Effects of Leaf Excision and Sample Storage Methods on Spectral Reflectance by Foliage of Giant Reed, Arundo donax

Research was conducted to evaluate the effects of leaf excision and sample storage methods on spectral reflectance by foliage of giant reed, Arundo donax, an invasive weed which has caused extensive damage in many areas of the Rio Grande Basin in Texas and Mexico. Within 24 hours of excision, A. donax leaves exposed to ambient laboratory conditions (room temperature under natural lighting conditions) exhibited two trends indicative of physiological stress: 1) small but significant increases in reflectance of blue and red wavelengths (400-500 nm and 600-700 nm, respectively) and 2) a substantial reduction in reflectance of near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths (700-1,100 nm). A similar but less pronounced trend was evident among leaf samples held within conventional paper sacks. Leaf samples held within sealed plastic bags (Glad-Bags) under two types of lighting conditions (natural light and artificial darkness) and temperature regimes (room temperature vs artificially cooled) exhibited slight but significant increases in both visible and NIR wavelengths (a trend that was also evident in attached foliage), al-though no evidence of physiological stress was detected during a 96-hour observation period. These trends indicate that accurate spectral measurements may be obtained from samples of A. donax foliage under for periods up to 72 - 96 hours following excision if such samples are transported and maintained in suitable containers designed to minimize effects of desiccation