Plant phenotyping methods.

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for multi-elemental analysis of Nerium oleander with atomic absorption spectroscopy validation. ↗

This study presents a systematic quantitative multi-elemental investigation of four major plant organs (roots, stems, leaves, and flowers) of Nerium oleander using calibration-based Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), with the results validated by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Plasma characterization was carried out using Boltzmann plot and Stark broadening analyses, while negligible self-absorption observed through the Hα emission line confirmed optically thin plasma conditions and reliable quantitative measurements. A total of nine elements were detected, including Fe, Zn, Mn, Ca, Mg, K, Na, Cu, and Ni, each exhibiting different concentration levels across the analyzed tissues. Compositional analysis using standard calibration curve-based LIBS demonstrated that elemental concentrations were non-uniform, showing marked variations between the different plant tissues. Among the detected elements, calcium emerged as the most prevalent across all tissues. The highest calcium concentration was observed in leaves (16,385 mg L-1), followed by roots (12,092 mg L-1) and flowers (11,185 mg L-1). Root tissues exhibited elevated concentrations of Fe and Mn, reaching 1918 and 513 mg L-1, respectively. In contrast, flowers showed the highest Mn concentration (1888 mg L-1), while leaves were enriched in Mg (4445 mg L-1) and K (3700 mg L-1). The highest Na concentration was observed in stems (8025 mg L-1). Trace metals, including Cu, Zn, and Ni, were detected at comparatively low concentrations, while Pb remained undetected in all samples. The strong agreement between LIBS and AAS measurements confirms the reliability of the proposed methodology and demonstrates the potential of LIBS as a rapid and non-destructive tool for elemental assessment of medicinal plants.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物組織の元素濃度を取得するLIBS測定法を校正し、AASで検証しており、元素組成という植物形質の測定方法が研究の中心である。

abstractusing calibration-based Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS), with the results validated by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS).

A Within-Chamber Cutting Method for Real-Time Quantification of Leaf Wounding Volatiles and Gas Exchange. ↗

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by plant leaves play key roles in stress signaling, plant-atmosphere interactions, and plant defense. Among these, wound-induced VOCs (wVOCs) are emitted within seconds of mechanical damage, herbivory, or environmental disturbance. Their emission dynamics depend strongly on the timing, severity, and method of tissue disruption. Yet, accurate quantification remains challenging due to mechanical artifacts, variable exposure conditions, and delays between injury and measurement. This study presents a standardized within-chamber leaf excision protocol for real-time monitoring of wVOCs and gas exchange. A surgical-grade cutter was integrated into a portable gas-exchange chamber to enable clean, controlled cuts within a sealed chamber under stable light, humidity, CO2, and temperature conditions. A proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-TOF-MS) continuously measured volatile emissions at the chamber outlet, minimizing delay and signal distortion. This setup resolves emission onset, peak timing, maximum rise rate, and total release with high temporal fidelity. Application of the method to Quercus rubra, Acer platanoides, and Gossypium hirsutum demonstrated its ability to resolve distinct wound-induced emission patterns across contrasting leaf types. By eliminating delays associated with conventional sampling, this method resolves the full kinetic trajectory of wound-induced emissions and overcomes major limitations of previous approaches. It provides a robust framework for studying rapid stress responses in plant physiology, ecological biochemistry, and plant-atmosphere interactions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物葉の創傷誘導揮発性物質とガス交換をリアルタイム定量する測定系を開発しており、植物のストレス生理状態の取得が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study presents a standardized within-chamber leaf excision protocol for real-time monitoring of wVOCs and gas exchange.

Vision Transformers Enable Advanced Plant Phenotyping in Controlled Environments ↗

Reliable plant segmentation in high-throughput phenotyping must transfer across species and imaging conditions without repeated model tuning or extensive reannotation. We compare three segmentation strategies using images from Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Advanced Plant Phenotyping Laboratory: (i) fixed color-based thresholding, (ii) supervised U-Nets trained from scratch, and (iii) pretrained vision transformers fine-tuned for binary segmentation. Models were evaluated on a held-out test set and a generalization set that comprised unseen species. On the held-out test set, thresholding, the best U-Net, and the best vision transformer achieved mean Dice scores of 58.3, 96.6, and 97.3, respectively. On the generalization set, the corresponding Dice scores were 56.5, 86.2, and 95.7. Thresholding remained effective on some datasets but failed when plant appearance changed. Supervised U-Net training resolved within-distribution errors but failed to generalize to novel species and backgrounds. Pretrained vision transformers consistently produced high-accuracy segmentations across the evaluated species, views, soil backgrounds, and tray types. These results benchmark the practical progression from fixed rules to task-specific supervision and pretrained visual representations for controlled-environment plant phenotyping.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物フェノタイピングにおける画像セグメンテーション手法を比較・検証し、異なる種や撮像条件への汎化性能をベンチマークしているため、方法が研究の中心である。

abstractReliable plant segmentation in high-throughput phenotyping must transfer across species and imaging conditions without repeated model tuning or extensive reannotation.

Visual-SLAM for the detection of hidden tomatoes in greenhouses by Hierarchical Localization and GLOMAP for robotized harvesting ↗

Advanced crop monitoring inside greenhouses is becoming one of the primary objectives of research centers. High-performance sensors, such as LiDAR or stereo cameras, have traditionally been employed for this purpose, though these often have a high cost. This work proposes a Visual-SLAM system using a monocular camera, which is significantly more cost-effective and specifically tailored for agricultural applications, such as mapping tomato crops in a greenhouse. Tests were carried out on a real tomato bunch, located in the Agroconnect experimental greenhouse. A ROS 2 Humble node was developed to run on the robot in order to capture images of these crops, which were then stored for offline processing. To generate a 3D mapped model for the crop in the greenhouse, the GLOMAP mapper, based on Structure-From-Motion, was integrated with the Hierarchical Localization toolbox. This initial mapping is a foundation for future, more advanced algorithms to analyze growth patterns, and optimize agricultural management. The system leverages a hierarchical localization paradigm based on a coarse-to-fine strategy: it first performs global retrieval to generate location hypotheses, then combines local features within the identified candidate regions. The results show a correct identification of the tomato cluster, correctly characterising the tomato that is occluded and inaccessible by classical vision technologies. The reconstructed 3D model was further validated against manual ground-truth measurements of fruit size, centroid position, and orientation, confirming the geometric accuracy of the proposed low-cost monocular pipeline.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods単なる収穫対象の位置検出ではなく、単眼Visual-SLAMと3D再構成を開発し、果実サイズ・重心位置・向きを実測値で検証しているため、植物器官形質の取得手法が中心である。

abstractThis work proposes a Visual-SLAM system using a monocular camera, which is significantly more cost-effective and specifically tailored for agricultural applications, such as mapping tomato crops in a greenhouse.

