Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Relationship between specific leaf area, leaf thickness, leaf water content and SPAD-502 readings in six Amazonian tree species

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Photosynthetica

Abstract

The aim of this work was to assess the effect of leaf thickness, leaf succulence (LS), specific leaf area (SLA), specific leaf mass (Ws) and leaf water content (LWC) on chlorophyll (Chl) meter values in six Amazonian tree species (Carapa guianensis, Ceiba pentandra, Cynometra spruceana, Pithecolobium inaequale, Scleronema micranthum and Swietenia macrophylla). We also tested the accuracy of a general calibration equation to convert Minolta Chl meter (SPAD-502) readings into absolute Chl content. On average, SPAD values (x) increased with fresh leaf thickness (FLT [μm] = 153.9 + 0.98 x, r 2 = 0.06**), dry leaf thickness (DLT [μm] = 49.50 + 1.28 x, r 2 = 0.16**), specific leaf mass (Ws [g (DM) m−2] = 6.73 + 1.31 x, r 2 = 0.43**), and leaf succulence (LS [g(FM)] m−2 = 94.2 + 1.58 x, r 2 = 0.19**). However, a negative relationship was found between SPAD values and either specific leaf area [SLA (m2 kg−1) = 35.1 − 0.37 x, r 2 = 0.38**] or the leaf water content (LWC [%]= 80.0 − 0.42 x, r 2 = 0.58**). Leaf Chl contents predicted by the general calibration equation significantly differed (p<0.01) from those estimated by species-specific calibration equations. We conclude that to improve the accuracy of the SPAD-502 leaf thickness and LWC should be taken into account when calibration equations are to be obtained to convert SPAD values into absolute Chl content.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

Chl:

chlorophyll

DLT:

dry leaf thickness

DM:

dry matter

FLT:

fresh leaf thickness

FM:

fresh matter

LS:

leaf succulence

LWC:

leaf water content

SLA:

specific leaf area

SPAD-502 :

Minolta chlorophyll meter

WS :

specific leaf mass

References

  • Arnon, D.I.: Copper enzymes in isolated chloroplasts: Polyphenoloxidase in Beta vulgaris.-Plant Physiol. 24: 1–15, 1949.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Araus, J.L., Amaro, T., Zuhair, Y., Nachit, M.M.: Effect of leaf structure and water status on carbon isotope discrimination in field-grown durum wheat.-Plant Cell Environ. 20: 1484–1494, 1997.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Björkman, O., Demmig, B.: Photon yield of O2 evolution and chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics at 77 K among vascular plants of diverse origins.-Planta 170: 489–504, 1987.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boardman, N.K.: Comparative photosynthesis of sun and shade plants.-Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. 28: 355–377, 1977.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bort, J., Araus, J.L., Hazzam, H., Grando, S., Ceccarelli, S.: Relationships between early vigour, grain yield, leaf structure and stable isotope composition in field grown barley.-Plant Physiol. Biochem. 36: 889–897, 1998.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, R.J., Mobley, K.N., Marini, R.P., Pfeiffer, D.G.: Growing conditions alter the relationship between SPAD-501 values and apple leaf chlorophyll.-Hortscience 25: 330–331, 1990.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castelli, F., Contillo, R., Miceli, F.: Non-destructive determination of leaf chlorophyll content in four crop species.-J. Agron. Crop Sci. 177: 275–283, 1996.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chang, S.X., Robison, D.J.: Nondestructive and rapid estimation of hardwood foliar nitrogen status using the SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter.-For. Ecol. Manage. 181: 331–338, 2003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapman, S.C., Barreto, H.J.: Using a chlorophyll meter to estimate specific leaf nitrogen of tropical maize during vegetative growth.-Agron. J. 89: 557–562, 1997.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dwyer, L.M., Tollenaar, M., Houwing, L.: A nondestructive method to monitor leaf greenness in corn.-Can. J. Plant Sci. 71: 505–509, 1991.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fanizza, G., Dellagatta, C., Bagnulo, C.: A non-destructive determination of leaf chlorophyll in Vitis vinifera.-Ann. Appl. Biol. 119: 203–205, 1991.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fotovat, R., Valizadeh, M., Toorchi, M.: Association between water-use efficiency components and total chlorophyll content (SPAD) in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under well-watered and drought stress conditions.-J. Food Agr. Environ. 5: 225–227, 2007.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fritschi, F.B., Ray, J.D.: Soybean leaf nitrogen, chlorophyll content, and chlorophyll a/b ratio.-Photosynthetica 45: 92–98, 2007.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gáborčík, N.: Relationship between contents of chlorophyll (a+b) (SPAD values) and nitrogen of some temperate grasses.-Photosynthetica 41: 285–287, 2003.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garnier, E., Laurent, G.: Leaf anatomy, specific mass and water content in congeneric annual and perennial grass species.-New Phytol. 128: 725–736, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gratani, L.: A nondestructive method to determine chlorophyll content of leaves.-Photosynthetica 26: 469–473, 1992.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jifon, J. L., Syvertsen, J. P., Whaley, E.: Growth environment and leaf anatomy affect nondestructive estimates of chlorophyll and nitrogen in Citrus sp. leaves.-J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 130: 152–158, 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marenco, R.A., Santos, A.M.B.: Crop rotation reduces weed competition and increases chlorophyll concentration and yield of rice.-Pesq. Agropec. Bras. 34: 1881–1887, 1999.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markwell, J., Osterman, J.C., Mitchell, J.L.: Calibration of the Minolta SPAD-502 leaf chlorophyll meter.-Photosynth. Res. 46: 467–472, 1995.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marquard, R.D., Tipton, J.L.: Relationship between extractable chlorophyll and an in situ method to estimate leaf greenness.-Hortscience 22: 1327, 1987.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Martinez, D.E., Guiamet, J.J.: Distortion of the SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter readings by changes in irradiance and leaf water status.-Agronomie 24: 41–46, 2004.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McMillen, G.G., McClendon, J.H.: Dependence of photosynthetic rates on leaf density thickness in deciduous woody plants grown in sun and shade.-Plant Physiol. 72: 674–678, 1983.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nageswara Rao, R.C., Talwar, H.S., Wright, G.C.: Rapid assessment of specific leaf area and leaf nitrogen in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) using a chlorophyll meter.-J. Agron. Crop Sci. 186: 175–182, 2001.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nigam, S.N., Aruna, R.: Stability of soil plant analytical development (SPAD) chlorophyll meter reading (SCMR) and specific leaf area (SLA) and their association across varying soil moisture stress conditions in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.).-Euphytica 160: 111–117, 2008.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Niu, G., Rodriguez, D.S., Rodriguez, L., Mackay, W.: Effect of water stress on growth and flower yield of big bend blue-bonnet.-Horttechnol. 17: 557–560, 2007.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rabinowitch, E. I.: Photosynthesis and related processes.-Interscience Inc, New York 1951.

    Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, A.D., Duigan, S.P., Berlyn, G.P.: An evaluation of noninvasive methods to estimate foliar chlorophyll content.-New Phytol. 153: 185–194, 2002.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schlemmer, M.R., Francis, D.D., Shanahan, J.F., Schepers, J.S.: Remotely measuring chlorophyll content in corn leaves with differing nitrogen levels and relative water content.-Agron. J. 97: 106–112, 2005.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Steel, R.G.D., Torrie, J.H.: Principles and procedures of statistics: a biometrical approach.-McGraw-Hill, New York 1981.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turner, F.T., Jund, M.F.: Assessing the nitrogen requirements of rice crops with a chlorophyll meter.-Aust. J. Exp. Agr. 34: 1001–1005, 1994.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uddling, J., Gelang-Alfredsson, J., Piikki, K., Pleijel, H.: Evaluating the relationship between leaf chlorophyll concentration and SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter readings.-Photosynth. Res. 91: 37–46, 2007.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Vogelmann, T.C.: Plant tissue optics.-Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 44: 231–251, 1993.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Q.B., Chen, J.J., Stamps, R.H., Li, Y.C.: Correlation of visual quality grading and SPAD reading of green-leaved foliage plants.-J. Plant Nut. 28: 1215–1225, 2005.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yamamoto, A., Nakamura, T., Adu-Gyamfi, J.J., Saigusa, M.: Relationship between chlorophyll content in leaves of sorghum and pigeonpea determined by extraction method and by chlorophyll meter (SPAD-502).-J. Plant Nut. 25: 2295–2301, 2002.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA-CPST), Av. André Araújo 2936, Bolsista do CNPq, Manaus, 69060-001 AM, Brazil

    R.A. Marenco

  2. INPA, Manaus AM, Brazil

    S.A. Antezana-Vera

  3. Botany Graduate Program, INPA, Manaus AM, Brazil

    H.C.S. Nascimento

Authors
  1. R.A. Marenco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S.A. Antezana-Vera
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H.C.S. Nascimento
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R.A. Marenco.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Marenco, R., Antezana-Vera, S. & Nascimento, H. Relationship between specific leaf area, leaf thickness, leaf water content and SPAD-502 readings in six Amazonian tree species. Photosynthetica 47, 184–190 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-009-0031-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11099-009-0031-6

Additional key words

Search

Navigation