An integrative high-throughput phenotyping framework for assessing canopy growth dynamics and light interception in potato

• Potato canopy growth dynamics were quantified by integrating UAV with a piece-wise model • Determined the coupling effect of nitrogen and potassium on light interception with time-series canopy growth model • Proposed a robust indicator and simple linear model for the estimation and prediction of total plant dry weight accumulation • Clarified the contribution of canopy dynamics to yield under nitrogen-potassium interactions Quantifying the canopy growth dynamics and light interception capacity under different management practices laid the physiological foundation for potato yield formation. However, the traditional manual measurement methods are labour-intensive, time-consuming, and incapable of capturing time-series dynamics. To address this, we proposed a novel high-throughput strategy that integrates UAV-based RGB imaging with a piecewise physiological model. Furthermore, how Nitrogen(N)-Potassium(K) interaction affects the temporal canopy growth dynamics, light interception, and tuber yield was determined. The results indicated that: (1) Among the 11 secondary indices extracted from the canopy growth dynamic curves, the interaction of N and K had the greatest effect on the maximum canopy duration and the total canopy growth curve integral. The direct path coefficients of N and K inputs on these two parameters were 0.847 and 0.805, and 0.234 and 0.148, respectively. (2) There was a strong linear relationship between the integral area under the curve (S∫) and the total plant dry weight, with R² at 0.90 in 2023-2024. A simplified net photosynthetically active radiation utilisation assessment framework that achieved high accuracy with minimal parameter was built. (3) Prolonging the maximum canopy continuous coverage time is the main way to improve potato yield. The overall effect of N input on yield was significantly higher than that of K fertiliser, with a total effect value of 1.428. Optimising the N-K interaction improves nutrient precision and light interception. The integration of UAV remote sensing and the crop physiological-ecological model enables the tracking of potato canopy dynamics, which is helpful for optimising management practices to improve potato yield.