Hyperspectral–Region Aggregation Network for Maize Leaf Nitrogen Content Estimation via Spectral–Regional Joint Modeling ↗

Abstract Accurate estimation of maize leaf nitrogen content is important for improving nitrogen-use efficiency and supporting precision crop management. However, leaf-level hyperspectral modeling is challenged by high spectral redundancy and heterogeneous spectral responses among local leaf regions. This study proposes a Hyperspectral–Region Aggregation Network (HSRAN) for maize leaf nitrogen content estimation from region-level hyperspectral spectra. HSRAN consists of a Spectral Adaptive Recalibration Encoder (SARE) and a Context-Aware Gated Aggregation Module (CAGM). SARE performs band-wise residual recalibration and extracts regional spectral representations, whereas CAGM models contextual dependencies among regional features and performs gated attention-based aggregation for leaf-level prediction. Field experiments were conducted in 2024 and 2025 at the jointing, silking, and maturity stages. HSRAN was evaluated against PLSR, RF, XGBoost, SVR, 1D-CNN, MLP, and Transformer1D models. Across the stage-specific and pooled datasets, HSRAN achieved the highest R² and the lowest RMSE while maintaining competitive MAE values. On the pooled full-growth-period dataset, HSRAN achieved an R² of 0.84, an RMSE of 3.63 g kg⁻¹, and an MAE of 2.59 g kg⁻¹. At the jointing, silking, and maturity stages, the corresponding R² values were 0.56, 0.76, and 0.72, respectively. Ablation experiments indicated that integrating SARE and CAGM improved R² from 0.80 to 0.84. To interpret regional contributions, the learned attention weights were mapped back to the original leaf coordinates recorded during regional sampling. Regions near leaf veins, tips, and margins often received relatively higher attention weights, suggesting that their local spectra provided informative cues for model prediction. These findings indicate that spectral–regional joint modeling can improve leaf-level hyperspectral estimation of maize nitrogen content. HSRAN provides a practical framework for non-destructive nitrogen assessment in maize.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシ葉の窒素含量という植物形質を非破壊推定するためのハイパースペクトル深層学習手法を開発し、複数手法との比較・アブレーション検証を行っており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThis study proposes a Hyperspectral–Region Aggregation Network (HSRAN) for maize leaf nitrogen content estimation from region-level hyperspectral spectra.

A novel approach for monitoring the spatial distribution and quantitative analysis of micronutrients in plant tissues using laser ablation ICP-MS imaging ↗

Quantitative imaging of plant tissues by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) is hindered by the lack of matrix-matched calibration standards. Established approaches, such as gelatine or homogenised tissue blocks, do not replicate plant matrices accurately. Here, we introduce a nano-dispenser-based calibration strategy that deposits nanolitre volumes of elemental standards directly onto paraffin-embedded grain sections, exploiting the low endogenous metal content of the endosperm to generate in situ calibration curves. Calibration performance for Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, and Mo was assessed using LA-ICP-MS imaging and Iolite 4 data processing. The method demonstrated excellent linearity (R 2 > 0.98), reproducibility across multiple grains, and sub-ppm limits of detection. Comparative analysis with in-house homogenised blocks and NIST wheat reference material confirmed superior accuracy and reproducibility of the nano-dispenser approach. As a proof-of-concept, we have applied the method for the quantitative imaging of metals in a whole barley grain section, and the results show excellent agreement with published data obtained by conventional liquid-mode ICP MS. The technique reported here provides a robust, scalable, solution for quantitative metallomics studies of plant tissues, enabling improved assessment of nutrient distribution and supporting the development of standardised protocols for LA-ICP-MS imaging.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物組織内の元素分布を定量画像化するLA-ICP-MSの校正法を開発・検証しており、植物栄養状態の測定手法が中心である。

abstractHere, we introduce a nano-dispenser-based calibration strategy that deposits nanolitre volumes of elemental standards directly onto paraffin-embedded grain sections

Early diagnosis of cadmium stress in rice by intelligent profiling of multiple response indicators with portable Raman SERS and deep learning. ↗

Cadmium contamination severely affects rice growth, yield, and quality, making early stress monitoring essential for agricultural management and food safety. However, traditional detection methods are cumbersome and time-consuming, limiting their applicability to early stress diagnosis. This study developed a rapid and accurate approach for discriminating cadmium stress levels in rice. Arginine-modified flower-like silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs-Arg) were synthesized to enhance Raman signals associated with three stress-response indicators: salicylic acid (SA), malondialdehyde (MDA), and peroxidase (POD) activity. Quantitative prediction models for these physiological indicators and a stress-level discrimination model were established. Among the evaluated models, the CNN-Transformer model achieved the best predictive performance, with Rp 2 values of 0.889, 0.832, and 0.802 for SA, MDA, and POD activity, respectively. An objective weighting method was used to integrate the three biochemical reference indicators, providing a multi-indicator physiological basis for comprehensive stress assessment. The resulting stress-level assessment model achieved an accuracy of 95.83%, demonstrating its ability to capture cadmium-induced physiological changes and assess stress levels in rice.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods携帯型Raman SERSと深層学習を開発し、イネの生理指標とカドミウムストレスレベルを推定・判別することが研究の中心であるため、植物フェノタイピング手法に該当する。

abstractThis study developed a rapid and accurate approach for discriminating cadmium stress levels in rice.

A Multi-Scale Fractal Feature Extraction Method for CNN-Based Plant Disease Classification ↗

Plant diseases, being a subject of interdisciplinary research, significantly reduce crop yield, quality, and economic returns, while the misidentification of pathogens often leads to ineffective treatments and may harm beneficial organisms and ecosystems. This work develops an approach for robust visual classification of plant diseases under limited and heterogeneous data based on multi-scale fractal texture descriptors integrated into a convolutional neural network. The proposed method employs wavelet transform modulus maxima to extract two complementary fractal characteristics, local fractal dimension and singularity spectrum width, from leaf images at several spatial scales. These descriptors form multi-channel fractal maps fed into a fractal attention module (FAM) inserted after the third stage of a ResNet-50 architecture. The FAM learns to emphasize spatial regions where fractal properties are most discriminative, while a parallel branch encodes global fractal statistics into an auxiliary vector combined with backbone features at the final classification layer. Experiments are conducted on a large heterogeneous collection of 11 public plant disease datasets under 5-shot, 50-shot, and full-scale training regimes. The fractal-augmented model raises classification accuracy from 57.06% to 67.73% on 5 shots and from 80.81% to 86.11% on 50 shots, red outperforming the plain ResNet-50 in these settings, converges within 1–2 epochs versus 25–40, and shows markedly better resilience to color distortions, random occlusions, and grayscale conversion in most cases. The generated attention maps provide spatially explicit explanations of the model’s decisions, increasing transparency for practical use. The proposed approach demonstrates that fractal analysis, embedded as a modulating signal inside a deep network, can serve as an efficient and interpretable inductive bias, which is particularly valuable under data scarcity and noisy agricultural imagery.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物葉画像から病害状態を推定するフラクタル特徴抽出とCNN手法の開発・評価が中心であり、植物病害フェノタイピング手法に該当する。

abstractThis work develops an approach for robust visual classification of plant diseases under limited and heterogeneous data based on multi-scale fractal texture descriptors integrated into a convolutional neural network.

Cost-Effective Smartphone-Based Computer Vision Pipeline for Actinidia Phenological Stage Mapping ↗

Abstract Dioecious crops face significant pollination challenges due to the asynchrony in flowering between male and female plants. This asynchrony varies spatially across orchards, requiring targeted interventions in zones where synchrony is lacking. Assisted pollination addresses this deficiency, albeit at a substantial operational cost that could be optimised through spatial phenological mapping. Manual assessment proves economically infeasible at commercial scales, while existing computer vision systems are unable to classify phenological stages and integrate geospatial information. This study presents the Mobile Phenological Mapping (MPM) Framework, which integrates GNSS-synchronised smartphone video with automated phenological detection to generate plant-level phenological distribution maps validated in commercial kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) orchards. This modular framework comprises (i) training and validation data acquisition, (ii) model optimisation, (iii) operational pipeline, and (iv) performance evaluation. MPM employs hierarchical deep learning across three stages: structure detection, gender classification, and phenological stage classification. Video frames are georeferenced through timestamp matching with GNSS metadata, enabling spatial phenological mapping. Operational validation across four commercial orchard zones demonstrated mean absolute percentage errors of 17.2% for structure detection and 20.1% for gender classification. The framework reduces monitoring time from 113 to 1.6 hours per hectare, decreasing labour costs from €2 060 (113 hours × 18.20 € per hour) to €29 (1.6 hours × 18.20 € per hour) per hectare based on the Portuguese hourly labour cost for minimum wage workers. When integrated with routine orchard operations, video acquisition incurs negligible additional cost. MPM provides growers with precision phenological maps for targeted pollination interventions. While validated in a kiwifruit orchard, the modular architecture can be adapted to other crops by replacing the training data.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsスマートフォン動画とGNSSを用いて植物体レベルの性別・生育段階を自動検出し、フェノロジー分布を作成する手法と、その性能評価・商業園での検証が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study presents the Mobile Phenological Mapping (MPM) Framework, which integrates GNSS-synchronised smartphone video with automated phenological detection to generate plant-level phenological distribution maps validated in commercial kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) orchards.

