Insciences J. 2013, 3(2), 24-44;doi:10.5640/insc.030224
Full Research Paper, Section: Sensors
Multispectral Plant Health Imaging System for Space Biology and Hypobaric Plant Growth Studies
Talal Abboud1,2 * 
, Alain Berinstain1, Matthew Bamsey3, Robert Ferl3,5, Anna-Lisa Paul3, Thomas Graham4, Mike Dixon4, Demos Leonardos4, Michael Stasiak4, Rita Noumeir2
1 Space Science and Technology, Canadian Space Agency, 6767 route de l’aéroport, Longueuil, QC J3Y8Y9, Canada;
2 École de technologie supérieure, 1100 rue Notre-Dame O, Montréal, QC H3C1K3, Canada;
3 Horticultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32601, USA;
4 Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Road East, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada;
5 Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Published: June 03, 2013
Complete Article
Abstract
Ensuring high plant yields is critical for the application of higher plants to spacebased biological life support systems. An imager capable of monitoring several fluorescent biological markers in real-time would provide a robust health monitoring system and allow growers to minimize environmental stressors. This article reports the results of the design and development of a multispectral plant health imager prototype, employed in a lowpressure plant growth chamber as a test of its functionality in spaceflight systems. Images were collected every four hours with a monochromatic camera and a commercial liquid crystal tunable filter. This arrangement permitted the monitoring of emission from introduced green fluorescent proteins as well as chlorophyll fluorescence. Data were saved locally and accessed in real-time from the exterior of the chamber.
biological life support, multispectral imaging, plant health imaging, remote sensor, space analog
