The Concept

Measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence has become a standard method for investigating photosynthetic characteristics of plants. However, the cost of chlorophyll fluorometers has placed them beyond the budget of most undergraduate laboratories. The introduction of Qubit Systems' new Chlorophyll Fluorescence Package solves this problem, opening up a world of novel and exciting investigations at an affordable price.

Unlike other low-cost fluorometers, Qubit's instrument can be used in conjunction with CO2 analysis systems, such as Qubit Systems' Plant CO2 Analysis Packages. This expands the scope of potential investigations greatly, allowing rapid measurements of fluorescence kinetics and longer term studies of the interactions between the light and dark reactions of photosynthesis. Like most of Qubit Systems' other products, the components of the Chlorophyll Fluorescence Package have specifications suitable for many research applications.

Procedure

The Chlorophyll Fluorescence Package uses a pulse-modulated LED to excite chlorophyll fluorescence. A separate halogen lamp provides the actinic light that drives photosynthesis. The actinic light can be varied from 0-2000 umol quanta/m2/s for continuous irradiance of the leaf, and can provide saturating pulses of light greater than 5000 umol quanta/m2/s. These saturating pulses fully reduce photosynthetic electron carriers and allow measurement of Fm and F/m in dark adapted and illuminated leaves, respectively. Attached or detached leaves may be used in experiments. For rapid measurements, the leaf is held in a leaf clamp. For measurements involving CO2 analysis, the leaf is enclosed in an optional Flow-Through Leaf Chamber. In both cases Fo, Fm, F and F/m are measured, and parameters based on these measurements (such as Fv/Fm) may be calculated easily. If leaves are held in the leaf clamp, it is possible to make fluorescence surveys of large numbers of samples quickly.

Use of the optional G112 Flow Through Leaf Chamber and the S151 Infrared CO2 Analyzer allows investigations into numerous aspects of photosynthetic physiology. When the leaf is enclosed in the leaf chamber, its environment may be varied while the effects on fluorescence and CO2 fixation are measured simultaneously. Qubit Systems manufactures a Leaf Chamber Thermistor (S171) and a Humidity/Temperature Sensor (S161) for monitoring the leaf's environment and for measuring transpiration.

FL2LP Includes:

FL1 Pulse Modulated Chlorophyll Fluorometer
ACT1 Actinic Light Control Module
A101 Laboratory Stand
A118 Halogen Bulb Assembly
A119 Fluorescence Leaf Clamp
A220 Fluorescence Detector
A221 Fluorescence Excitation LED
A222 Fluorescence Ground Cable
A226 Actinic Light Power Supply
C410 LabPro Interface
C901 Logger Pro Software
C404 Customized Setup Software
Instructor's and Student's Manuals
 

 
Use the Fluorescence Package to:

Analyze fluorescence kinetics
Examine the effects of varying irradiance
Examine the effects of varying CO2 concentration
Investigate photoinhibtion
Examine the effects of water stress
Examine the effects of herbicides and photosynthetic inhibitors
Identify photosynthetic mutants

Fluorescence Package Features:

Halogen actinic light
LED chlorophyll excitation light (660 nm peak)
0-2000 umol quanta/m2/s continuous light at 300-700 nm
5000 umol quanta/m2/s saturation pulse
Automatic and manual saturating pulse control
Real-time graphing of fluorescence data
Rapid fluorescence measurements using the leaf clamp
Simultaneous CO2 analysis using an optional leaf chamber and S151 CO2 Analyzer

CO2 Analysis Option

If you wish to collect CO2 data and fluorescence data simultaneously, you should order the FL2LP Chlorophyll Package and items from one of our CO2 Analysis Packages. The Laboratory Stand, Logger Pro Software and LabPro Interface are common components of the FL2LP package and all of the Plant CO2 Analysis Packages. If you wish, you may omit these items from your CO2 Analysis Package order. This will reduce your CO2 Analysis Package price by the cost of the individual items. For more information regarding measuring photosynthetic and fluorescence parameters simultaneously, contact Qubit Systems.

Producing Area:Canada