A Multidimensional Approach to Cereal Caryopsis Development: Insights into Adlay ( Coix lacryma-jobi L.) and Emerging Applications.

Abstract

Adlay ( Coix lacryma-jobi L.) stands out as a vital health-promoting cereal due to its dual nutritional and medicinal properties; however, it remains significantly underdeveloped compared to major crops. The lack of mechanistic understanding of its caryopsis development and trait formation severely constrains targeted genetic improvement. While transformative technologies, specifically micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) imaging combined with AI-assisted analysis (e.g., Segment Anything Model (SAM)) and multi-omics approaches, have been successfully applied to unravel the structural and physiological complexities of model cereals, their systematic adoption in adlay research remains fragmented. Going beyond a traditional synthesis of these methodologies, this article proposes a novel, multidimensional framework specifically designed for adlay. This forward-looking strategy integrates high-resolution 3D phenotyping with spatial multi-omics data to bridge the gap between macroscopic caryopsis architecture and microscopic metabolic accumulation. By offering a precise digital solution to elucidate adlay's unique developmental mechanisms, the proposed framework aims to accelerate precision breeding and advance the scientific modernization of this promising underutilized crop.

Plant phenotyping relevance

穀粒の3DフェノタイピングとAI画像解析を中核に据えた、方法論的な枠組みを提案するレビュー／展望論文である。

Code and data availability

This is a perspective/review article proposing a future framework (micro-CT, SAM fine-tuning, spatial omics) for adlay phenotyping. It contains no public phenotype datasets, images, code, models, or supplements with such assets; all cited studies are prior work, and no availability statements or URLs appear in the text

No evidence-backed public reproduction asset is currently recorded.