XVI International Botanical Congess

A set of tools for collecting and processing information on the architecture and morphogenesis of any kind of plant is described. FLORADIG software interfaced to a 3-D digitiser allows easy measurement, automated recording of topology and interactive visualisation of measured architecture. Output files are imported into any database and datasets selected for statistical analysis. Results are expressed as L-systems which are precise specifications of morphogenesis. These are interpreted to create virtual plants by P. Prusinkiewicz's plant and fractal generator software (cpfg) in the virtual laboratory in botany (vlab). Virtual plant simulations are used to explore how genes and environment affect partitioning, plant architecture, resource acquisition and yield.