CF Imager - typical applications
Many treatments, such as the application of herbicides, chilling, drought, and other environmental challenges, affect chlorophyll fluorescence before there are any other measurable effects on the plant. Measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence therefore allows rapid, early and non-invasive detection of stress. Even the effect of treatments that perturb metabolic processes other than photosynthesis may be investigated since many of these affect fluorescence indirectly. CF Imager is extremely effective in screening for variations in photosynthetic performance, identification of metabolic perturbations, and potential for growth and yield.
[For assistance with the terms used, please see our terminology page].
Herbicide Screening
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Seedlings of Agrostis tenuis grown in a 96 well plate treated for 48 h with Imazapyr in 50% Acetone show visible symptoms of inhibition relative to controls.
Imazapyr is an acetolactase inhibitor with no direct effect on the photosynthetic apparatus. Individual images of Fv/Fm for all 96 samples show very clear differences between controls (C) and plants in columns treated with 0.4. 0.8. 4.0 and 8.0 mM Imazapyr. Using conventional observational techniques this screen might take up to 3 weeks. CF Imager achieves the screen in seconds.
Treatment with other herbicides, having both direct and indirect effects on photosynthesis have yielded similar rapid results. |
Nutrient Effects
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Here, Fv/Fm images of four wheat leaves grown in similar Mn-deficient conditions are shown. The two tolerant plants with high Fv/Fm values appear red, and are easily distinguished from the two leaves of intolerant plants. Degrees of susceptibility to Mndeficiency are easily quantified. Variations in Fv/Fm are measurable at the pixel level with a resolution of about 0.15mm2. Complete fluorescence traces are shown for each leaf, allowing a full physiological analysis of fluorescence kinetics. |
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Sample Heterogeneity
| The high resolution of the Imager allows identification of variations in photosynthetic characteristics both within and between samples. The example opposite shows Fq'/Fm' images of the same Cornus leaf 0, 1 hour and 2 hours after infiltration with DCMU via the petiole. The gradual spread of photosynthetic inhibition along the veins is obvious. Areas of inhibition and activity are easily separated and quantified using image manipulation tools. The spread of disease, stomatal patchiness and other factors that cause variations in photosynthesis across tissues may be investigated in a similar manner. |  |
Further details: inventive applications.
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