Plant Tissue Optics

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Physiology and Metabolism".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 October 2021) | Viewed by 15203

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Morphology, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, 118 55 Athens, Greece
Interests: photosynthesis and photoprotection under stress; plant tissue optics; role of secondary metabolites in plant stress tolerance
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Guest Editor
Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Morphology, Agricultural University of Athens, Iera Odos 75, 118 55 Athens, Greece
Interests: Carbon cellular inclusions in plant physiology and stress tolerance; optical properties of plant tissues; drought stress and the role of secondary metabolites

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plant tissue optical properties are an important determinant of light energy harvest and of the interactions between plants and their environment.

This Special Issue focuses on the optical properties of plant organs/tissues, mainly leaves, related to photosynthesis and photoprotection, as well as properties probed by chlorophyll fluorescence or other suitable techniques. These include plant anatomy features viewed under the aforementioned perspective, photosynthesis studies, the use of optical or other probes to describe the organ internal light microenvironent and light propagation phenomena, modeling of the plant-light interaction and optical, spectral and photosynthetic parameters examined under an ecophysiological perspective.

Studies in applications of optical and spectral properties in remote sensing are considered as out of scope but studies of optical properties that are used as a theoretical basis of remote sensing applications are welcome. 

Dr. Lea Hallik
Prof. Dr. Georgios Liakopoulos
Prof. George Karabourniotis
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • plant tissue optics
  • optical properties
  • plant-light interactions
  • plant anatomy
  • light energy harvest
  • photosynthesis
  • photoprotection
  • plant leaves
  • chlorophyll fluorescence
  • plant ecophysiology
  • light propagation

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

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15 pages, 8195 KiB  
Article
Linking Tissue Damage to Hyperspectral Reflectance for Non-Invasive Monitoring of Apple Fruit in Orchards
by Alexei Solovchenko, Alexei Dorokhov, Boris Shurygin, Alexandr Nikolenko, Vitaly Velichko, Igor Smirnov, Dmitriy Khort, Aleksandr Aksenov and Andrey Kuzin
Plants 2021, 10(2), 310; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10020310 - 5 Feb 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3364
Abstract
Reflected light carries ample information about the biochemical composition, tissue architecture, and physiological condition of plants. Recent technical progress has paved the way for affordable imaging hyperspectrometers (IH) providing spatially resolved spectral information on plants on different levels, from individual plant organs to [...] Read more.
Reflected light carries ample information about the biochemical composition, tissue architecture, and physiological condition of plants. Recent technical progress has paved the way for affordable imaging hyperspectrometers (IH) providing spatially resolved spectral information on plants on different levels, from individual plant organs to communities. The extraction of sensible information from hyperspectral images is difficult due to inherent complexity of plant tissue and canopy optics, especially when recorded under ambient sunlight. We report on the changes in hyperspectral reflectance accompanying the accumulation of anthocyanins in healthy apple (cultivars Ligol, Gala, Golden Delicious) fruits as well as in fruits affected by pigment breakdown during sunscald development and phytopathogen attacks. The measurements made outdoors with a snapshot IH were compared with traditional “point-type” reflectance measured with a spectrophotometer under controlled illumination conditions. The spectra captured by the IH were suitable for processing using the approaches previously developed for “point-type” apple fruit and leaf reflectance spectra. The validity of this approach was tested by constructing a novel index mBRI (modified browning reflectance index) for detection of tissue damages on the background of the anthocyanin absorption. The index was suggested in the form of mBRI = (R640−1 + R800−1) − R678−1. Difficulties of the interpretation of fruit hyperspectral reflectance images recorded in situ are discussed with possible implications for plant physiology and precision horticulture practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Tissue Optics)
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Review

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18 pages, 3036 KiB  
Review
The Optical Properties of Leaf Structural Elements and Their Contribution to Photosynthetic Performance and Photoprotection
by George Karabourniotis, Georgios Liakopoulos, Panagiota Bresta and Dimosthenis Nikolopoulos
Plants 2021, 10(7), 1455; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants10071455 - 15 Jul 2021
Cited by 60 | Viewed by 10884
Abstract
Leaves have evolved to effectively harvest light, and, in parallel, to balance photosynthetic CO2 assimilation with water losses. At times, leaves must operate under light limiting conditions while at other instances (temporally distant or even within seconds), the same leaves must modulate [...] Read more.
Leaves have evolved to effectively harvest light, and, in parallel, to balance photosynthetic CO2 assimilation with water losses. At times, leaves must operate under light limiting conditions while at other instances (temporally distant or even within seconds), the same leaves must modulate light capture to avoid photoinhibition and achieve a uniform internal light gradient. The light-harvesting capacity and the photosynthetic performance of a given leaf are both determined by the organization and the properties of its structural elements, with some of these having evolved as adaptations to stressful environments. In this respect, the present review focuses on the optical roles of particular leaf structural elements (the light capture module) while integrating their involvement in other important functional modules. Superficial leaf tissues (epidermis including cuticle) and structures (epidermal appendages such as trichomes) play a crucial role against light interception. The epidermis, together with the cuticle, behaves as a reflector, as a selective UV filter and, in some cases, each epidermal cell acts as a lens focusing light to the interior. Non glandular trichomes reflect a considerable part of the solar radiation and absorb mainly in the UV spectral band. Mesophyll photosynthetic tissues and biominerals are involved in the efficient propagation of light within the mesophyll. Bundle sheath extensions and sclereids transfer light to internal layers of the mesophyll, particularly important in thick and compact leaves or in leaves with a flutter habit. All of the aforementioned structural elements have been typically optimized during evolution for multiple functions, thus offering adaptive advantages in challenging environments. Hence, each particular leaf design incorporates suitable optical traits advantageously and cost-effectively with the other fundamental functions of the leaf. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Tissue Optics)
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