MECHANICS AND FORM OF THE MAIZE LEAF - IN-VIVO QUALIFICATION OF FLEXURAL BEHAVIOR

An in vivo flexural test is designed and conducted on maize leaves. Da ta processing is based on a local structural definition of longitudina l leaf suppleness, which originates in the theory of pure plane bendin g of initially curved beams, in large displacements. A specific proced ure for curvature and suppleness computation is methodologically discu ssed. The results presented concern only the elastic flexural behaviou r of the leaf (which could be characterized in 59% of the tested leave s). A quasi-exponential increase in suppleness, from the base to the t ip of the leaf, was always experienced. It is demonstrated that the mi drib plays a major part in bending stiffness. Going up the longitudina l leaf form, it is shown that self weight related elastic bending stra ins only account for one-third of the actual curvature.