Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging captures photochemical efficiency of grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) in a field setting

Abstract

Background: Photosynthesis is one of the most important biological reactions and forms the basis of crop productivity and yield on which a growing global population relies. However, to develop improved plant cultivars that are capable of increased productivity, methods that can accurately and quickly quantify photosynthetic efficiency in large numbers of genotypes under field conditions are needed. Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging is a rapid, non-destructive measurement that can provide insight into the efficiency of the light-dependent reactions of photosynthesis. Results: To test and validate a field-deployed fluorescence imaging system on the TERRA-REF field scanalyzer, leaves of potted sorghum plants were treated with a photosystem II inhibitor, DCMU, to reduce photochemical efficiency (F V /F M). The ability of the fluorescence imaging system to detect changes in fluorescence was determined by comparing the image-derived values with a handheld fluorometer. This study demonstrated that the imaging system was able to accurately measure photochemical efficiency (F V /F M) and was highly correlated (r = 0.92) with the handheld fluorometer values. Additionally, the fluorescence imaging system was able to track the decrease in photochemical efficiency due to treatment of DCMU over a 7 day period. Conclusions: The system's ability to capture the temporal dynamics of the plants' response to this induced stress, which has comparable dynamics to abiotic and biotic stressors found in field environments, indicates the system is operating correctly. With the validation of the fluorescence imaging system, physiological and genetic studies can be undertaken that leverage the fluorescence imaging capabilities and throughput of the field scanalyzer.

The Responses of Physiological Characteristics and Flowering Related Gene to the Different Water Stress Levels of Red-Flesh Pummelo Cultivars (Citrus grandis (L.) Osbeck) Own-Rooted by Air Layering Propagation under Two Growing Conditions

“…Meanwhile, stomatal closure decreases photosynthesis under water stress [28,29,50]. Furthermore, CF has been generally used as an indicator of photochemical efficiency [51]. Thus, the low CF influences photoinhibition, which implies damage of photosystem II (PSII) [52,53].…”

Images carried before the fire: The power, promise, and responsibility of latent phenotyping in plants

“…2017; Herritt et al, 2020;Liu et al, 2020;Seethepalli et al, 2020;Tovar et al, 2018;Willis et al, 2017;York & Lobet, 2017).…”

Potential Phenotyping Methodologies to Assess Inter- and Intravarietal Variability and to Select Grapevine Genotypes Tolerant to Abiotic Stress

“…However, assessment of fluorescence parameters that require sample dark adaptation (e.g., Fv/Fm) is not feasible in field phenotyping, but informative parameters not requiring dark adaptation (e.g., the photosynthetic ETR) can be measured, although the requirement of a low intensity modulated measuring pulse poses technical difficulties for remote measurements. Fluorescence imaging is under rapid technical development and new instruments are now available ( Herritt et al, 2020 ). Nevertheless, the high cost and limited operational performance in field can hinder their use in large scale field phenotyping in grapevine in the near future.…”