Chlorophyll fluorescence as a tool in cereal crop research

Abstract

Chlorophyll (Chl) fluorescence is a subtle reflection of primary reactions of photosynthesis. Intricate relationships between fluorescence kinetics and photosynthesis help our understanding of photosynthetic biophysical processes. Chl fluorescence technique is useful as a non-invasive tool in eco-physiological studies, and has extensively been used in assessing plant responses to environmental stress. The review gives a summary of some Chl fluorescence parameters currently used in studies of stress physiology of selected cereal crops, namely water stress, heat stress, salt stress, and chilling stress.