ISHS Acta Horticulturae 581: IV International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal
FRACTAL GEOMETRY OF DAUGHTER YOUNG CLADODES OF OPUNTIA FICUS-INDICA (CACTACEAE) |
| Authors: | R.D. Valdez-Cepeda, F. Blanco-Macías |
| Keywords: | Fractal dimension, Box dimension, Nopalitos, Cactus pear cactus. |
| Abstract:
It is known that plant development and growth are markedly influenced by morphology and architecture of the whole plant and parts of the plant. However, little is understood about plant morphology and architecture in Opuntia genus (cactaceae). Traditional methods used to describe natural patterns have not proven useful in quantifying morphology of plant parts (structure/architecture) in relation to their functions. Moreover, there is a lack of suitable techniques, that describe plant parts morphology objectively. This represents an additional difficulty hampering research efforts in this area. Fractal geometry offers a novel method to investigate such natural patterns. Application of this method enables a better understanding of morphology of detached young cladodes of four varieties of Opuntia ficus-indica: ‘Copena F1’, ‘Copena V1’, ‘Villanueva’ and ‘Jalpa’. Results suggests that these varieties differ in surface fractal dimension DA. ‘Copena F1’ and ‘Jalpa’ had the highest values of DA (1.677 and 1.672, respectively), which might indicate that they have a more complex form of growth. This also means that young cladodes do not fill an area occupied by an Euclidean ellipse or circle. Varieties differ in boundary fractal dimension DP (1.01 < DP < 1.11) indicating that their boundaries do not fit the perimeter of the classic Euclidean objects. Cladodes fractal dimension and other cladode characteristics can be used in multivariate morphometric analysis to provide a better understanding of the morphology of Opuntia spp. plants. | |
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