Modeling plant growth and development

Przemyslaw Prusinkiewicz
Department of Computer Science, University of Calgary
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
e-mail: pwp@cpsc.ucalgary.ca

Abstract

Computational plant models or "virtual plants" are increasingly seen as a useful tool for comprehending complex relationships between gene function, plant physiology, plant development, and the resulting plant form. The theory of L-systems, which was introduced by Lindemayer in 1968, has led to a well-established methodology for simulating the branching architecture of plants. Many current architectural models provide insights into the mechanisms of plant development by incorporating physiological processes, such as the transport and allocation of carbon. Other models aim at elucidating the geometry of plant organs, including flower petals and apical meristems, and are beginning to address the relationship between patterns of gene expression and the resulting plant form.

Reference

P. Prusinkiewicz: Modeling plant growth and development. Current Opinion in Plant Biology 7 (1), pp. 79-83.

Download from the publisher's site, or download PDF here (100kb).

Back to Publications