYDY, THE UKRAINIAN CARPATHIANS)

The article tackles the impacts of anthropogenic load on the physical and hydrophysical soil properties. In order to better comprehend the processes of spontaneous sylvatisation in a mountain region (the Pohartsi boundary, Koziova village, the Skolivski Beskydy physiographic region) four study plots were selected representing the successional sequence: forest → pasture → hay meadow → arable lands. Land patches that were affected the least by anthropogenic load restored faster to their natural baseline conditions. Tilling appeared to retardate restoration processes, however those anyway took place. Proper functioning of arable land patches may be facilitated by continuous land care actions (i.e. ploughing or mowing).We found that soil bulking density in arable lands increased in upper soil horizons compared to forest ecosystems. Such an increase is caused by mechanical turning upper soil horizons up down and vice versa, for lower horizons. In pasture lands, upper soil horizons are trampled down by livestock. This leads to lower water permeability of soils: increase in soil bulk density from 0.79 to 1.15 g•cm-3 resulted in a decrease of water permeability by 75 %. In forested lands, values of water permeability similar to those in arable lands (0.55 mm•min⁻¹) are usually observed along the walking trails and in wood trilling plots. On the land patches with scarce herbaceous cover erosion processes are emerging. The latter is especially dangerous for arable land patches causing extra leak of soil nutrients and thus soil depletion. In order to further exploitation soils in such patches need additional fertilizing. As agricultural load diminishes soil upper horizons restore. Restoration occurs through prolonged freezing and thawing cycles during the cold (autumn-winter-spring) season. Another path for soil physical properties restoration is associated with penetration of plant fine roots that loosen the soil. Increase of total sparing indices is observed, as well. For upper horizons of restored soil it is assessed as “intermediate” (62,00 ‒ 65,35 %) whilst for arable land patches it is significantly lower (54,90 %). Soil bulk density gradually decreased along soil profiles and study plots. In forested patches it reached minimum (2,28 g•cm⁻³) and in arable land patches – maximum (2.55 g•cm⁻³) values, which did not change upon termination of anthropogenic load. Significant changes were observed for the field humidity indices. These varied both spatially, along soil profiles, and temporarily, by seasons. Lack of herbaceous vegetation caused over-drying in upper soil horizons. At the same time in lower horizons field humidity increased. Upper soil horizons in forested patches undergo the least changes due to the presence of thick forest floor. We conclude that major indicators of agricultural load within a soil profile are soil bulk density, water permeability and total sparing. Such indicators as the solid phase density and field humidity are of additional value. Key words: reforestation; soil bulk density; water permeability; soil profile; arable lands; pastures; Skolivski Beskydy.

Tandem metalloenzymes gate plant cell entry by pathogenic fungi

Global food security is endangered by fungal phytopathogens causing devastating crop production losses. Many of these pathogens use specialized appressoria cells to puncture plant cuticles. Here, we unveil a pair of alcohol oxidase-peroxidase enzymes to be essential for pathogenicity. Using Colletotrichum orbiculare, we show that the enzyme pair is cosecreted by the fungus early during plant penetration and that single and double mutants have impaired penetration ability. Molecular modeling, biochemical, and biophysical approaches revealed a fine-tuned interplay between these metalloenzymes, which oxidize plant cuticular long-chain alcohols into aldehydes. We show that the enzyme pair is involved in transcriptional regulation of genes necessary for host penetration. The identification of these infection-specific metalloenzymes opens new avenues on the role of wax-derived compounds and the design of oxidase-specific inhibitors for crop protection.

Alien Species in the Pioneer and Ruderal Vegetation of Ukraine

Invasions of nonnative plants are widely recognized as one of the major threats to the biodiversity of natural ecosystems on a global scale. Pioneer and ruderal habitats are the primary locations for the penetration of alien plants. Both pioneer and ruderal vegetation are very close in their genesis and beginning of development; therefore, a comparative analysis of their alien components and historical trends would contribute to clarifying the direction of successional changes and the possible management of destructive processes caused by anthropogenic influences in different types of habitats. The results of a structural and comparative analysis of the alien fractions of the coenofloras of the pioneer and ruderal vegetation of Ukraine indicated that the systematic, biomorphological, ecological, and geographical structures of these species show a high similarity, according to many of the main indicators, which allows them to successfully implement a strategy of invasion, particularly in communities characterized by instability and weak coenotic connections. It was established that the ecotopes of both types of vegetation are very favorable to the penetration and establishment of alien species; however, disturbed habitats of the ruderal type are more prone to invasions. In the communities of both pioneer and ruderal vegetation, alien species can become successfully established at the coenotic level, forming phytocoenoses of different hierarchical ranks. The results of this study will contribute to the identification of general patterns of invasions and the optimization (management) of disturbed and unstable natural ecosystems.

