Estimation of the light interception of a cultivated tomato crop canopy under different furrow distances in a greenhouse using the ray tracing

Abstract

We constructed 3D models of the greenhouse (168 m2) and tomato plants (plant height: 150 cm). The point cloud data of tomato plants was acquired by a 3D scanner and converted to the 3D model, which was constructed using polygons. The canopy 3D model was installed in the greenhouse 3D model. In addition, the date, time, latitude, longitude, global solar radiation, and optical properties of objects, such as plants and covering material, were used as input values to estimate the amount of solar radiation received by canopy models using the ray tracing. The amount of solar radiation received by the canopy models at different layers under different furrow distances (60-160 cm) was calculated every 1 h. The lower layer and the middle layer of tomato plants were saturated with solar radiation at furrow distances of 120 cm and 100 cm, respectively. However, the radiation received by the upper layer of tomato plants did not change across the range (60-160 cm) of investigated furrow distances. This investigation has provided a visual demonstration of the relationship between the arrangement of cultivated fruit and vegetable plants, such as tomato, in the greenhouse and the amount of solar radiation received.