Wheat biomass estimation across crop development using UAV LiDAR structure–intensity fusion alongside multispectral and thermal data ↗

This study systematically evaluated the contribution of UAV LiDAR structural features such as crop height (CH) and multi-layer gap fraction (GF) and the amplitude of the returning signal represented by normalized intensity (INT), together with multispectral (MS) and thermal infrared (TIR) observations for aboveground biomass (AGB) estimation in winter wheat using a common artificial neural network (ANN) framework. Among the evaluated single sensor approaches, LiDAR features consistently provided the strongest performance, demonstrating the complementary value of crop height, vertically distributed canopy density, and normalized LiDAR intensity for characterizing canopy structure and within-canopy variability. Multi-layer GF improved AGB estimation relative to conventional ground-based GF approaches, highlighting the importance of incorporating the vertical distribution of canopy density. Multi-sensor fusion produced only modest additional improvements, indicating limited benefits relative to the increased acquisition and processing requirements. Temporal analysis showed that structural LiDAR features were most informative during early crop development, whereas normalized intensity, spectral reflectance, and thermal observations became increasingly valuable during canopy maturation and senescence. Comparisons with destructively measured plant area index (PAI), leaf area index (LAI), green leaf area index (GLAI), and green fraction of LAI further demonstrated that normalized LiDAR intensity (903 nm) was more closely associated with green canopy components than purely structural LiDAR metrics. Overall, the results demonstrate that fully exploiting both the structural and spectral information contained within LiDAR observations can substantially improve UAV-based biomass estimation, while multispectral and thermal observations provide complementary information whose contribution varies with crop development and monitoring objectives.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV LiDAR・マルチスペクトル・熱画像とANNを用いた小麦バイオマス推定手法を系統的に比較・評価しており、植物形質推定の取得・解析方法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study systematically evaluated the contribution of UAV LiDAR structural features such as crop height (CH) and multi-layer gap fraction (GF) and the amplitude of the returning signal represented by normalized intensity (INT), together with multispectral (MS) and thermal infrared (TIR) observations for aboveground biomass (AGB) estimation in winter wheat using a common artificial neural network (ANN) framework.

Subcellular Localization of Iron in Rhizophora mangle Leaves Revealed by Integrated Perls Reaction, TEM, STEM-HAADF, and EDS Analyses. ↗

Mangrove ecosystems are frequently exposed to high concentrations of iron (Fe) in sediments, resulting in Fe accumulation in plant tissues. Although Fe is an essential micronutrient involved in several metabolic processes, its excess requires efficient mechanisms of compartmentalization and storage to maintain cellular homeostasis. Histochemical detection using the Perls reaction has usually been applied to identify ferric iron (Fe 3+ ) in biological tissues; however, the combination of this technique with ultrastructural and elemental analyses remains relatively unexplored in plant cells. In this study, we investigated Fe localization in leaf tissues of Rhizophora mangle L. (Rhizophoraceae), a dominant mangrove species, by combining complementary approaches, including Perls cytochemical reaction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy coupled with high-angle annular dark-field imaging (STEM-HAADF), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Perls-positive electron-dense deposits were visualized at the ultrastructural level, and their elemental composition was further characterized by EDS analyses. Fe-containing deposits were detected in the epidermis, mesophyll parenchyma, mucilage cells, and vascular tissues, as well as in multiple cellular compartments, including plastids, mitochondria, vacuoles, cell walls, intercellular spaces, and plasmodesmata, whereas sclerenchyma cells showed no detectable Fe-containing deposits. The combination of Perls reaction with TEM, STEM-HAADF, and EDS provides a complementary approach for high-resolution visualization and elemental characterization of Fe-containing deposits at the subcellular level. This integrated methodology may facilitate the investigation of Fe distribution and compartmentalization in plant tissues under contrasting conditions of Fe availability.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物葉の鉄分布・細胞内区画化という生理状態を対象に、複数の顕微鏡・元素分析法を統合した可視化および特性評価手法が研究の中心であるため。

abstractThe combination of Perls reaction with TEM, STEM-HAADF, and EDS provides a complementary approach for high-resolution visualization and elemental characterization of Fe-containing deposits at the subcellular level.

Deep learning technique for rice leaf disease classification and severity level identification via Hybrid ResConvolutional Neural Network ↗

Rice leaf diseases significantly reduce agricultural yield and pose a major challenge for sustainable food production, particularly owing to the limitations associated with manual and visual inspection methods that are subjective and often ineffective in early-stage detection. This investigation proposes a new Hybrid ResConvolutional Neural Network (HyResCN-Net) for effective classification and severity identification of rice plant leaf diseases. The proposed framework integrates an Internet of Things (IoT) -based data acquisition and routing simulation using CrowWhale Energy Trust Routing (CrowWhale-ETR) for efficient data handling. Initially, preprocessing is done by an averaging filter to reduce noise. Then, plant leaves are segmented using the Eff-UNet++ method. Augmentation techniques like rotation, scaling, and color change are applied to expand the dataset. Features, like entropy with Gradient Directional Pattern (GDP), Complete Local Binary Pattern (CLBP), and histogram features, are extracted to enhance feature representation. These features are then used within the proposed HyResCN-Net model, which integrates Parallel Convolutional Neural Network (PCNN) and ResNeXt to improve discriminative learning for disease classification and severity estimation. Experimental evaluation is conducted on the Rice Leaf Bacterial and Fungal Disease Dataset. Considering a k-value of 8, the HyResCN-Net gains an accuracy of 94.258%, a True Positive Rate (TPR) of 96.479%, a True Negative Rate (TNR) of 92.898%, a precision of 91.312% and an F1-score of 93.824% compared to existing methods. The HyResCN-Net efficiently enhances rice leaf disease identification and severity analysis, supporting its applicability in precision agriculture applications.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ葉の病害分類と重症度という植物の状態を、画像取得・分割・特徴抽出・深層学習により推定する手法を開発・評価しており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThis investigation proposes a new Hybrid ResConvolutional Neural Network (HyResCN-Net) for effective classification and severity identification of rice plant leaf diseases.

