Rapid Sampling Protocol of Isoprene Emission Rate of Palm (Arecaceae) Species Using Excised Leaves

Abstract

The high isoprene emission capacity of palm species can decrease regional air quality and enhance the greenhouse effect when land is converted to palm plantations. Propagation of low-emitting individuals can be a strategy for reducing isoprene emission from palms. However, the identification of low-emitting individuals requires large-scale sampling. Thus, we aimed to develop a rapid method in which the isoprene emission rate of leaf segments is observed. We examined the temperature response and effect of incubation length on the isoprene emission rate of palm leaf and found that leaf temperatures at 25 to 30 °C and an incubation length of 40 min are suitable parameters. To further examine the validity of the method, we applied both the enclosure method and this method to the same sections of leaves. High coefficient of determinations (0.993 and 0.982) between the results of the two methods were detected regardless of seasonal temperature. This result proves that the method is capable of measuring the isoprene emission rate under any growth conditions if the incubation temperature is controlled. By using a water bath tank and a tested light source, we can simply implement a unified environmental control of multiple samples at once, which achieves a higher time efficiency than conventional enclosure measurements.