VitiCanopy is freely available mobile app specifically designed to measure LAI in vineyards by The University of Adelaide and The University of Melbourne.
Method:
The app uses mobile camera to capture vineyard LAI at 0o zenith angle (top view) and utilises simple Beer’s law equation to calculate LAI using large gap pixel count. The LAI is also corrected for clumping.
Accuracy:
The LAI measured by VitiCanopy has been tested against indirect measurements done using LAI-2000 as well as destructive methods and found to produce consistent and reliable results (r2 between 0.70 to 0.89). Accuracy was found to be dependent on the distance of measurement and it has been recommended to acquire images from about 80cm distance.
Accuracy is also dependent on assumptions related to extinction coefficient and clumping index (calibrated for vineyards only). It is available for only iOS operating system as if now.
More information about VitiCanopy
Reference:
De Bei, R. et al. VitiCanopy: A Free Computer App to Estimate Canopy Vigor and Porosity for Grapevine. Sensors 16, 585 (2016).