Laser biospeckle imaging and mathematical modeling for comprehensive malting barley (Hordeum vulgare subsp. distichum L.) seed quality evaluation: viability, moisture and germination dynamics.

Abstract

Background and aims Laser Biospeckle Activity (LBSA), derived from laser-induced speckle variations in response to dynamic changes in living tissues, is a promising non-invasive technique for evaluating seed germination. Methods Malting barley (Hordeum vulgare subsp. distichum L. cv. Sinfonia) seeds were analysed using five coefficients-Generalised Differences (GD), Fujii, Lasca, Frequent Motion Image (FMI), and Moment of Inertia (MI)-to assess their ability to discriminate between treatments and tissue regions, and to track changes during imbibition. Whole and longitudinally cut seeds from two treatments (control [untreated] and autoclaved [heat-inactivated]) were analysed, focusing on embryo/endosperm activity ratios. LBSA was also evaluated as a function of imbibition time and seed moisture content. Key results Four coefficients (GD, Fujii, FMI, and MI) successfully differentiated control and autoclaved seeds, as well as embryo and endosperm regions in control seeds, revealing distinct activity patterns. In control seeds, LBSA increased with imbibition time and was well described by polynomial models (quadratic for Fujii and MI; cubic for GD and FMI). GD, Fujii, and FMI required a minimum seed moisture content of 25% to detect activity, while MI was responsive only above 31.5%. In contrast, Lasca was exclusively sensitive to hydration level, fitting a relaxation curve independent of treatment. Conclusions LBSA constitutes a robust, non-destructive methodology for monitoring early germination processes. By combining coefficients, it is possible to infer physiological traits such as embryo specificity, hydration thresholds, and dynamic metabolic reactivation. This positions LBSA not only as a diagnostic tool for seed viability but also as a physiologically informative proxy for studying germination and tissue-level dynamics.

Plant phenotyping relevance

レーザーバイオスペックル画像法を用いて種子の生存性、含水率、発芽動態を測定・識別し、複数係数の性能評価とモデル化を行う手法中心の研究である。

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