earticle

영어

Larix kaempferi is in high demand for its value as timber and afforestation species in Korea. Water supply is crucial for the production of high-quality seedlings, and an efficient irrigation system must be established. However, collecting physiological information on L. kaempferi seedlings for efficient irrigation poses challenges. Therefore, establishing an efficient irrigation system based on non-destructive and rapid phenotypic information is essential. This study conducted drought (non-irrigation) and rehydration experiments to explore the optimal irrigation period for one-year-old L. kaempferi seedlings under greenhouse conditions using vegetation indices, fluorescence imaging, and thermal imaging. The results showed that no seedlings died until the 4th day of drought treatment (soil moisture content: 5.3%). When rehydrated on the 6th day of drought treatment, 83.33% of the seedlings survived. Among the phenotypic information, CWSI (Crop Water Stress Index), LTD (Leaf Temperature Difference), PRI (Photochemical Reflectance Index), and Fm (Maximum fluorescence in a dark-adapted state) detected sensitive stress responses on the 6th day of drought treatment. Among these, thermal imaging showed the highest potential for application in smart nursery systems in the future, provided it can address limitations in greenhouse conditions.