Time-resolving luminescence techniques for possible detection of forest decline. I. Long term delayed luminescence.

Needles from spruces at different environmental and physiological conditions were analyzed by long term delayed luminescence in the seconds-range (LDL) using a novel set-up with on-line computer and a specially written computer program. Upon red light induction, the LDL-kinetics showed a super-position of three exponentially decaying components ("fast", "medium" and "slow") with reaction constants of kf = 5-15 s-1, km = 0.8-1.8 s-1 and ks = 0.13-0.23 s-1, ks-values are fairly independent of the individual tree and quite stable throughout the whole year. They are also independent of the status and localization, i.e. the physiological situation of the individual tree. However, km- and kf-values as well as the related amplitudes Am and Af exhibit a general, significant seasonal variation and obviously are correlated with the damage class or the environmental situation of the individual tree. Therefore, the measurement of long term delayed luminescence might offer a valuable piece of information in search of an early detection of forest decline.