Chlorophyll fluorescence
Chlorophyll fluorescence is light re-emitted by chlorophyll molecules during return from excited to non-excited states and used as indicator of photosynthetic energy conversion in higher plants, algae and bacteria. Excited chlorophyll dissipates the absorbed light energy by driving photosynthesis (photochemical energy conversion), as heat in or by emission as fluorescence radiation. As these processes are complementary processes analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence is an important tool in plant research with a wide spectra of applications.
Upon illumination of a dark-adapted leaf, there is a rapid rise in fluorescence from Photosystem II (PSII), followed by a slow decline. First observed by Kautsky et al., 1960, this is called the Kautsky Effect. This variable rise in chlorophyll fluorescence rise is due to photosystem II. Fluorescence from photosystem I is not variable, but constant.
The increase in fluorescence is due to PSII reaction centers being in a "closed" or chemically reduced state. Reaction centers are "closed" when unable to accept further electrons. This occurs when electron acceptors downstream of PSII have not yet passed their electrons to a subsequent electron carrier, so are unable to accept another electron. Closed reaction centres reduce the overall photochemical efficiency, and so increases the level of fluorescence. Transferring a leaf from dark into light increases the proportion of closed PSII reaction centres, so fluorescence levels increase for 1–2 seconds. Subsequently, fluorescence decreases over a few minutes. This is due to; 1. more "photochemical quenching" in which electrons are transported away from PSII due to enzymes involved in carbon fixation; and 2. more "non-photochemical quenching" in which more energy is converted to heat.
Usually the initial measurement is the minimal level of fluorescence, . This is the fluorescence in the absence of photosynthetic light.
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