A Cost-Effective Approach to Estimate Quinoa Aboveground Biomass Volume Combining UAV RGB Data with Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 Satellite Imagery ↗

This study assessed the integration of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and satellite images (Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2) in advanced machine-learning techniques to monitor the ABV of quinoa crops (Jacha Grano variety) across the Bolivian Altiplano. The proposed method follows a two-step procedure. First, UAV RGB images were used in photogrammetric and deep-learning (Convolutional Neural Networks-CNN) models to estimate reference quinoa ABVs at a 10 m spatial resolution from the crop canopy 3D model and classification, respectively. Secondly, several spectral and polarization/texture indices derived from Sentinel-2 and -1 images were integrated into three decision-tree-based machine-learning models (Random Forest-RF, Gradient Boosting-GB, eXtreme Gradient Boosting-XGB), and one CNN-based machine-learning model to estimate ABV. Additionally, a Stacking Model (STM) build on top of the three decision-tree-based models was considered for comparison. Model evaluation was also performed in a two-step approach. First, a 10-fold cross-validation strategy was used to highlight ABV sensitivity to Sentinel-2 and Sentinel-1 alone and in combination. Secondly, a Leave-One-Plot-Out Cross-Validation (LOPOCV) strategy was used to avoid autocorrelation between the training and evaluation dataset and therefore provided more insight into ABV mapping potential. The results showed that the combination of Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 features in the CNN model achieved the best predictive performance with R2 and RMSE values of 0.64 and 0.39 m3 ∙ 100 m−2, respectively. These findings highlight the potential of integrating multi-source information in advanced artificial intelligence algorithms for quinoa ABV monitoring, offering new insights toward the identification of sustainable practices across remote regions with complex socio-economic contexts.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像・衛星センサー・機械学習を統合し、キノアの地上部バイオマス体積という植物形質を推定する手法を開発・比較検証しており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractUAV RGB images were used in photogrammetric and deep-learning (Convolutional Neural Networks-CNN) models to estimate reference quinoa ABVs

RAVA: a robust recurrent active vision agent for plant disease diagnosis under severe environmental noise ↗

Abstract Deep learning models have achieved near-perfect accuracy in plant disease classification within controlled laboratory settings; however, their deployment in real-world agricultural environments is severely hindered by the “deployment gap”—a critical vulnerability to environmental corruptions such as sensor noise, motion blur, and occlusion. To bridge this gap, we propose the Recurrent Active Vision Agent (RAVA), formulating the disease detection task as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP). Unlike passive Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) that process images globally, RAVA mimics the active inspection behavior of human agronomists. Our architecture integrates a lightweight ResNet-18 backbone with a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) and a Spatial Transformer Network (STN). Driven by Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO), the agent learns a sequential policy to intelligently navigate and zoom in on informative “glimpses,” effectively bypassing background clutter. To stabilize the reinforcement learning process and enforce noise-invariant feature representations, we introduce a hybrid objective incorporating Supervised Contrastive Learning (SupCon). Comprehensive experiments on a combined PlantVillage and PlantDoc dataset demonstrate RAVA’s overwhelming superiority under extreme conditions. In a “Severe Degradation” stress test, standard ResNet-50 accuracy collapses to 26.3%, whereas our active agent maintains a robust 77.0%. Under extreme noise and occlusion, RAVA preserves 54.6% accuracy compared to the baseline’s 17.2%. Notably, this resilience is achieved with merely ∼12M parameters—significantly fewer than large-scale Vision Transformers—proving that active visual attention, coupled with contrastive learning, offers a computationally efficient and highly robust pathway for field-ready precision agriculture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物病害状態を画像から診断するための能動視覚手法を開発し、環境ノイズ下で性能検証している。植物病害の画像ベース表現型推定が中心である。

abstractwe propose the Recurrent Active Vision Agent (RAVA), formulating the disease detection task as a Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP).

MC-SlotNet: Multiplicity-Consistent Slot-Based Full-Cell Instance Segmentation for Overlapping Plant Suspension-Culture Microscopy ↗

Overlapping cells in plant suspension-culture microscopy pose a particular challenge, for instance, segmentation because a single pixel may belong to more than one cell. Most standard instance-segmentation methods are not designed for this setting and tend to treat overlapping objects as mutually exclusive regions. We instead represent each cell as an independent full-cell instance and introduce MC-SlotNet, an architecture that separates competitive object-slot feature assignment from mask decoding. This allows multiple predicted masks to occupy the same image region. We further introduce a mask-level multiplicity-consistency loss that encourages the predicted number of masks covering a pixel to agree with the underlying cell occupancy. We evaluate MC-SlotNet on a newly annotated dataset of 53 Siraitia grosvenorii suspension-culture micrographs containing 4131 full-cell instances acquired at 4×–40× magnification. Using grouped five-fold cross-validation and an overlap-preserving evaluation protocol, we compare the method with Mask R-CNN, SOLOv2, and Mask2Former. MC-SlotNet achieves the best performance on AP50 (0.800), mAP50:95 (0.565), F150 (0.842), all-ground-truth Dice (0.761), AJI+ (0.754), overlap-region Dice (0.705), and overlap-instance recall (0.828). Its AP75 (0.649) is comparable to Mask2Former’s (0.651). MC-SlotNet also has the lowest inference time among the evaluated methods, at 1.113 s/image. These results indicate that decoding full-cell masks independently, rather than enforcing an exclusive partition of image pixels, is well-suited to instance segmentation in plant suspension-culture microscopy images with substantial cell overlap.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物細胞の重複画像から個々の細胞を分割・抽出する新規モデルを開発し、データセット上で既存手法と比較評価しており、植物表現型取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractWe instead represent each cell as an independent full-cell instance and introduce MC-SlotNet, an architecture that separates competitive object-slot feature assignment from mask decoding.

AgriIDIA: Early Detection of Plant Diseases Using Transfer Learning on 24-Channel Multispectral Stacks with EfficientNet-B0 ↗

Plant diseases pose a serious threat to agriculture, causing yield losses of 20 to 40 percent each year, resulting in more than 220,000 million dollars in economic damage and significantly affecting the global food supply. Traditional plant health monitoring practices involve visual inspection of plant tissue and can only detect the presence of disease once visual symptoms are already evident. This article presents AgriIDIA, an early-detection plant disease recognition system trained on datasets of 24-channel multispectral images derived from six optical filters (BlueIR, Hotmirror, K590, K665, K720, and K850) and six vegetation indices (NDVI, GNDVI, NDRE, EVI, REI, and SAVI). First, an exploratory data analysis is conducted on the diagnostic capability of the described 24-channel data representation, using 1,266 image stacks labeled with six classes (diseased/healthy papaya, diseased/healthy potato, diseased/healthy tomato). Next, using the results of the exploratory data analysis, the manuscript describes the training and cross-validation performance of AgriIDIA, with a macro-F1 score of 83.91 ± 3.42% and an accuracy of 84.00 ± 3.17% on the validation set. Finally, the performance of the trained model is evaluated on the reserved test set (N=190), demonstrating an accuracy of 81.05%, a macro-F1 score of 0.7398, and a weighted ROC-AUC of 0.9383. The results of this study suggest that the 24-channel multispectral representation has significant diagnostic potential for the early detection of plant diseases and can be used to design accessible phytosanitary methods for small-scale farmers.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods多チャネルマルチスペクトル画像から植物病害状態を推定する認識システムの開発・検証が研究の中心であり、植物表現型として病害状態を直接評価している。

abstractThis article presents AgriIDIA, an early-detection plant disease recognition system trained on datasets of 24-channel multispectral images

Pinus pinaster Seedling Detection in Coastal Dune Plantations Using a UAS Multispectral Point Cloud and Point Transformer V3 ↗

