Practical Applications of Chlorophyll Fluorescence in Plant Biology

The first two chapters of this book are devoted to provide a clear, understandable explanation of the theoretical basis for chlorophyll fluorescence analysis. The definitions and terminology that are specific to chlorophyll fluorescence analysis are included in this discussion, which leads to the bridging of chlorophyll fluorescence analysis to plant tissue condition status. Subsequent chapters focus on the monitoring of stress in the natural terrestrial and aquatic environments, assessing seedling quality in forestry, and postharvest quality in fruits and vegetables. A final chapter is devoted to a newly emerging use for the technique in plant breeding programs. It is the hope of the editors and authors that readers who have not used this technique will be encouraged to explore the possibilities in their area of study. For those who have used the technique previously, this book will offer some new insights, which may encourage development and/or refinement of approaches. This work will contribute to advances in the understanding of plant-environment interactions and hence to improvements in the environmental quality, as well as in forestry and agri-food industries.