Additional Compound Damping Control to Suppress Low-Frequency Oscillations in a Photovoltaic Plant with a Hybrid Energy Storage System

The use of the conventional dual closed-loop control strategy by photovoltaic (PV) plants with grid-connected inverters may weaken the damping of a power system, which may aggravate low-frequency oscillations (LFOs). This influence will become more severe as the penetration of PV plants increases. Therefore, it is necessary to incorporate damping controls into PV plants to suppress LFOs. This paper proposed an additional compound damping control (ACDC) system that combines additional damping control (ADC) for the inverter with ADC-based dynamic power compensation control (DPCC), allowing hybrid energy storage systems (HESSs) to suppress LFOs. First, the feasibility of suppressing low-frequency oscillations in PV plants is demonstrated by the torque method and a small signal model. Then, an additional damping controller is added to the active power control link of the PV inverter to enhance the damping abilities of the system. However, given that the damping performance of PV plants with only ADC is limited by the compensated power, PV plants require devices that can rapidly compensate for the damping power. Therefore, we added the HESS to the DC bus and proposed DPCC. Finally, a three-machine nine-node system for a PV plant was modeled and simulated in the PSCAD platform. The simulation results showed that the proposed control strategy could provide effective damping for interarea oscillation.

Niemann-Pick Type C Proteins Are Required for Sterol Transport and Appressorium-Mediated Plant Penetration of Colletotrichum orbiculare.

ABSTRACTMany biotrophic and hemibiotrophic fungal pathogens use appressoria to directly penetrate the host plant surface. In the cucumber anthracnose fungus Colletotrichum orbiculare, differentiation of appressoria requires a proper G1/S cell cycle progression, regulated by the GTPase-activating protein complex CoBub2-CoBfa1 and its downstream GTPase CoTem1. To explore the mechanisms by which the CoTem1 cascade regulates plant infection, we screened for CoTem1 interaction factors and identified a Niemann-Pick type C2 homolog (CoNpc2). Niemann-Pick type C proteins NPC1 and NPC2 are sterol-binding proteins required for sterol export from lysosomes (vacuoles) in humans and yeasts. We showed that CoNpc2 colocalized with CoNpc1 in late endosomes and vacuoles and that disruption of its gene resulted in aberrant sterol accumulation in vacuoles and loss of sterol membrane localization, indicating that NPC proteins are engaged in sterol transport in C. orbiculare. For appressorium infection, sterol transport and proper distribution mediated by CoNpc1 and CoNpc2 are critical for membrane integrity and membrane curvature with actin assembly, leading to penetration peg emergence and appressorial cone formation. Our results revealed a novel mechanism by which NPC proteins regulate appressorium-mediated plant infection.

Evidencing New Roles for the Glycosyl-Transferase Cps1 in the Phytopathogenic Fungus Botrytis cinerea.

The fungal cell wall occupies a central place in the interaction between fungi and their environment. This study focuses on the role of the putative polysaccharide synthase Cps1 in the physiology, development and virulence of the grey mold-causing agent Botrytis cinerea. Deletion of the Bccps1 gene does not affect the germination of the conidia (asexual spores) or the early mycelial development, but it perturbs hyphal expansion after 24 h, revealing a two-phase hyphal development that has not been reported so far. It causes a severe reduction of mycelial growth in a solid medium and modifies hyphal aggregation into pellets in liquid cultures. It strongly impairs plant penetration, plant colonization and the formation of sclerotia (survival structures). Loss of the BcCps1 protein associates with a decrease in glucans and glycoproteins in the fungus cell wall and the up-accumulation of 132 proteins in the mutant’s exoproteome, among which are fungal cell wall enzymes. This is accompanied by an increased fragility of the mutant mycelium, an increased sensitivity to some environmental stresses and a reduced adhesion to plant surface. Taken together, the results support a significant role of Cps1 in the cell wall biology of B. cinerea.

