Remote sensing of chlorophyll concentration in higher plant leaves

Abstract

The reflectance spectra of higher plant leaves are considered with special reference to remote sensing of chlorophyll concentration. Wavelengths with maximum sensitivity to chlorophyll content were found in the wide spectral range from 530 to 630 nm and near 700 nm. The wavelength of the red edge position of the reflectance spectrum correlated very closely with the reflectance at 550 and 700 nm. The ratios of reflectances in the near infra-red range of the spectrum (about 750 nm) to that of 700 R NIR /R 550 and R NIR /R 550 were directly proportional to the leaves' chlorophyll concentration. Newly introduced algorithms make it possible chlorophyll estimation with an error of less than 5 nmol/cm 2 and could be applied to a number of plant species. They exhibit more than 6 times wider dynamic range than the widely used the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. (NDVI).