Correlating Coffea canephora 3D architecture to plant photosynthesis at a daily scale and vegetative biomass allocation.

This article focuses on the comparative analysis of two botanical varieties of Coffea canephora—Robusta and Conilon—examining their plant architecture, photosynthesis, and biomass allocation under non-limiting soil, water, and nutrient conditions. Using 3D functional-structural plant modeling (OpenAlea) combined with physiological measurements, the study found that Robusta clones assimilated more CO2 and produced greater biomass than Conilon clones, largely due to lower leaf respiration rates. Key architectural traits such as leaf inclination, size, and shape were strongly correlated with photosynthetic performance and biomass accumulation, while differences in root biomass distribution indicated intraspecific variability in soil occupation strategies. These findings highlight the potential of C. canephora's genetic and architectural diversity to adapt to environmental challenges, including drought, and demonstrate the utility of the modeling approach for studying other crops and tree species.