Non-invasive determination of chlorophyll content in oil palm seedlings using field spectroscopy.

• Main Authors: Mohd Noor, Nisfariza Maris, Steven, M., Boyd, D. S., Mohd Shafri, Helmi Zulhaidi, Abu Seman, Idris
• Format: Conference or Workshop Item
• Language: English; English
• Published: 2012
• Online Access: http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/31458/1/ID%2031458.pdf; http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/31458/
• Institution: Universiti Putra Malaysia

Chlorophyll content and greenness index are frequently used as a basis in determining the vigor and health of vegetation and explaining the physiological and pathological properties of plants. This paper evaluates the estimation of chlorophyll content in oil palm seedlings in nursery using destructive and non-destructive sampling and their relationships with the foliar hyperspectral indices. Foliar reflectance was measured using GER1500 spectroradiometer concurrent with in situ measurement of foliar chlorophyll and sampling. Foliar chlorophyll was acquired using Minolta Chlorophyll Meter SPAD-502 and Total Leaf Chlorophyll (TLC) of foliar was determined using the spectrophotometry method. The spectra of oil palm were transformed using published indices which have been ascertained as an excellent indicator to indicate foliar chlorophyll and plant vigorousness. The SPAD readings were correlated with oil palm leaf chlorophyll contents extracted in the laboratory to establish the calibration equations for the computation of the TCL, Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and Chlorophyllb (Chl-b). The coefficient determination (R2) of 0.763, 0.781 and 0.460 were obtained respectively; with root mean square error between 0.064-0.147 μm/cm2. Linear and non-linear regression were analysed to study relationship between SPAD, TLC, Chl-a and Chl-b with hyperspectral indices. Linear regression was found the best in explaining correlation with the selected chlorophyll indices.