Unlike conventional crops, medicinal plants require continuous physiological monitoring, since their pharmacological compounds are synthesized through stress-sensitive secondary metabolism. In this context, accurate and non-destructive methods for determining chlorophyll content could be valuable tools for assessing the physiological status of these species. Thus, Mikania laevigata Sch. Bip. ex-Baker, widely used in herbal medicine, can benefit from chlorophyll monitoring to enhance its cultivation. This work was developed in order to evaluate the potential of the ClorofiLOG® index as a non-destructive predictor of leaf pigment concentrations in M. laevigata during the vegetative stage. Plants were cultivated for 60 days in greenhouse conditions, and both destructive (spectrophotometric) and non-destructive pigment measurements were collected from medium leaves. Linear regression equations were adjusted between the index and the concentrations of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, and carotenoids. The adjusted models yielded high coefficients of determination for total chlorophyll and chlorophyll b, with a moderate value for carotenoids. Predictive performance of the adjustments, assessed by the ratio of performance to deviation, was classified as “very good” for total chlorophyll (2.91) and chlorophyll b (2.67), and “weak” for chlorophyll a (1.79) and carotenoids (1.43). Therefore, models based on the ClorofiLOG® index are suitable for non-destructive estimation of total chlorophyll and chlorophyll b in M. laevigata, supporting its application as a practical tool for the physiological monitoring of this species. This approach may assist in the early detection of plant stress, guide nutrient management decisions, and contribute to optimizing cultivation strategies for this medicinal species under both experimental and production-scale conditions.
