Chlorophyll Fluorescence

Chlorophyll fluorescence is a non-invasive optical measurement of how efficiently the photosynthetic machinery converts absorbed light into chemical energy (photosynthesis) or heat and light (fluorescence). When photosynthesis is inhibited by stress (drought, cold, salt, pests), chlorophyll fluorescence increases because excitation energy cannot be used for photosynthesis and must be released as light or heat. Fluorescence parameters (Fv/Fm, OJIP curves) act as sensitive, rapid indicators of photosynthetic stress, enabling early detection of plant dysfunction before visible symptoms appear.