Ontogenetic approach to assessment of chufa response to culture conditions by the method of chlorophyll fluorescence induction

Application of earlier proposed ontogenetic approach to assessment of chufa (Cyperus esculentus L.) response to artificial-light culture growing conditions differing in illuminance and type of mineral nutrition is described. It was shown that, on biological soil-like substrate, plant productivity did not increase as a result of PAR level rising, and life time of chufa leaves was reduced to 11 days as compared with 18 days on the neutral substrate. Changes in the parameters of chlorophyll fluorescence induction (F v/F m, Yield = (F m − F t)/F m, and ETR = 0.5 × 0.84 × Yield × PAR) analyzed on the basis of ontogenetic approach show that it can disclose nonoptimal culture conditions.