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ARS Home » Midwest Area » East Lansing, Michigan » Sugarbeet and Bean Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #340405
Title: Evaluation of the Photosynq handheld photosynthesis meter for disease and stress resistance breeding

Author
item WIECZOREK, ASHLEY - Michigan State University
item McGrath, Jon

Submitted to: Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Research Report
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/31/2017
Publication Date: 4/1/2017
Citation: Wieczorek, A., McGrath, J.M. 2017. Evaluation of the Photosynq handheld photosynthesis meter for disease and stress resistance breeding. Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Research Report. Denver, Colorado: Beet Sugar Development Foundation. [CD-ROM].

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Leaf photosynthetic activity in relation to breeding and selection for enhanced sugar beet germplasm was evaluated with the MultispeQ probe, a recently developed, open-source, inexpensive, hand-held, rapid measurement photosynthesis device. The MultispeQ contains several LEDs that pulse at certain wavelengths to stimulate Photosystem II and allow for calculation of its efficiency using chlorophyll fluorescence. Several other parameters can be calculated from the raw data along with the use of light-dark-light reactions to calculate the proton motive force, which can be used to infer the amount of ATP produced. The parameter PhiNO had a very large negative correlation with root score for a susceptible entry C869. This relationship between PhiNO and root score was able to predict the performance of C869 two weeks after inoculation, and these plants did not show symptoms until four weeks after inoculation. This relationship may be useful in identifying more susceptible breeding program materials.