Early detection of tree-seedling establishment is essential for monitoring regeneration success in coastal-dune plantations, where conventional field assessments remain labour-intensive and spatially limited. This study presents a deep-learning workflow for detecting early-stage Pinus pinaster seedlings using multispectral UAS-derived point clouds. Field surveys in the Quiaios National Forest, Portugal, mapped approximately 1500 seedlings using RTK GNSS positioning, biometric measurements, and field photographs. Multispectral imagery acquired with a DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral platform was processed through Structure-from-Motion to generate calibrated orthomosaics, terrain products, and dense point clouds. Training-data preparation combined pine-centred buffers, spectral conditioning, manual refinement and point-cloud class assignment. Point Transformer V3 models were trained in ArcGIS Pro and evaluated using field-mapped buffers withheld from model training within plantation-line areas. The Baseline high-recall model achieved 88% object-level recall at the operational threshold of at least three classified Pine-Seedling points per buffer. The refined hard-negative model retained 84% recall while reducing off-buffer detections from 243 to 41. False-negative analysis showed that omissions were associated with reduced crown diameter and limited branch development under the adopted buffer-based retrieval framework. These results support transformer-based multispectral point-cloud classification for scalable monitoring of early-stage pine regeneration in heterogeneous coastal environments.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUASマルチスペクトル点群とPoint Transformer V3により、マツ幼苗の存在・定着状態を植物個体レベルで推定する手法を開発・評価しており、検出性能も検証しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThis study presents a deep-learning workflow for detecting early-stage Pinus pinaster seedlings using multispectral UAS-derived point clouds.

Lightweight Near-Infrared Spectral Reconstruction from Red UAV Imagery Using Artificial Intelligence for Low-Cost Remote Sensing ↗

Near-infrared imagery is essential for vegetation monitoring, precision agriculture, and environmental remote sensing, but multispectral UAV systems remain significantly more expensive and less accessible than conventional RGB imaging platforms. This study presents a lightweight artificial intelligence framework for reconstructing the NIR spectral band exclusively from the red spectral band acquired by a UAV. The proposed methodology formulates the reconstruction task as a pixel-wise nonlinear regression problem and employs a compact multilayer perceptron (MLP) containing only 609 trainable parameters, without exploiting spatial neighborhood information. The framework was developed and evaluated using 280 synchronized multispectral UAV image sets acquired with a DJI Phantom 4 Multispectral platform over a heterogeneous agricultural landscape in the Republic of Moldova. Of these, 252 image sets were used for model development, and 28 were reserved as a held-out within-mission test subset. Quantitative evaluation on a held-out test dataset from the same acquisition mission yielded a mean squared error of 0.010329, a root mean squared error of 0.101632, a mean absolute error of 0.079883, a coefficient of determination of 0.253383, and a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.683637 between measured and reconstructed normalized NIR digital intensities. The results indicate that the model captures part of the red–NIR relationship under the evaluated acquisition conditions; however, the moderate coefficient of determination suggests that the reconstructed values are an approximation rather than a replacement for measured NIR observations. An illustrative NDVI-based assessment showed that broad spatial vegetation patterns remained identifiable. Rather than introducing a new neural network architecture, this work establishes a compact empirical baseline to investigate the practical performance and limitations of pixel-wise NIR reconstruction from a single red-band value with minimal model complexity.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像からNIRを再構成し、NDVIを含む植生状態の推定に用いる計算・センシング手法が研究の中心で、独立データによる技術評価も行っている。

abstractThis study presents a lightweight artificial intelligence framework for reconstructing the NIR spectral band exclusively from the red spectral band acquired by a UAV.

Prediction models for Larix species via near infrared spectroscopy as a high-throughput phenotyping approach ↗

Phenotyping extensive populations remains a major constraint in tree breeding programmes, particularly due to the time-consuming and labour-intensive nature of conventional methods. Near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, which is a high-throughput phenotyping method, offers an alternative solution, providing a rapid and cost-effective approach for assessing growth- and function-based traits on large numbers of trees. This study aimed to evaluate the potential of NIR spectroscopy-based models for predicting such traits in Larch. Specifically, delta carbon-13 ( δ 13 C), carbon (C), nitrogen (N), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf dry matter content (LDM), and phenolics on needles; the branch hydraulic trait (P 50 ), and lignin and hydroxyphenyl/guaiacyl (H/G) ratio on wood cores from an experimental study on Larix species were predicted using multivariate modelling, specifically, partial least squares regression. Reliable models were obtained for N content (R 2 training = 0.95, r 2 testing = 0.94), lignin (R 2 training = 0.95, r 2 testing = 0.94), and H/G ratio (R 2 training = 0.88, r 2 testing = 0.89), while moderate predictive performance was observed for C content (R 2 training = 0.79, r 2 testing = 0.79) and δ 13 C (R 2 training = 0.76, r 2 testing = 0.69). This methodological approach and its results encourage the transition from traditional laboratory methods to efficient, large-scale-based trait evaluation techniques in forestry.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsNIR分光とPLS回帰を用いて樹木の複数形質を大規模推定する手法を評価しており、表現型取得・推定法が研究の中心である。

abstractNear infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, which is a high-throughput phenotyping method, offers an alternative solution, providing a rapid and cost-effective approach for assessing growth- and function-based traits on large numbers of trees.

Deep convolutional neural network-based automated identification and classification of mungbean foliar diseases ↗

Early and accurate detection of plant diseases is critical in precision agriculture to improve crop management and yield. Mungbean ( Vigna radiata L.) is highly susceptible to several foliar diseases, including yellow mosaic, powdery mildew, leaf crinkle, and cercospora leaf spot, which cause substantial productivity losses. Despite expanding applications of deep learning in plant disease diagnosis, systematic multi-architecture evaluation for mungbean disease classification under natural field conditions remains limited. This study addresses this gap by evaluating five state-of-the-art deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) architectures on a large-scale, field-acquired mungbean dataset that captures real-world variability across environmental conditions and disease severity levels, distinguishing it from controlled laboratory studies. A total of 5,617 original images across five classes were used. Data augmentation was applied exclusively to the training subset after stratified splitting to prevent data leakage. The dataset was partitioned into training (70%), validation (15%), and testing (15%) subsets. VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50V2, DenseNet121, and InceptionV3 were evaluated using identical transfer learning and fine-tuning protocols. Model performance was assessed using AUC-ROC, Cohen's kappa coefficient, McNemar's test for pairwise statistical comparisons, five-fold cross-validation, and Grad-CAM-based interpretability. On the independent test set, InceptionV3 achieved the highest accuracy (98.47%) and macro-F1 (98.49%), followed by VGG16 (98.36%) and VGG19 (97.89%). AUC-ROC values exceeded 0.997 for all models, confirming excellent class discrimination. Grad-CAM visualizations further confirmed that model predictions were based on biologically relevant disease symptoms. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of deep learning for robust disease recognition under realistic field conditions and highlight the potential of AI-based diagnostic tools for crop health monitoring, precision agriculture, and decision-support systems in mungbean production.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods圃場画像からマングビーン葉の病徴・病害状態を推定する深層学習手法を複数モデルで評価・検証しており、植物病害フェノタイピング手法が中心です。

abstractsystematic multi-architecture evaluation for mungbean disease classification under natural field conditions remains limited

Video-based fruit detection and tracking: effects of scanning conditions on fruit load estimation ↗

Automated fruit counting and yield estimation systems are necessary for efficient orchard management. This study presents a computer vision system based on video multi-object-tracking for fruit load estimation in apple orchards and provides a comprehensive analysis of the system performance under diverse scanning conditions. The system integrates fruit detection, tracking, localization within orchard, and fruit load map generation. Experiments were carried out in an experimental apple orchard containing 420 apple trees. Data was collected with two different RGB-D sensors (Azure Kinect DK and ZED 2) at three different scanning distances (125 cm, 175 cm, and 225 cm) on two different dates prior to the harvest. Comparing the two evaluated sensors, Azure Kinect provided more consistent performance across different dates. Results also show that the longer scanning distance improves accuracy due to seeing the full tree view gives better fruit counts than close partial views. Between the two dates, best results were achieved near harvest due to fruit color at this stage, achieving a Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of 6.91 % and a determination coefficient (R 2 ) of 0.733 (using ZED2 sensor at 225 cm distance). Finally, a test comparing scanning from one or both sides of the tree row showed that bilateral scanning improved fruit load estimation at the stretch level by incorporating information from both sides of the canopy. The results of this work demonstrate the effectiveness of the video fruit tracking systems as a useful tool for automating fruit load estimation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods動画ベースの果実検出・追跡手法を開発・評価し、リンゴ樹の果実負荷量を推定することが研究の中心であるため、植物フェノタイピング手法として含める。

abstractThis study presents a computer vision system based on video multi-object-tracking for fruit load estimation in apple orchards and provides a comprehensive analysis of the system performance under diverse scanning conditions.

