title: Nondestructive Optical Sensing of Flavonols and Chlorophyll in White Head Cabbage (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata subvar. alba) Grown under Different Nitrogen Regimens.
abstract: A multiparametric optical sensor was used to nondestructively estimate phytochemical compounds in white cabbage leaves directly in the field. An experimental site of 1980 white cabbages (Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata subvar. alba), under different nitrogen (N) treatments, was mapped by measuring leaf transmittance and chlorophyll fluorescence screening in one leaf/cabbage head. The provided indices of flavonols (FLAV) and chlorophyll (CHL) displayed the opposite response to applied N rates, decreasing and increasing, respectively. The combined nitrogen balance index (NBI = CHL/FLAV) calculated was able to discriminate all of the plots under four N regimens (0, 100, 200, and 400 kg/ha) and was correlated with the leaf N content determined destructively. CHL and FLAV were properly calibrated against chlorophyll (R(2) = 0.945) and flavonol (R(2) = 0.932) leaf contents, respectively, by using a homographic fit function. The proposed optical sensing of cabbage crops can be used to estimate the N status of plants and perform precision fertilization to maintain acceptable crop yield levels and, additionally, to rapidly detect health-promoting flavonol antioxidants in Brassica plants.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisica Applicata 'N. Carrara' - CNR , via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Florence), Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Agati
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Fisica Applicata 'N. Carrara' - CNR , via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino (Florence), Italy.
authors.forename: Lorenza
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tuccio
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Chemistry, Technology and Biotechnology, Chemical Faculty, Gdansk University of Technology , Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kusznierewicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Chemistry, Technology and Biotechnology, Chemical Faculty, Gdansk University of Technology , Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chmiel
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Chemistry, Technology and Biotechnology, Chemical Faculty, Gdansk University of Technology , Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bartoszek
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Horticulture, Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland.
authors.forename: Artur
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kowalski
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Horticulture, Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grzegorzewska
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Horticulture, Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland.
authors.forename: Ryszard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kosson
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Horticulture, Konstytucji 3 Maja 1/3, 96-100 Skierniewice, Poland.
authors.forename: Stanislaw
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaniszewski
mesh_terms: D001937:Brassica / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000737:chemistry*; D044948:Flavonols / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D061848:Optical Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D044948:Flavonols; D002734:Chlorophyll; D009584:Nitrogen
keywords: Brassica oleracea; chlorophyll fluorescence; flavonols; mapping; nitrogen; optical sensor; white head cabbage