# US 12,298,246 B2 · Method for determining and optimizing the content of at least one plant substance of at least one part of a plant

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- Number: US 12,298,246 B2
- Document ID: US12298246B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/778,532
- Filed: 2020-11-20
- Published: 2023-02-09
- Granted: 2025-05-13
- Earliest claimed: 2019-11-22
- Assignees: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e. V.
- Applicants: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V.
- Inventors: Volkmar Keuter; Dennis Schlehuber; Annette Somborn; Holger Wack; Stephan Deckert; Victor Takazi Katayama; Felix Thoma
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12298246B2

## CPC

- A01G 7/00: Botany in general
- G01N 21/6486: {Measuring fluorescence of biological material, e.g. DNA, RNA, cells (G01N21/6428 takes precedence)}
- G01N 2021/635: {Photosynthetic material analysis, e.g. chrorophyll}
- G01N 2201/06193: Secondary in situ sources, e.g. fluorescent particles
- G01N 2201/0627: Use of several LED's for spectral resolution
- A01G: HORTICULTURE; CULTIVATION OF VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, RICE, FRUIT, VINES, HOPS OR SEAWEED; FORESTRY; WATERING (picking of fruits, vegetables, hops or the like A01D46/00; propagating unicellular algae C12N1/12)
- G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q)

## Abstract

Described and represented is a method for determining the content of at least one plant substance of at least one part of a plant. In order for the content of plant substances, in particular secondary plant substances, of at least one part of a plant to be determined and optimized more expediently, it is provided that the at least one part of the plant is irradiated successively with light of different wavelengths and/or wavelength ranges and that, in response to the irradiation of the at least one part of the plant with light of each wavelength and/or at each wavelength range, the chlorophyll fluorescence of at least substantially the same wavelength and/or at least substantially the same wavelength range is measured in each case.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for determining the content of at least one plant substance of at least one part of a plant, comprising:
successively irradiating the at least one part of the plant with light of different wavelengths and/or wavelength ranges and
in response to irradiating the at least one part of the plant with light of each wavelength and/or at each wavelength range, measuring the chlorophyll fluorescence of at least the same wavelength and/or at least the same wavelength range in each case.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
comparing the measured values of the chlorophyll fluorescence with one another and/or with reference values.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
successively irradiating the at least one part of the plant with light of at least three different wavelengths and/or wavelength ranges and
in response to irradiating the at least one part of the plant with light of the at least three different wavelengths and/or wavelength ranges, measuring the chlorophyll fluorescence of at least the same wavelength and/or at least the same wavelength range in each case.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
selecting at least one of the different wavelengths and/or wavelength ranges at least in the range of an absorption maxima of at least one plant substance.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
selecting at least one of the different wavelengths and/or wavelength ranges at least in the range of an absorption maxima of a chlorophyll.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
from the measured values of the chlorophyll fluorescence, recording a response function as a function of the wavelengths and/or wavelength ranges used for irradiating the at least one part of the plant.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
in response to irradiating the at least one part of the plant with light of each wavelength and/or at each wavelength range, measuring the chlorophyll fluorescence of at least the same wavelength and/or at least the same wavelength range in each case at different locations of the at least one part of the plant.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method according to claim 7, further comprising:
separately comparing the measured values of the chlorophyll fluorescence for each location with one another and/or with reference values and/or
from the measured values of the chlorophyll fluorescence for each location, separately recording response functions as a function of the wavelengths and/or wavelength ranges used for irradiating the at least one part of the plant.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
determining the at least one plant substance of at least one part of a leaf of a plant, of a leaf of a plant, of a plurality of leaves of a plant, of all leaves of a plant, of an entire plant, of at least parts of a plurality of plants or of a plurality of plants in total,
irradiating at least one part of a leaf of a plant, a leaf of a plant, a plurality of leaves of a plant, all leaves of a plant, an entire plant, at least parts of a plurality of plants or a plurality of plants with light of different wavelengths and/or wavelength ranges, and
measuring the chlorophyll fluorescence of a certain wavelength and/or of a certain wavelength range of the at least one part of a leaf of a plant, of a leaf of a plant, of a plurality of leaves of a plant, of all leaves of a plant, of an entire plant, of at least parts of a plurality of plants or of a plurality of plants.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
determining the values of the chlorophyll fluorescence from grey-scale values of images and/or pixels recorded by means of a camera.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
determining the at least one plant substance of at least one part of a plant in-vivo and/or
determining a concentration of the at least one plant substance.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising:
successively irradiating the at least one part of the plant with pulsed light of different wavelengths and/or wavelength ranges and/or
measuring the chlorophyll fluorescence in transmission and/or reflection in relation to the irradiation of the at least one part of the plant.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

A method for optimizing the content of at least one plant substance of at least one plant at the time of harvesting the at least one plant, comprising:
determining the content of the at least one plant substance of at least one part of the at least one plant using the method according to claim 1; and
selecting the time of harvest according to the determined content of the at least one plant substance of the at least one part of the at least one plant.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

A method for optimizing the content of at least one plant substance of at least one plant at the time of harvesting the at least one plant, comprising:
determining the content of the at least one plant substance of at least one part of the at least one plant using the method according to claim 1; and
controlling at least one growth condition of the at least one plant according to predefined criteria on the basis of the determined content of the at least one plant substance of the plant.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

A method for optimizing the content of at least one plant substance of at least one plant at the time of harvesting the at least one plant, comprising:
determining the content of the at least one plant substance of at least one part of the at least one plant using the method according to claim 1; and
regulating at least one growth condition of the at least one plant according to predefined criteria on the basis of the determined content of the at least one plant substance of the plant.