Sensors and imaging techniques for the assessment of the delay of wheat senescence induced by fungicides.

Near-range and remote sensing techniques are excellent alternatives to destructive methods for measuring beneficial effects of fungicides on plant physiology. Different noninvasive sensors and imaging techniques have been used and compared to measure the effects of three fungicidal compounds (bixafen, fluoxastrobin and prothioconazole) on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) physiology under disease-free conditions in the greenhouse. Depending on the fungicidal treatment, changes in green leaf area and yield parameters were observed. Chlorophyll fluorescence of leaves was useful for measuring differences in the effective quantum yield of PSII. Reflectance measurements of wheat leaves were highly sensitive to changes in plant vitality. The spectral vegetation indices were useful for determining the differences among treatments in terms of leaf senescence, pigments and water content. The analysis of ear and leaf surface temperature was reliable for detecting effects of fungicides on plant senescence. Using nondestructive sensors, it was possible to assess a delay in senescence of wheat due to fungicide application. Furthermore, it was deduced that sensors and imaging methods are useful tools to estimate the effects of fungicides on wheat physiology. Physiological parameters measured by the sensors were actually more sensitive than yield parameters to assess the effect caused by fungicide application on wheat physiology.