SBIR 95-1 SOLICITATION

PROJECT SUMMARY

Proposal Number:

12.01-9737

Project Title:

SPACE-BASED PLANT PHOTOSYNTHESIS ANALYZER

Technical Abstract:

A novel sensor capable of simultaneously measuring cholorophyll fluorescence lifetimes from plants in situ will be developed. The sensor, based on a miniaturized phase fluorometer employing a light emitting diode (LED) or a laser diode as a light source, will have resolution of 20 ps. This system will permit real-time assessment of plant physiological status in space by directly measuring the chlorophyll fluorescence lifetimes of photosystems I (PS I) and II (PS II) in vivo. This will allow for sensitive, accurate, sophisticated, and rapid assessment of the response of plants to environmental factors such as microgravity, nutrient availability, lighting, radiation, launch effects, etc. The sensor will be highly miniaturized with low mass and low power consumption. The application of real-time in situ phase fluorometry offers a new approach to the investigation of plant physiological status. No instrumentation exists with the capabilities of the proposed sensor. The research proposed here is an entirely original effort combining a number of innovations to develop a sensitive, miniaturized, rugged, cost-effective, high-information content, phase fluorometry instrument for in situ plant analysis. To our knowledge this would be the first field plant analyzer to exploit fluorescence lifetime sensing.

Potential Commercial Applications:

Instrumentation for field plant research, environmental monitoring for the preservation and management of natural resources, laboratory research. Potential commercial products will be targeted to diverse markets including nursery, plant breeding and tissue culture, plant genetic engineering, horticulture, agriculture, forestry, and herbicide research.

Name and Address of Offeror:

Ciencia, Inc.
111 Roberts Street, Suite C
East Hartford, CT 06108