Description

Chlorophyll a fluorescence emission results from absorbed light energy that is not dissipated as heat or not used for photosynthetic reactions in plants. Different fluorescence parameters can be detected, which are then interpreted in terms of photosynthetic activity to obtain information about the state of photosynthetic apparatus and especially of photosystem II (PSII). Measurements of chlorophyll a fluorescence have been extensively used as a good indicator to probe the function of the photosynthetic machinery and for screening different crops for plant tolerance to numerous stresses, and nutritional requirements. This widely used method is easy, quick, cheap, noninvasive, and highly sensitive in determining the photosynthetic efficiency, and detecting the impact of stress on plants. However, photosynthetic performance is not homogeneous at the leaf surface especially under abiotic stress conditions, which makes conventional chlorophyll fluorescence analysis non-representative of the physiological status of the whole leaf.

The development of chlorophyll fluorescence imaging instruments that are capable of identifying spatial heterogeneity of leaf photosynthetic performance offer new possibilities to understand the operation and regulation of photosynthesis at the whole leaf surface. Chlorophyll fluorescence imaging analysis allow the study of spatial-temporal heterogeneity of chlorophyll fluorescence signatures, which is due to a wide range of internal plant factors that cannot be identified through conventional chlorophyll fluorescence analysis.

In this Research Topic, we intend to incorporate the contributions from leading plant scientists in the field of chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, who are encouraged to submit Original Research, Reviews/Mini Reviews and Opinion articles focusing on the use of chlorophyll fluorescence imaging analysis to study:
- biotic
- and abiotic stress responses of photosynthesis.

We expect to compile new and sophisticated roles of chlorophyll fluorescence imaging analysis in order to highlight new applications of this method to study biotic and abiotic stress response in plants.