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Model Chlorophyll -Plant Chlorophyll Fluorescence Imaging
Qubit Systems, in collaboration with our European partners Photon Systems, were the first to develop a commercial system for imaging chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics. Chlorophyll fluorescence is an extremely valuable technique in plant physiology used for rapid noninvasive measurements of photosystem II activity. PSII is very sensitive to numerous biotic and abiotic factors so that chlorophyll fluorescence may be used as a rapid indicator of photosynthetic performance in response to changing environmental conditions, and during different developmental stages of the plant. The FluorCam imaging systems monitors fluorescence kinetics using a pulse amplitude modulated method PAM, which allows for all major fluorescence parameters (not just Fv/Fm) to be measured and imaged.
The system consists of a CCD camera for measurement and a multicolored LED light panel that provides:
- pulse- modulated short duration flashes for correct determination of the minimal fluorescence F0 value
- Two types of actinic light
- Saturating light pulse for measurement of maximal fluorescence Fm value
Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements are conducted on single plants or multiple plants based on user-defined software protocols. Measured data are analyzed and stored automatically.
The advantage of chlorophyll fluorescence measurements over other methods for stress monitoring is that changes in chlorophyll fluorescence parameters often occur before other effects of stress are apparent. The method is non-invasive, and the spread of inhibition can be observed and quantified with time. Heterogeneity in the location of inhibition is easily seen and quantified when using imaging systems to measure chlorophyll fluorescence. To this end, high throughput measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence may be used to select mutants or GMOs that maintain high rates of photosynthesis under stress conditions. Qubit Systems offers a wide range of instruments for chlorophyll fluorescence measurements and imaging, ranging from hand-held devices to high throughput screening systems.
