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US 5,854,063 AGranted
Method and apparatus for spectrophotometric observation of plants
AssigneeState of Oregon acting by and through the State Board of Higher Education on behalf of Oregon State University
InventorsNing Li, Larry S. Daley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An instrument is described for making both fluorometric and spectrophotometric images of plants. The instrument includes two sources of electromagnetic radiation, optical components to direct the radiation, excitation and emission filters, and an imaging device. The instrument can be used to produce high resolution spectrophotometric images of living plants by correcting for water path length.
Claims7
An apparatus for analyzing radiation emitted by a sample of plant material and radiation transmitted by the sample of plant material, the apparatus comprising:
- a first source of monochromatic electromagnetic radiation, which first source (a) is positioned to supply radiation incident on a sample of plant material which contains photosynthetic components, which sample is positioned at a predetermined location and (b) provides radiation of a wavelength which excites fluorescence from the sample;
- a second source of monochromatic electromagnetic radiation, which second source (a) is positioned to direct radiation to pass through the sample while the sample is at the predetermined location and (b) provides radiation of a wavelength suitable for spectral imaging of the sample;
- a switching mechanism for alternately supplying radiation to the sample at the predetermined location from the first and second sources of monochromatic electromagnetic radiation;
- an imaging device adapted (a) to detect fluorescence which is excited from the sample by exposure to radiation from the first source while the sample is at the predetermined location, (b) to detect radiation which is transmitted through the sample from the second source while the sample is at the predetermined location, and (c) to transmit data signals that indicate the intensity of radiation detected as a function of time;
- a computer which (a) is connected to the imaging device to receive the data signals that indicate the intensity of the fluorescence detected by the imaging device, (b) is programmed to note which of the data signals indicates the highest value of the fluorescence measured, and (c) is programmed then to identify information about the intensity of fluorescence that is indicated by a data signal corresponding to a fluorescence measurement which occurred at a predetermined time after the time of the noted data signal which indicated the highest value of the fluorescence;
- and
- at least one emission filter for limiting the intensity and wavelength of radiation incident on the imaging device as a result of illumination by the first source.
4 more elements
A method for measuring differences in plant pathology and physiology comprising:
- providing an apparatus comprising a first source of electromagnetic radiation, which first source provides radiation of a wavelength which excites fluorescence from a sample of plant material containing photosynthetic components when the sample is positioned at a predetermined location, at least one excitation filter for limiting the intensity and wavelength of radiation from the first source that is incident on the sample at the predetermined location, a second source of electromagnetic radiation, which second source provides radiation of a wavelength suitable for spectral imaging of the sample and is positioned to direct radiation to pass through the sample while the sample is positioned at the predetermined location, a switching mechanism for alternately supplying radiation to the sample from the first and second sources, an imaging device positioned both (a) to detect fluorescence which is excited from the sample by exposure to radiation from the first source while the sample is at the predetermined location, and (b) to detect radiation which is transmitted through the sample from the second source while the sample is at the predetermined location, and at least one emission filter for limiting the intensity and wavelength of radiation incident on the imaging device as a result of illumination by the first source;
- positioning the sample of plant material at the predetermined location;
- illuminating the sample with radiation from the first source;
- measuring resulting fluorescence excited from the sample as a function of time;
- analyzing data obtained by the measuring to assess whether a pathological or physiological condition of the sample is abnormal;
- and
- if a pathological or physiological condition of the sample is determined to be abnormal, halting illuminating by the first source, commencing illuminating of the sample by radiation from the second source, and measuring radiation transmitted by the sample.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.