Sovremennye problemy distantsionnogo zondirovaniya Zemli iz kosmosa, 2008, Issue 5, Vol. 2, pp. 301-306
Chlorophyll fluorescence as a plant stress indicator
R.H. Kancheva
, D.S. Borisova
, I.T. Iliev
Solar-Terrestrial Influences Laboratory, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1113, Acad. G. Bonchev Str., bl.3 BULGARIA
The objective of the work is to determine the degree of plant stress detectable from fluorescence
measurements. Experiments have been conducted with Hordeum vulgare grown in greenhouse conditions for 2-3
weeks. Plant stress in response to the application of different concentrations of Cd has been quantified by changes
of leaf pigment content. Heavy metals affect plant photosynthetic apparatus causing. Fluorescence spectra exited at
470 nm have been taken in the red and far-red spectral region (640-800 nm). Significant increase of fluorescence
emission of stressed plants in comparison to control plants has been observed. The variance of different
fluorescence parameters has been statistically related to chlorophyll decrease. The results show that the heavy metal
induced stress is detectable from chlorophyll fluorescence demonstrating that the analysis of fluorescence spectra
may timely and accurately indicate the onset of stress in plants.
The present study was supported by National Science Fund of Bulgaria (NSFB) under Contracts NZ-1410/04
and INI-12/05.
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