3-D modelling of the banana architecture for simulation of rainfall interception parameters

Rainfall interception and water transfers within canopies depend on plant architecture. Banana plants generate considerable stemflow and throughfall at some dripping locations that may induce agrochemical leaching. The DROP model developed to simulate rainfall interception and distribution by plants using 3-D digitised data was adapted to complex banana leaf shapes. We evaluated the model by comparing measured and simulated leaf area and tested the model sensitivity to architectural data errors for the estimation of important interception parameters. Our results showed that the model appropriately described the plant leaf area even for torn leaves. The errors due to the digitiser accuracy did not significantly affect the estimation of leaf area and rainfall interception parameters. The number of dripping points and their watershed area were significantly affected by a reduction in the number of digitised points used for the leaf description. Inclined leaf simulation required a lower point density than for horizontal leaves, and large leaf simulation required a lower point density than for small leaves.