Output power smoothing of wind power plants using unified inter-phase power controller equipped with super-capacitor

Due to the growing concerns regarding environmental and economic issues in power systems, nowadays the application of renewable energy sources (RES), especially wind energy has been increased. However, the increasing penetration of wind power plants (WPPs) into the grid has raised numerous challenges including output power fluctuations as well as the significant role these sources play in low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) in case of short circuit fault conditions. Energy storage systems (ESSs) are commonly employed to enhance WPP output power smoothing. On the other side, flexible AC transmission systems (FACTS) can be utilized to enhance dynamic transients of the WPPs under short circuit contingencies. This paper presents the utilization of unified inter-phase power controller (UIPC) and the super-capacitor to fulfill the aforementioned challenges in connection of WPPs to the grid. To achieve this, a novel power control scheme is proposed to compensate for output power variations. The WPP model studied here is of doubly-fed induction generator (DFIG) type wind turbine. Simulations and comparisons are performed in the MATLAB/Simulink® environment to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme in smoothening WPP output power as well as enhancing their LVRT capability.

A distinctive methodology to recover renewable penetration cost into electric grid

The current work portrays a unique methodology for the optimal penetration and operation of wind and solar power plants into the real-time Andhra Pradesh (AP) state electricity grid. The objectives of the presented work include identifying the suitable locations for the installation of wind and solar power plants, forecasting the wind and solar powers available using the proposed persistent extreme learning machine algorithm and finally obtaining the payback period of the installation with the optimal operation. It was observed that the suggested algorithm forecasts very precisely, which was validated with the help of hardware setup. The payback period was calculated with the incorporation of wind alone, solar alone and both wind-solar combination. With the obtained results, it can be derived that the incorporation of wind-solar combination into the AP real-time system yields to less payback period over the trio.

Nucleosome Assembly Protein 1, Nap1, Is Required for the Growth, Development, and Pathogenicity of Magnaporthe oryzae.

Magnaporthe oryzae is the causal agent of rice blast, leading to significant reductions in rice and wheat productivity. Nap1 is a conserved protein in eukaryotes involved in diverse physiological processes, such as nucleosome assembly, histone shuttling between the nucleus and cytoplasm, transcriptional regulation, and the cell cycle. Here, we identified Nap1 and characterized its roles in fungal development and virulence in M. oryzae. MoNap1 is involved in aerial hyphal and conidiophore differentiation, sporulation, appressorium formation, plant penetration, and virulence. ΔMonap1 generated a small, elongated, and malformed appressorium with an abnormally organized septin ring on hydrophobic surfaces. ΔMonap1 was more sensitive to cell wall integrity stresses but more resistant to microtubule stresses. MoNap1 interacted with histones H2A and H2B and the B-type cyclin (Cyc1). Moreover, a nuclear export signal (NES) domain is necessary for Nap1’s roles in the regulation of the growth and pathogenicity of M. oryzae. In summary, NAP1 is essential for the growth, appressorium formation, and pathogenicity of M. oryzae.

Analisis PASTEL & SWOTPemanfaatan Teknologi Pumped Storage Hydropower Untuk Meningkatan Penetrasi Energi Terbarukan Di Indonesia

<p align="justify">enewable energy (RE) power plants can reduce the use of fossil fuel power plants that damage the environment related to CO2 emissions. Solar power centers and wind/wind power plants (PLTB) have intermittent characteristics related to their performance which is strongly influenced by environmental conditions such as fluctuations in solar radiation & wind speed. This creates problems in the stability & reliability of the electricity system so that its utilization is not optimal. Pumped storage hydropower (PSH) is a renewable energy-based technology that can store excess energy production in the electricity system at low load conditions to be distributed when the system is in peak load conditions. This study aims to determine the use of PSH concerning increasing the penetration of RE generators in the electricity system. Pastel & SWOT (Strength Weakness Opportunity Threat) analysis methods were used in this study. From the results of the discussion & discussion, it was found that PSH technology can support the penetration of RE power plants in Indonesia, especially PLTB & PLTS because it can eliminate the intermittency nature of these plants in the electricity system. In addition, PSH is also a mature energy storage medium on a large & economical scale, making it suitable for application in large & complex electrical systems. The strength of PSH is its mature technology, especially from the aspect of its large and economical capacity. The weakness of PSH is related to its utilization depending on the location due to the need for the area to have sufficient water potential with hilly natural conditions (their elevation), and relatively large land. The opportunity offered by PSH is that Indonesia has many areas that have the potential to be developed into PSH. In addition, the use of PSH can reduce the cost of production and increase the penetration of PLTS & PLTB. The threat of PSH is the trend of decreasing storage costs & increasing battery performance.<em></em></p>

The Identification and Characterization of Endopolygalacturonases in a South African Isolate of Phytophthora cinnamomi.

