Apparatus and method for determining plant fluorescence
US5014225A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 8, 1989 |
| Grant date | May 7, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 8, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2201/129
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus and method for determining the photosynthetic activity of a plant by determining the chlorophyll fluorescence of the plant is provided. The apparatus includes a light impermeable housing, a light to illuminate the housing, a light intensity in the housing and to adjust the light intensity controller. The light intensity may be between zero and 700 micromoles of photons per square meter per second. The monitor may be a photodiode protected by light filters which permit only light of wavelengths corresponding to plant fluorescence emission to pass to the photodiode. A computer analysis of the data obtained, corrects for Dark and Straylight signals in the housing and normalizes the data by correcting for the Fo fluorescence. A method of estimating Fo is provided which includes illuminating a light impermeable chamber housing a plant with light of a pre-determined intensity, measuring the fluorescence emission, determining the slope of a first regression line prior to full opening of the shutter; determining the slope of a second regression line of measurements after the shutter is fully opened and determining the intersecting point between these two lines. A method of det…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.