Physiology-informed hyperspectral retrieval of leaf Vcmax across wheat and maize ↗

Leaf hyperspectral reflectance can provide a scalable way to estimate photosynthetic capacity (Vcmax), but models trained in one species or measurement context often lose accuracy in another. This transfer problem limits the use of spectral approaches in multi-species crop phenotyping and carbon-cycle applications. Here, we tested physiology-informed inputs for leaf-level Vcmax25 retrieval using paired gas-exchange and reflectance data from wheat (C₃; n = 198) and maize (C₄; n = 81) grown under contrasting nitrogen supply. The four input configurations were raw spectra (Mod1), spectra scaled by a PPFD–absorptance proxy (Mod2), scaled spectra augmented with radiative-transfer-derived traits (Mod3), and scaled spectra augmented with a spectral coordination proxy (Mod4). Within datasets, the best models reached R² = 0.82 in wheat, 0.41 in maize, and 0.76 in the combined dataset. In a matched comparison with a common random-forest learner, the spectral coordination proxy Mod4 improved accuracy only slightly over Mod2 in wheat (RMSE −0.51%; p = 0.0058) and maize (RMSE −1.26%; p = 0.0011) but not in the combined dataset (RMSE −0.15%; p = 0.074), and the trait-based Mod3 showed no consistent benefit. When wheat models were tested on measurement dates not used in training, accuracy remained moderate (R² = 0.563; RMSE = 15.07 µmol m⁻² s⁻¹). Despite this within-dataset performance, models applied to the other species without calibration failed in both directions (negative R²), and adding source-species data did not improve prediction even when a few samples of the new species were used for calibration. These results show that physiology-informed input design provides at most small within-dataset gains, and that reliable prediction across C₃ and C₄ crops requires calibration data from the target crop.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods葉のハイパースペクトル反射から光合成能力Vcmaxを推定する手法を開発・比較・検証しており、植物形質取得が研究の中心です。

abstractLeaf hyperspectral reflectance can provide a scalable way to estimate photosynthetic capacity (Vcmax)

A dynamic multi-scale feature fusion and hierarchical attention network for leaf segmentation ↗

Abstract Accurate leaf instance segmentation is fundamental to quantifying morphological and structural traits in image-based plant phenotyping. However, substantial variations in leaf scale, shape, and orientation, together with dense overlap and occlusion, often lead to ambiguous instance boundaries. In addition, repeated downsampling and feature reconstruction can progressively erode fine structural details, hindering contour preservation and the separation of adjacent leaves. To address these interrelated challenges, we propose DMSHA-Net, a dynamic multi-scale feature fusion and hierarchical attention network for leaf instance segmentation. Its direction-aware Multi-Scale Feature Aggregation (MSFA) encoder captures complementary horizontal and vertical contextual information across multiple receptive-field scales, thereby improving the representation of diverse leaf morphologies. The Dense Feature Aggregation (DFA) decoder selectively integrates deep semantic and shallow structural features through stage-specific attention mechanisms, where self-attention at coarse resolutions models long-range dependencies, whereas lightweight channel recalibration at high resolutions refines local structures and boundaries. The Learnable Feature Fusion (LFF) module subsequently integrates multi-level semantic and boundary features using normalized learned weights. DMSHA-Net achieves Best Dice (BD) scores of 93.17%, 85.12%, and 90.91% on KOMATSUNA, MSU-PID, and the CVPPP-A1 subset, respectively, with corresponding foreground–background Dice (FBD) scores of 98.19%, 91.02%, and 98.24%. These results indicate that DMSHA-Net achieves competitive segmentation performance across the three datasets, particularly in scenarios involving pronounced scale variation and dense leaf overlap.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物画像から葉の個体セグメンテーションを行い、形態・構造形質の定量化に用いる新規ネットワークを開発・評価しており、表現型取得手法が中心です。

abstractAccurate leaf instance segmentation is fundamental to quantifying morphological and structural traits in image-based plant phenotyping.

Lightweight CNN-Based Computer Vision for Early Detection of Monilinia spp. and Taphrina deformans in Peach Crops Under Real Field Conditions ↗

Brown Rot (Monilinia spp.) and Leaf Curl (Taphrina deformans) are principal fungal diseases affecting peach (Prunus persica L. Batsch) production, lacking validated AI-based diagnostic tools in tropical highland orchards. This study presents a compact Convolutional Neural Network (3658 trainable parameters), applied identically to fruit and leaf classification, integrated with a background-removal preprocessing pipeline and evaluated through stratified 5-fold cross-validation on 800 in-situ images from four orchards in Cómbita and Choachí, Colombia. The proposed architecture achieved mean accuracies of 82.8% (fruit) and 95.3% (leaf), with AUC values of 0.87 and 0.98, and a trained model footprint of approximately 100 KB, supporting storage- and bandwidth-efficient deployment. Benchmarked against ImageNet-pretrained MobileNetV3-Small and MobileNetV2 under an identical protocol, the proposed architecture matched or exceeded MobileNetV3-Small on leaf classification despite a 257-fold smaller parameter count, and achieved comparable or lower inference latency than both larger backbones. To our knowledge, this is the first validated system for simultaneous detection of both pathogens in Prunus persica under real field conditions, combining a compact, deployment-ready architecture with an ablation-verified preprocessing pipeline. The proposed model was deployed in the DurAPP web platform, giving peach growers in tropical highland regions a practical, low-footprint diagnostic tool suited to smallholder farming conditions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsモモ果実・葉の病徴を画像から分類するCNN、前処理、交差検証、他モデル比較、実地検証、プラットフォーム展開が中心であり、植物病害状態の画像ベースフェノタイピング手法に該当する。

abstractThis study presents a compact Convolutional Neural Network (3658 trainable parameters), applied identically to fruit and leaf classification, integrated with a background-removal preprocessing pipeline and evaluated through stratified 5-fold cross-validation on 800 in-situ images from four orchards

From occlusion to 3D: amodal completion-assisted single-view wheat reconstruction ↗

