Assessment of the Influence of Canopy Morphology on Leaf Area Density and Drag Coefficient by Means of Wind Tunnel Tests

Shahad Hasan Flayyih Al-Rikabi, Enrica Santolini, Beatrice Pulvirenti, Alberto Barbaresi, Daniele Torreggiani, Patrizia Tassinari and Marco Bovo ()
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Shahad Hasan Flayyih Al-Rikabi: Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 48, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Enrica Santolini: Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 48, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Beatrice Pulvirenti: Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Bologna, Via Terracini 34, 40131 Bologna, Italy
Alberto Barbaresi: Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 48, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Daniele Torreggiani: Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 48, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Patrizia Tassinari: Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 48, 40127 Bologna, Italy
Marco Bovo: Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Viale G. Fanin 48, 40127 Bologna, Italy

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 5, 1-13

Abstract: This paper investigates the aerodynamic behavior of Basil (i.e., Ocimum basilicum ) and Mentuccia (i.e., Clinopodium nepeta (L.) Kuntze), emphasizing the impact of plant structure on drag force. In this paper, the drag coefficient is assessed for the two crop species under various configurations, starting from the pressure drop measured through wind tunnel tests. The methodology involves an innovative use of image processing techniques to determine the leaf area density (LAD) for both Basil and Mentuccia. This approach allows for a precise differentiation between leaf areas and crop pores, crucial for accurate aerodynamic analysis. For Basil, LAD values ranged from 2.41 to 5.08 m 2 · m −3 , while Mentuccia displayed LAD values between 1.17 and 1.93 m 2 · m −3 , depending on the crop configuration. This study provides the relationship between plant morphology, canopy density, and drag coefficient, highlighting how these aspects are influenced by different wind velocities. These results are fundamental and necessary for the proper definition of crop behavior and the aerodynamic parameters in Computational Fluid Dynamics simulations. This knowledge is not only fundamental to the field of agricultural aerodynamics but also has significant implications for optimizing crop planting and arrangement, leading to more efficient farming practices and better understanding of plant–environment interactions.

Keywords: wind tunnel; LAD; drag coefficient; canopy morphology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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