Application of FTIR-PAS in Rapid Assessment of Rice Quality under Climate Change Conditions

Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy (FTIR-PAS), versus attenuated total reflectance spectroscopy (FTIR-ATR) and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRIFT), was firstly applied in quick assessment of rice quality in response to rising CO₂/temperature instead of conventional time-consuming chemical methods. The influences of elevated CO₂ and higher temperature were identified using FTIR-PAS spectra by principal component analysis (PCA). Variations in the rice functional groups are crucial indicators for rice identification, and the ratio of the intensities of two selected spectral bands was used for correlation analysis with starch, protein, and lipid content, and the ratios all showed a positive linear correlation (R ² = 0.9103, R ² = 0.9580, and R ² = 0.9246, respectively). Subsequently, changes in nutritional components under future environmental conditions that encompass higher CO₂ and temperature were evaluated, which demonstrated the potential of FTIR-PAS to detect the responses of rice to climate change, providing a valuable technique for agricultural production and food security.