Occlusion is a major factor limiting accurate three-dimensional (3D) wheat phenotyping. In natural growth conditions, overlapping spikes, leaves, and stems often make only partial target regions visible in single-view images, hindering complete and reliable 3D reconstruction. To address this problem, this study proposes an amodal completion-assisted, sequential framework for single-view 3D reconstruction of occluded wheat. The framework first uses visible prompts to recover the complete appearance and structural cues of occluded targets, and then feeds the completed images into single-view 3D reconstruction models to generate complete 3D structures. We construct the MMWO (Multi-view Multi-instance Wheat Occlusion) dataset from MMW, which is captured under controlled indoor scenarios, by synthesizing diverse occlusion samples through organ-level cutouts, random geometric transformations, and region-constrained pasting, with annotations including visible masks, occlusion masks, and complete target images. Six representative reconstruction methods, including Direct3D, Real3D, SF3D, Spar3D, TRELLIS.2, and Hunyuan3D, are systematically evaluated. Hunyuan3D achieves the best geometric performance, with the lowest mean CD- \(L_1\) and CD- \(L_2\) values of 0.1286 and 0.0536, and the highest mean F-score of 0.5668. SF3D achieves the best rendering quality in terms of PSNR, SSIM, and LPIPS. In addition, Pix2Gestalt completion reduces the estimation errors of spike length, width, and area from 9.31%, 10.89%, and 32.23% to 4.64%, 9.70%, and 9.45%, respectively. These results demonstrate that amodal completion can effectively alleviate occlusion-induced information loss and provide more complete structural priors for single-view 3D wheat reconstruction. This study offers a feasible solution for 3D wheat phenotyping under occlusion and provides a systematic reference for applying 3D generative models to agricultural phenotyping.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods遮蔽下の単一画像から小麦器官を3D再構成し、形質推定精度を改善する手法を開発・比較検証しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractTo address this problem, this study proposes an amodal completion-assisted, sequential framework for single-view 3D reconstruction of occluded wheat.

PlantC2USeg: Cross-Scale Consistent Pre-Training for Few-Shot Unified Plant Point Cloud Segmentation ↗

Modern crop breeding demands precise organ-level analysis for trait quantification, making plant point cloud segmentation (PPCS) increasingly important. However, conventional deep learning approaches rely heavily on densely annotated datasets that are labor-intensive to acquire. Unified PPCS adaptation from distribution-shifted examples with minimal additional training remains challenging. To address this, we propose PlantC2USeg, a deep transfer learning framework featuring cross-scale consistency learning to explicitly align features across spatial scales and an information-restricted decoding strategy that prevents reconstruction shortcuts and promotes robust adaptation. The resulting pre-training enables stable few-shot generalization across species and sensing conditions, while unified fine-tuning with inherited thresholds further reduces adaptation overhead. Under full supervision on Soybean3D, PlantC2USeg achieves the highest semantic IoU and instance mWCov among compared methods, at 91.91% and 94.62%. With 20 labeled samples, it leads both metrics at 89.78% and 90.27%; with only 10 samples, it retains the highest mWCov of 83.23% while achieving 83.19% IoU. Across HR3D, 10-shot transfer to tobacco, tomato, and sorghum averages 78.41% IoU and 79.42% mWCov, while 22-shot transfer to SYAU-Maize achieves the highest IoU and mRec at 92.75% and 93.51%. Furthermore, a leading category-averaged mIoU of 85.0% on ShapeNet Part demonstrates the framework's capability to handle diverse shape variations beyond agricultural domains. These results demonstrate that PlantC2USeg reduces overall adaptation effort under distribution shifts, enabling scalable plant phenotyping and transferable 3D representation learning beyond agriculture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物点群の器官レベル形質定量を目的とするセグメンテーション手法を開発し、複数データセット・作物・ショット条件で性能評価しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractwe propose PlantC2USeg, a deep transfer learning framework featuring cross-scale consistency learning

Raman spectroscopy resolves nitrogen-driven metabolic acclimation to urban air pollution in Quercus ilex. ↗

Urban air pollution may alter plant metabolism long before visible damage becomes apparent. Raman spectroscopy was evaluated as a rapid, non-destructive approach to resolve these biochemical adjustments. Mature Quercus ilex L. trees were sampled along a well-defined pollution gradient in Tuscany (Italy), spanning high, intermediate, and low levels of NO₂ and PM₁₀. Leaf Raman spectra revealed coordinated modulation of primary and secondary metabolism. Pigment-related bands (chlorophylls and carotenoids) increased toward the most polluted site, while inducible flavonoid signals showed site-dependent variation consistent with oxidative pressure in superficial tissues. These patterns were consistent with destructive biochemical analyses and chlorophyll fluorescence measurements, which indicated acclimation rather than photoinhibition damage. A composite Raman index showed a close site-level association with NO₂ exposure, suggesting that nitrogen-related urban pollution was the main exposure component linked to the observed metabolic response. Overall, Raman spectroscopy captures the chronic metabolic imprint of urban air pollution in Q. ilex, resolving coordinated pigment reinforcement and defensive activation without sample destruction. This approach provides a rapid and scalable framework for linking atmospheric chemistry to plant functional status in biomonitoring applications.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物の代謝・機能状態を非破壊的に推定するRaman分光法を評価し、スペクトル指標と生化学・蛍光測定の整合性を検証しているため、手法が中心的です。

abstractRaman spectroscopy was evaluated as a rapid, non-destructive approach to resolve these biochemical adjustments.

Artificial Intelligence-Based Smart Farming with Internet of Things and Drone Technologies for Integrated Crop and Aquatic Health Monitoring ↗

Agriculture is being revolutionized through the integration of cutting-edge technologies that support efficiency, productivity, and sustainability. Recent trends in transforming traditional agriculture into smart agricultural systems through the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI), IoT, and drone technology are gaining popularity worldwide. In this context, the current study developed an integrated artificial intelligence-based farming system incorporating Internet of Things sensors, drones, deep learning, and web/mobile applications for timely monitoring of crop and aquatic health. Data were collected using IoT sensors and drones equipped with high-resolution cameras to monitor soil and water parameters, including temperature, humidity, and pH, under various climatic conditions. A dataset of 70,000 images was used for system training, validation, and testing with an 80:10:10 split, together with three months of IoT sensor data. Models including YOLOv8, CNN, Faster R-CNN, ResNet50, MobileNet, EfficientNet, DenseNet, LSTM, and Random Forest were used for pest and disease detection, fish classification, fish disease detection, shrimp disease detection, and monitoring of climatic factors. Data pre-processing included denoising, normalization, missing-value handling, and feature extraction. The designed model showed reliable performance across the tasks, with 88.4% accuracy for shrimp detection, 92.1% for pest detection using YOLOv8, and 93.4% accuracy for plant disease detection using the CNN model. Overall performance was recorded at 97% accuracy, with high precision, F1-score, and mAP, and an RMSE of 1.2 for sensor-based prediction and validation. The current findings indicate the potential of using AI, IoT, and drone technologies to detect biotic and abiotic stresses during farming and support a sustainable agricultural system.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsAI・IoT・ドローンを統合した作物健康モニタリングシステムを開発し、植物病害検出モデルを訓練・検証しており、植物状態の取得方法が中心的である。

abstractthe current study developed an integrated artificial intelligence-based farming system incorporating Internet of Things sensors, drones, deep learning, and web/mobile applications for timely monitoring of crop and aquatic health

A Lightweight Maize Pest and Disease Recognition Method Based on an Improved ShuffleNetV2 in Field Environments ↗

