Abstract
We've been developing diagnostic techniques for plant growth based on fluoresce measurements. In this study, we investigated the changes of transmission spectra and fluorescence spectra in cherry tomato fruits due to ripening. Variation of the lycopene and the chlorophyll in the fruits were estimated from the changes in the transmission spectra. This result showed that the monitoring of the chlorophyll amount is necessary in order to evaluate the degree of ripeness for whole ripening period. While the logarithm of fluorescence ratio F685/F740 (defining this value as FMI: Fluorescence Maturity Index) and the chlorophyll concentration in the fruits had a good correlation. Therefore, by using FMI, the degree of ripeness in the cherry tomato fruits can be evaluated nondestructively from the fluorescence measurement.
