The proposed R/R&D effort will obtain new improved, in situ measurements of vegetation using a computer-based fluorescence imaging system that images and processes the plant's cellular energy emissions to quantify and diagnose the plant's photosynthetic pathways. With multi-spectral bandwidths and image processing which increase the system's sensitivity, fluorescence-imaging diagnoses early plant stresses, pre-symptom, days to weeks before the unseen symptoms become visible. The R/R&D effort will test the pre-symptom detection of difficult vascular and root pathogen stresses, nutrient deficiencies, water and other environmental stresses in tomato, corn and soybean. The test program will also serve to test the system's diagnosis of the imposed stresses. The plant stress test program and data acquisition will develop and provide a base-line, plant stress image database for input to NASA science databases. In addition, the innovation is important as a ground-based imaging system that detects, quantifies and diagnoses plant stress and physiological characteristics as ground-truth data, meeting a NASA need for validating Remote Sensing systems. Potential Commercial Application(s) The proposed R/R&D effort, assuming the goals are achieved, will lead to the commercialization of a ground-based fluorescence imaging system that will provide computer-based imaging, diagnostic and plant stress information to commercial growers and to users for environmental inspection. The on-site, real- time inspection of field crops using an innovative imaging and diagnostic system will be advantageous to growers as a crop management information system. A portable imaging and processing system with real-time data acquisition will enable the crop producer to recognize and diagnose early plant stress and physiological characteristics, undertake managed alternatives to reduce or minimize a yield loss and improve his profitability. A ground-truth system will similarly enable users to monitor vegetation for environmental and remediation applications. The benefits available are to replace today's visual inspections with an innovative imaging system that quantifies and diagnoses the plant's physiological characteristics and is capable as a management information system.
