Due to rapid spread of fireblight, the Rural Development Administration is supplying bactericides to farmers. However, research on inhibitory effects of main active ingredients in these bactericides on fireblight is lacking. Chlorophyll fluorescence analysis is a non-destructive method for analyzing the photosynthetic efficiency of plants, enabling time-series data analysis of pathogen progression and allowing for large-scale studies. Therefore, this study analyzed inhibitory effects of main active ingredients in bactericides on fireblight using chlorophyll fluorescence response analysis. Flowering pear trees (three-year-old ‘Shingo’ variety) were sprayed with control agents and fire blight pathogens on flowers. Chlorophyll fluorescence responses were then measured at seven-day intervals. Twenty-eight days after bactericide treatment, the fluorescence of the O-J transition stage in the untreated group was twice as high as in the average bactericide-treated group presumably due to inhibition of electron transport in the PSII donor side caused by pathogen infection, leading to leaf necrosis. Additionally, the electron transport efficiency (ET2o, RE1o) decreased, reducing the driving force of photosynthesis (DF total ABS) to 20% of the average bactericidetreated group, indicating chlorophyll damage and reduced photosynthetic capacity. In conclusion, chlorophyll fluorescence technology can be used to quantitatively evaluate the efficacy of fire blight control agents during the flowering period of pear trees.
The Republic of Korea reclaimed land to increase its food self-sufficiency rate, but the yield was reduced due to abnormal climate. In this study, it was hypothesized that rapid and continuous monitoring technology could help improve yield. Using the vegetation index (VI) analysis, the drought stress index was calculated and the drought stress for corn grown in Hwaong, Saemangeum, and Yeongsan River reclaimed tidal land was predicted according to drying treatment. The vegetation index of corn did not decrease during the last 20 days of irrigation when soil moisture rapidly decreased, but decreased rapidly during the 20 days after irrigation. The reduction rate of the vegetation index according to the drying treatment was in the order of Saemangeum>Yeongsan River>Hwaong reclaimed tidal land, and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) decreased by approximately 50% in all reclaimed tidal lands, confirming that drought stress occurred due to the decrease in moisture content of the leaves. In addition, structure pigment chlorophyll index (SIPI) and photochemical reflectance index (PRI), which are calculated based on changes in light use efficiency and carotenoids, were reduced; drought stress caused a decrease in light use efficiency and an increase in carotenoid content. Therefore, vegetation index analysis was confirmed to be effective in evaluating and predicting drought stress in corn growing on reclaimed tidal land corn.