Phytophthora cinnamomi is an economically important plant pathogen that has caused devastating losses to the avocado industry worldwide. To facilitate penetration and successful colonization of the host plant, pathogens have been reported to secrete polygalacturonases (PGs). Although a large PG gene family has been reported in P. cinnamomi, in-depth bioinformatics analyses and characterization of these genes is still lacking. In this study we used bioinformatics tools and molecular biology techniques to identify and characterize endopolygalacturonases in the genome of a South African P. cinnamomi isolate, GKB4. We identified 37 PGs, with 19 characteristics of full-length PGs. Although eight PcPGs were induced in planta during infection, only three showed significant up- and down-regulation when compared with in vitro mycelial growth, suggesting their possible roles in infection. The phylogenetic analysis of PcPGs showed both gain and loss of introns in the evolution of PGs in P. cinnamomi. Furthermore, 17 PGs were related to characterized PGs from oomycete species, providing insight on possible function. This study provides new data on endoPGs in P. cinnamomi and the evolution of introns in PcPG genes. We also provide a baseline for future functional characterization of PGs suspected to contribute to P. cinnamomi pathogenicity/virulence in avocado.

Glyphosate-based herbicide induces long-lasting impairment in neuronal and glial differentiation.

Glyphosate‐based herbicides (GBH) are among the most sold pesticides in the world. There are several formulations based on the active ingredient glyphosate (GLY) used along with other chemicals to improve the absorption and penetration in plants. The final composition of commercial GBH may modify GLY toxicological profile, potentially enhancing its neurotoxic properties. The developing nervous system is particularly susceptible to insults occurring during the early phases of development, and exposure to chemicals in this period may lead to persistent impairments on neurogenesis and differentiation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long‐lasting effects of a sub‐cytotoxic concentration, 2.5 parts per million of GBH and GLY, on the differentiation of human neuroepithelial stem cells (NES) derived from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC). We treated NES cells with each compound and evaluated the effects on key cellular processes, such as proliferation and differentiation in daughter cells never directly exposed to the toxicants. We found that GBH induced a more immature neuronal profile associated to increased PAX6, NESTIN and DCX expression, and a shift in the differentiation process toward glial cell fate at the expense of mature neurons, as shown by an increase in the glial markers GFAP, GLT1, GLAST and a decrease in MAP2. Such alterations were associated to dysregulation of key genes critically involved in neurogenesis, including PAX6, HES1, HES5, and DDK1. Altogether, the data indicate that subtoxic concentrations of GBH, but not of GLY, induce long‐lasting impairments on the differentiation potential of NES cells.

Modelling of renewable energy power plant controllers for steady-state studies using an extended power flow formulation

The increasing penetration of large-scale wind and photovoltaic plants has created new challenges for the secure and reliable operation of power systems. To face these challenges, these renewable plants are composed of numerous inverter-based resources that use centralized controllers to satisfy grid code requirements related to frequency and voltage control, both under dynamic and steady-state conditions. In this paper, an extended power flow formulation is proposed for the steady-state modelling of power plant controllers along with their power flow controls including those associated with droop control, suitable for any plant topology and number of regulation devices. The effectiveness of this modelling approach is validated against WECC generic models using dynamic simulations in PSS®E. For this purpose, a 13-bus 5-generator test system representing a 100-MW renewable power plant is studied. The accuracy of the introduced formulation is demonstrated since it presents absolute errors smaller than 0.2% between both fundamentally different methods. Additionally, the well-known IEEE RTS-96 test system is used to model 29 power plant controllers with 93 generators, thus showing the practicality of the proposed formulation. It can be envisaged that this timely tool is valuable for power system operation and expansion planning considering large-scale variable renewable energy power plants.

3-D numerical simulation and experimental study of PV module self-cleaning based on dew formation and single axis tracking

Despite the global acceptance and rapid market penetration of PV power plants and recent advancements in increasing panels electrical efficiency, soiling is still one of the most critical challenges that deteriorate the performance. This study proposes a unique method for PV panel self-cleaning based on dew formation on panel’s active surface and with aid of Single Axis Tracking (SAT) mechanism. Both experimental study and numerical simulations were performed in this research to highlight the effectiveness of self-cleaning method. Such approach is based on rotation of panels toward ground during night in an inclined position for simultaneous dew formation and cleaning of panels via water droplets runoff and prevention of dust accumulation. Experimental results exhibit a maximum loss of 5.9% in panel efficiency during a 94 days testing period while for the fixed PV and SAT without night position losses were measured to be 33.2% and 11.9% respectively. Using a validated CFD model, a new PV glazing geometry was proposed to increase dew formation for more effective self-cleaning. CFD numerical results demonstrate that the amount of collected dew mass formed on the panel can be increased by about 86 % while dew film thickness increased by about 67% compared to conventional flat glaze configuration. Overall, the proposed system outperforms its counterparts based on a continuous self-cleaning strategy on a nightly basis which does not require any additional capital and labor costs, energy consumption and water resources.

