* Such model builds the plant structure in 3D, offering a fast qualitative data and process check

* With appropriate bases and rules, a structural model can faithfully simulate the structure development of real plants.

* Structural models offer a framework for hosting many applications where plant geometry is required:

- Mechanical behaviour
- Pest interactions
- Comparisons with Lidar, radar, photometric images or acquisitions
- SImulation of specific crop management sequences, such as pruning
- Fine radiative simulation
- etc.

* Structural models specify the plant geometry and the underlying structure topology

* Structural models allow stochastic structure representations

* Structural models usually show a nice genericity, allowing studies on a wide range of herbs, shrubs, trees

* Structural models do not consider functioning, their interest in agronomy is thus very limited:

- geometrical organ sizes, including internode lengths and diameters must be fitted from data or empirically defined
- girth growth (secondary growth) is ignored
- plant structure plasticity cannot be efficiently studied
- environmental effects are difficult to integrate
- early and older development stages cannot usually be simulated from mature stage parameterization
- ...

* Such models specify the structure, leading to high memory and computing costs on large trees

* The approach is independent from all environmental, climatic and resource conditions

* Extension from a single plant to a crop or stand is difficult and hazardous