title: Optical properties and nondestructive estimation of anthocyanin content in plant leaves.
abstract: Absorption and reflectance spectra of maple (Acer platanoides), cotoneaster (Cotoneaster alaunica), dogwood (Cornus alba) and pelargonium (Pelargonium zonale) leaves with a wide range of pigment content and composition were studied in visible and near-infrared spectra in order to reveal specific anthocyanin (Anth) spectral features in leaves. Comparing absorption spectra of Anth-containing and Anth-free leaves with the same chlorophyll (Chl) content, absorption spectra of Anth in leaves were derived. The main spectral feature of Anth absorption in vivo was a peak around 550 nm; the peak magnitude was closely related to Anth content. A quantitative nondestructive technique was developed to subtract Chl contribution to reflectance in this spectral region and retrieve Anth content from reflectance over a wide range of pigment content and composition. Anth reflectance index in the form ARI = (R550)-1 - (R700)-1, where (R550)-1 and (R700)-1 are inverse reflectances at 550 and 700 nm, respectively, allowed an accurate estimation of Anth accumulation, even in minute amounts, in intact senescing and stressed leaves.
authors.affiliation: School of Natural Resource Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 113 Nebraska Hall, Lincoln, NE 68506, USA. gitelson@calmit.unl.edu
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Gitelson
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Merzlyak
authors.forename: O B
authors.initials: OB
authors.lastname: Chivkunova
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000872:Anthocyanins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry*; D010777:Photochemistry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D013053:Spectrophotometry
chemical_list: D000872:Anthocyanins