Making Sense of Light: The Use of Optical Spectroscopy Techniques in Plant Sciences and Agriculture

As a result of the development of non-invasive optical spectroscopy, the number of prospective technologies of plant monitoring is growing. Being implemented in devices with different functions and hardware, these technologies are increasingly using the most advanced data processing algorithms, including machine learning and more available computing power each time. Optical spectroscopy is widely used to evaluate plant tissues, diagnose crops, and study the response of plants to biotic and abiotic stress. Spectral methods can also assist in remote and non-invasive assessment of the physiology of photosynthetic biofilms and the impact of plant species on biodiversity and ecosystem stability. The emergence of high-throughput technologies for plant phenotyping and the accompanying need for methods for rapid and non-contact assessment of plant productivity has generated renewed interest in the application of optical spectroscopy in fundamental plant sciences and agriculture. In this perspective paper, starting with a brief overview of the scientific and technological backgrounds of optical spectroscopy and current mainstream techniques and applications, we foresee the future development of this family of optical spectroscopic methodologies.

Automated summary

The development of non-invasive optical spectroscopy has led to the growth of prospective technologies for plant monitoring. These technologies, implemented in devices with different functions and hardware, increasingly utilize advanced data processing algorithms such as machine learning. Optical spectroscopy is widely used for plant tissue evaluation, crop diagnosis, and studying plant response to biotic and abiotic stress. It can also assist in non-invasive assessment of photosynthetic biofilms and the impact of plant species on biodiversity and ecosystem stability.