Modelling chlorophyll fluorescence of kiwi fruit (Actinidia deliciosa)

Abstract

Kiwi fruit displays chlorophyll fluorescence. A physical model was developed to reproduce the observed original fluorescence for the whole fruit, from the emission of the different parts of the kiwi fruit. The spectral distribution of fluorescence in each part of the fruit, was corrected to eliminate distortions due to light re-absorption and it was analyzed in relation to photosystem II–photosystem I ratio. Kiwi fruit also displays variable chlorophyll-fluorescence, similar to that observed from leaves. The maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II photochemistry (F_v/F_m), the quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Φ_PSII), and the photochemical and non-photochemical quenching coefficients (q_P and q_NP respectively) were determined and discussed in terms of the model developed. The study was extended by determining the photosynthetic parameters as a function of the storage time, at both 4 °C and room temperature for 25 days.