PS II activity can be monitored with a chlorophyll fluorometer. Light response curves were generated and maximum quantum yield and maximum rate of oxygen evolution were determined. Above this light level, there is inefficient use of light which could limit crop productivity. Introduction Photosynthesis is the foundation for life on this planet.
Photosynthesis consists of light and dark reactions.
In the light reactions, photons of light are absorbed, and a strong reductant is generated using electrons which have been split from water. Through this cycle, CO2 is transformed into carbohydrates. Traditionally photosynthesis has been measured in a gas exchange cuvette, however this method confines the leaf to an artificial environment. Recent evidence suggests that photosynthesis can also be measured via a novel technique using a fluorometer to analyze chlorophyll a fluorescence emitted by the leaf after light absorption. Oxygen is evolved from the splitting of water in the initial steps of photosynthesis.