A Subunit of ESCRT-III, MoIst1, Is Involved in Fungal Development, Pathogenicity, and Autophagy in Magnaporthe oryzae.

The culprit of rice blast, Magnaporthe oryzae, is a filamentous fungus that seriously affects the yield and quality of rice worldwide. MoIst1, a subunit of ESCRT-III, is involved in identified ubiquitinated proteins and transports them into the intraluminal vesicles of multivesicular bodies (MVBs) for degradation in lysosomes. Here, we identify and characterize MoIst1 in M. oryzae. Disruption of MoIst1 leads to a significant decrease in sporulation and formation of appressoria, defects in response to oxidative stress, cell wall stress, hyperosmotic stress, and reduced pathogenicity. Deletion of MoIst1 also caused the decreased Pmk1 phosphorylation levels, appressorium formation, the delayed translocation and degradation of lipid droplets and glycogen, resulting in a decreased appressorium turgor. In addition, deletion of MoIst1 leads to an abnormal autophagy. In summary, our results indicate that MoIst1 is involved in sporulation, appressorium development, plant penetration, pathogenicity, and autophagy in M. oryzae.

A green hydrogen energy storage concept based on parabolic trough collector and proton exchange membrane electrolyzer/fuel cell: Thermodynamic and exergoeconomic analyses with multi-objective optimization

With the continuous penetration of renewable energy plants into energy markets and their surplus power generation during off-peak periods, the need for utility-scale energy storage technologies is globally prioritized. Among the existing large-scale energy storage technologies, hydrogen storage has appeared as a powerful alternative due to its environmental benefits and the ability to store a large amount of energy for several hours to months. The major objective of the proposed research is to introduce a novel configuration of green hydrogen production for power generation during peak demand periods. In this regard, an innovative hybridization of a solar unit based on a parabolic trough collector with a proton-exchange membrane electrolyzer and a fuel cell is introduced and analyzed from the thermodynamic and exergoeconomic perspectives. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis and a multi-objective optimization based on the combination of neural network and grey wolf optimization algorithms are conducted to select the best working fluid of the solar unit and ideal operating conditions according to the minimum cost rate and the maximum exergy efficiency. The results indicate that Dowtherm™ A synthetic oil is the best working fluid, and the proposed system can generate 9, 14.9, and 20.1 MW of power during off-, mid-, and on-peak times, respectively. The results also show that the proposed system operates with an exergy efficiency of 17.6% and a cost rate of 492.4 $/hr under the optimal conditions.

Image processing and area estimation of chia (Salvia hispanica L.), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.), and bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) leaves based on statistical and intelligent methods

The leaf area (LA) is essential for interception of solar radiation and is determinant factor in plant photosynthesis and penetration of light in the canopy and the plant growth rate. In this research, we assessed the robustness of models on an independent set of data in chia (Salvia hispanica L.), quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd), and bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.). The number of 1000 leaves from each plants were selected from different levels of the canopy during the growth period and immediately transferred to the laboratory and prepared for imaging. After the LA was calculated using image processing system, regression and artificial intelligence methods were considered to LA estimation. Out of 47 evaluated regression models, a+b((L+W) 2 model explained more than 95% of phenotypic variation of LA for three plants (L and W represented length and width of leaf respectively). Among the various training algorithms studied, the trained neural network with Levenberg-Marquardt backpropagation training algorithm had the lowest MSE error and R2 value more than 0.98 in estimating the LA of quinoa, chia and bitter melon plants. In this study, prediction of LA of chia and quinoa with ANFIS (Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System) and Support Vector Regression (SVR) system indicated that using this system LA is estimated with high accuracy (R2 > 98%). Generally, results showed that methods based on artificial intelligence can estimate the LA in an acceptable manner. This research application codes can be used to generate an application on a smartphone to calculate the LA of chia, quinoa, and bitter melon.