Published in Scientific Papers. Series B, Horticulture, Vol. LXVIV, Issue 2
Written by Cristian BERAR, Cristina TOTA, Florin SALA
The study aimed to detect female and male plants of the species Ginkgo biloba L. based on the fractal properties of leaf geometry. Leaf samples (40 leaves) were taken from female and male tree specimens, from different locations (Timisoara and Deva). To obtain representative samples, by leaf size category, samples were taken randomly, in autumn after leaf fall, on the leaf carpet on the ground, under the crown projection. The box-counting method was used to analyze the leaf geometry and obtain the values of fractal dimensions (D). The fractal analysis led to the fractal dimensions (D), denoted D(F1), D(F2) for female tree specimens and D(M1), D(M2) for male tree specimens. The mean values of the fractal dimensions were D(F1) =1.6737±0.0069, D(F2) =1.5842±0.0125, D(M1) =1.4947±0.0107, D(M2) =1.5146±0.0051. Each sample D(F1), D(F2) was analyzed compared to each sample D(M1), D(M2). Comparative analysis of fractal dimension values (means, medians) from female and male specimens led to statistically significant differences (p<0.001). Fractal analysis was a reliable method for detecting the two categories of trees, female and male, under the study conditions.
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