The infrared microspectroscopy beamline at CAMD and its application in plant–pathogen interactions

Abstract

At the beginning of 2006, the first infrared microspectroscopy beamline at the Louisiana State University, Center for Advanced Microstructures and Devices (CAMD) storage ring came into operation. The infrared microscope has recently been upgraded with a new liquid nitrogen-cooled mercury–cadmium–telluride detector, MCT-A, and a new dipole chamber to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and extend the beamline capability to far-IR region. In this contribution, we report first results, by using the microspectroscopy beamline, in the investigation of plant–pathogen interactions: apple– Venturia inaequalis causing scab. The infrared spectra of the healthy plant leaves were compared to those obtained from the infected ones. These spatially resolved data are used to understand the dynamics of physiological modifications, which occur during pathogenesis.