Photosynthetica 2017, 55(3):543-552 | DOI: 10.1007/s11099-016-0678-8

Predictive capability of a leaf optical meter for determining leaf pigment status during senescence

G.Y. Li1, D.P. Aubrey2,3, H.Z. Sun1,*
1 Center for Ecological Research, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, China
2 Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, University of Georgia, Aiken, USA
3 Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of Georgia, Athens, USA

We conducted an experiment to assess the predictive capability of a leaf optical meter for determining leaf pigment status of Acer mono Maxim., A. ginnala Maxim., Quercus mongolica Fisch., and Cornus alba displaying a range of visually different leaf colors during senescence. Concentrations of chlorophyll (Chl) a, Chl b, and total Chl [i.e., Chl (a+b)] decreased while the concentration of carotenoids (Car) remained relatively static for all species as leaf development continued from maturity to senescence. C. alba exhibited the lowest average concentration of Chl (a+b), Chl a, and Car, but the highest relative anthocyanin concentration, while Q. mongolica exhibited the highest Chl (a+b), Chl b, and the lowest relative anthocyanin concentration. A. mono exhibited the highest Chl a and Car concentrations. The relationships between leaf pigments and the values measured by the optical meter generally followed an exponential function. The strongest relationships between leaf pigments and optical measurements were for A. mono, A. ginnala, and Q. mongolica (R 2 ranged from 0.64 to 0.95), and the weakest relationships were for C. alba (R 2 ranged from 0.13 to 0.67). Moreover, optical measurements were more strongly related to Chl a than to Chl b or Chl (a+b). Optical measurements were not related to Car or relative anthocyanin concentrations. We predicted that weak relationships between leaf pigments and optical measurements would occur under very low Chl concentrations or under very high anthocyanin concentrations; however, these factors could not explain the weak relationship between Chl and optical measurements observed in C. alba. Overall, our results indicated that an optical meter can accurately estimate leaf pigment concentrations during leaf senescence - a time when pigment concentrations are dynamically changing - but that the accuracy of the estimate varies across species. Future research should investigate how species-specific leaf traits may influence the accuracy of pigment estimates derived from optical meters.

Keywords: absorption; anthocyanin; calibration; carotenoid; chlorophyll; leaf properties; reflectance; SPAD; transmittance

Received: April 27, 2016; Accepted: October 10, 2016; Published: September 1, 2017Show citation

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Li, G.Y., Aubrey, D.P., & Sun, H.Z. (2017). Predictive capability of a leaf optical meter for determining leaf pigment status during senescence. Photosynthetica, 55(3), 543-552. doi: 10.1007/s11099-016-0678-8.
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