Home // International Journal On Advances in Life Sciences, volume 6, numbers 1 and 2, 2014 // View article
Authors:
Elisabeth Borges
Mariana Sequeira
André Cortez
Helena Pereira
Tânia Pereira
Vânia Almeida
João Cardoso
Carlos Correia
Teresa Vasconcelos
Isabel Duarte
Neusa Nazaré
Keywords: plant disease; physiological state; hydric stress; biodiesel; impedance techniques
Abstract:
Diseases promoted by biotic or abiotic agents, characterized by a fast spreading rate and absence of symptomatology, are affecting plant species and crops of huge economic and/or forestall impact worldwide. The standard technique to diagnose diseases is the symptoms visualization by skilled personal, which is only accessible in the last stages of these diseases. As a restriction action, the plant, which is considered affected by a disease, is cut and burn along with neighbouring trees, even if these do not show evidence of the disease. Equipment and techniques able of assessing and characterizing the physiological state of plants in vivo and in situ, both in the diagnosis of diseases and also as a mean for supporting physiological studies, is clearly lacking. Herein is proposed the usage of impedance techniques to assess the physiological state of plants. Emphasis is given to the assessment of the hydric stress level of plants and its relation with the disease condition. To accomplish the study, a portable electrical impedance spectroscopy system was designed attending the biological application purpose. The procedure and the results obtained for three different species (Pinus pinaster Aiton, Castanea sativa Mill, and Jatropha Curcas L) of relevant economical and/or forestall interest is also presented in order to show the potential of this technique and system.
Pages: 74 to 86
Copyright: Copyright (c) to authors, 2014. Used with permission.
Publication date: June 30, 2014
Published in: journal
ISSN: 1942-2660