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Title: ASSESSMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PLANT STRESSES USING MULTISPECTRAL STEADY-STATE FLUORESCENCE IMAGERY

Author
item Kim, Moon
item MULCHI, CHARLES - UNIV. MD, COLLEGE PARK,MD
item McMurtrey Iii, James
item Daughtry, Craig
item CHAPPELLE, EMMETT - NASA/GSFC, GREENBELT, MD

Submitted to: Air Pollution and Plan Biotechnology Prospects for Phytomonitoring and Phyt
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A multispectral flourescence imaging system using a stable UV (360 nm) excitation light source was used to capture fluorescence images of leaves in the blue, green, red, and far-red region of the spectrum centered at 450, 550, 680, and 740 nm, respectively. Several experiments were presented to demonstrate the versatility of the fluorescence imaging system (FIS). Fluorescence changes resulting from biochemical and physiological changes in plants were qualitatively and quantitatively characterized with the added benefit of allowing spatial characterizations to be made. Imaging a major portion of leaf with a sensitive spectral technique, such as fluorescence, may provide better means to assess the effects of stress conditions, especially those previsual conditions. Studies of in vivo plant fluorescence consider interactions of complex biochemistry and physiology affecting the emission characteristics of fluorescence. Environmental factors associated with plant stresses, such as elevated ambient ozone, and contents of UV absorbing compounds, significantly altered the fluorescence emission characteristics of soybean leaves. Fluorescence emission characteristics of plant leaves may also depend on other variables, such as viscosity of the solvent (fluidity of membrane), temperature, oxidation and reduction states of compounds, and membrane topology (plant anatomy). Further research is needed to enhance the elucidation of the mechanisms and factors contributing to intact plant fluorescence changes in response to environmental perturbations.