The traditional methods for chlorophylls quantification in leaves are destructive, time consuming and expensive. One alternative to the destructive methods involve the use portable devices, such as the chlorophyll meter SPAD-502, which measure the green color intensity of the leaves, by providing the SPAD (Soil Plant Analysis Development) index. However, the Spad index must be adjusted to the chlorophylls content in the leaves of concerned specie. The objective of this work was to calibrate the SPAD index to quantify the chlorophylls content in leaves of osier (Salix viminalis). Leaves with colors ranging from yellow-green (chlorotic) to dark green were individually assessed with the SPAD-502 and, thereafter, destructively assessed for contents of chlorophylls a, b and total, expressed in terms of area and fresh mass of the leaves. There was a high determination coefficient (R2) between the SPAD index and the contents of chlorophylls a, b and total in the leaf, expressed in µg cm-2 of leaf area (R² of 0.86, 0.88 and 0.93, respectively) and of between the SPAD index and the contents of chlorophylls a and total, expressed in µg g-1 fresh weight (R² of 0.81 and 0.79, respectively). The results show the chlorophyll meter SPAD-502 is a suitable alternative to the destructive method to quantify chlorophylls (in area basis; µg cm-2) in leaves of osier.
Salix viminalis; leaf color; leaf optical properties; absorbance