Abstract Agricultural pest and disease monitoring plays a vital role in ensuring crop productivity, reducing pesticide consumption, and promoting sustainable agricultural development. Although deep learning techniques have achieved remarkable success in plant health diagnosis, many existing models remain computationally intensive and are difficult to deploy on resource-constrained edge devices used in practical agricultural environments. To address these challenges, this study proposes a practical lightweight deep learning framework based on an improved ShuffleNetV2 architecture for real-time maize pest and disease recognition under complex field conditions.The proposed model incorporates the Ghost module to reduce redundant feature generation, the Efficient Channel Attention (ECA) mechanism to enhance feature representation, and the HardSwish activation function to improve nonlinear learning capability while maintaining computational efficiency. Extensive experiments were conducted on a maize pest and disease dataset containing multiple disease and pest categories collected under natural field conditions. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model achieves superior recognition accuracy while significantly reducing model parameters and computational complexity compared with several mainstream lightweight convolutional neural networks.The results show that the proposed method achieves an accuracy of 93.00%, a recall of 92.76%, and an F1-score of 92.42%, while maintaining extremely low computational cost (0.03 GFLOPs) and model size (1.16 MB). Furthermore, the proposed model was successfully deployed on a Raspberry Pi platform, demonstrating excellent real-time inference capability and low computational resource consumption. The framework is suitable for practical agricultural applications, including intelligent crop monitoring, UAV-assisted field inspection, and mobile diagnostic systems. By enabling rapid and accurate in-field identification of maize pests and diseases, the proposed approach supports timely crop protection decisions, reduces unnecessary pesticide application, and contributes to sustainable agriculture through practical edge-AI deployment.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシの病害状態を画像から認識する軽量深層学習法の開発・評価が中心であり、植物病害フェノタイプの取得手法に該当する。

abstractthis study proposes a practical lightweight deep learning framework based on an improved ShuffleNetV2 architecture for real-time maize pest and disease recognition under complex field conditions.

Yield-graph: multi-stage growth-aware maize yield prediction via graph neural networks. ↗

Key message Yield-Graph enables accurate maize yield prediction from incomplete multi-stage phenotypic and environmental data by modeling higher-order environment-trait interactions, with robust applicability across growth stages, regions, and crop species. Accurate yield prediction before maize harvest is crucial for advancing agricultural management and ensuring food security. Unlike conventional approaches that rely on traits from a single growth stage, this study models multiple traits across different developmental stages, all targeting final yield, thereby uncovering their stage-specific contributions and demonstrating the feasibility of early yield prediction. We introduce Yield-Graph, an innovative framework that evaluates phenotypic data at distinct developmental stages for yield prediction. The method employs a bipartite graph structure to impute missing trait values at each stage and leverages a hypergraph attention mechanism to capture high-order sample relationships. Comprehensive benchmark experiments demonstrate that Yield-Graph matches the top-tier predictive accuracy of exhaustively optimized tree models. Moreover, the framework exhibits strong robustness across growth stages, high adaptability to regional variations, and effective generalization across datasets. These findings highlight the potential of graph-enhanced multi-stage modeling for early-stage yield prediction, offering a scalable solution for precision agriculture and intelligent crop management.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods作物収量という植物形質を、複数時期の表現型データから推定するグラフニューラルネットワーク手法を開発し、ベンチマーク評価しているため、計算型フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractWe introduce Yield-Graph, an innovative framework that evaluates phenotypic data at distinct developmental stages for yield prediction.

UGV-based multimodal RGBD–multispectral fusion framework enables high-quality 3D phenotyping of greenhouse lettuce seedlings ↗

High-throughput phenotyping of lettuce seedlings is highly prone to background confusion because the seedlings are small, have weak textural features, and exhibit spectral reflectance similar to that of the substrate. Traditional single-visual-modality approaches struggle to achieve reliable structural and physiological characterization simultaneously under the repetitive backgrounds and dense arrangements typical of greenhouse tray cultivation. To address these challenges, we establish a multimodal 3D phenotyping framework tailored for controlled agriculture environments, enabling the quantification of structural and physiological characteristics of lettuce seedlings. This framework is based on an unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) platform integrating a RGBD camera and a quad-band multispectral sensor which are rigidly coupled and synchronously triggered. An alignment module based on established feature matching algorithm is introduced to register the misalignment between source multispectral and RGBD images. Subsequently, we design a novel dual-backbone instance segmentation network, MS-SegNet, to enhance segmentation accuracy by hierarchically fusing geometric information with multispectral features. A robust 3D metric pose estimation pipeline, incorporating standard SfM initialization, scale recovery, and generalized ICP refinement, is constructed to generate 3D point clouds with spectral attributes and semantic labels. Finally, key structural and physiological phenotype parameters of each seedling are calculated based on the 3D semantic multispectral point clouds. Experiments demonstrate that MS-SegNet achieves significant advantages in instance segmentation of lettuce seedlings with mAP@50:95 = 0.854. The metric 3D pose estimation pipeline exhibits reliable performance under complex controlled conditions. The quality of the 3D reconstructions is indirectly validated through downstream structural trait extraction. The estimated seedling height and crown width show high correlation with manual measurements, achieving R 2 values of 0.8379 and 0.918, and RMSE values of 10.94 mm and 11.56 mm, respectively. Overall, by systematically integrating these adapted components with the novel segmentation architecture, this framework achieves stable performance improvements in 3D reconstruction, instance segmentation, and phenotypic analysis under greenhouse conditions. It provides a scalable, integrated technical solution for non-destructive, high-throughput phenotyping of crop seedlings in controlled environments.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGBD・マルチスペクトル・UGVを統合した3Dフェノタイピング基盤を開発し、分割・再構成・構造／生理形質抽出を検証しており、フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe establish a multimodal 3D phenotyping framework tailored for controlled agriculture environments, enabling the quantification of structural and physiological characteristics of lettuce seedlings.

Deep spatial-spectral fusion of UAV RGB and hyperspectral imagery for potato plant disease detection ↗

Accurate plant disease detection remains challenging when using single-modality data, which fails to capture comprehensive disease-related features. However, many existing studies rely on pixel-level classification or prior plant segmentation and lack explicit modeling of cross-modal interactions, limiting their ability to distinguish between healthy and diseased plants. This study presents a spatial–spectral fusion deep learning framework (S2-PDD) that fuses uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV)-based RGB imagery and hyperspectral-derived feature representations for plant-level detection of potato diseases (blackleg and Potato virus Y (PVY)), employing early fusion (modalities combined at the input stage) and middle fusion (features integrated at intermediate stages within the model backbone) strategies. The multimodal fusion models were compared against single-modal models and an existing S2ADet model. Model performance, assessed through five-fold cross-validation, demonstrated that multimodal models integrating RGB and vegetation index features achieved the highest mAPs of 86.65 ± 1.71 (%; E-RV model) and 85.74 ± 1.96 (M-RV), respectively. These mAPs were higher than those of all single-modal models, including the RGB-only (83.21 ± 1.46) and hyperspectral-only models (PCA features: 79.71 ± 1.45; vegetation index features: 85.31 ± 2.36). They also exceeded mAPs of multimodal models combining RGB with PCA features (early fusion: 83.00 ± 2.81; middle fusion: 83.11 ± 2.46; S2ADet: 84.04 ± 2.73), regardless of the fusion strategy. The superior performance highlights that vegetation index features provide strong class separability compared to other hyperspectral representations. The proposed models achieved strong plant-level detection performance, with AP of 78.65 ± 4.14 (E-RV) and 77.40 ± 3.46 (M-RV) for blackleg disease, as well as 84.82 ± 3.59 (E-RV) and 83.28 ± 3.86 (M-RV) for PVY. These results demonstrate the potential of UAV-based multimodal sensing for disease monitoring in cropping systems. A potato plant disease detection dataset was constructed and made publicly available, containing paired RGB and hyperspectral image tiles with bounding box annotations. The code is available at https://github.com/Tim-Agro/S2-PDD.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV RGB・ハイパースペクトル画像からジャガイモ個体の病害状態を推定する融合モデルを開発・比較検証し、公開データセットも構築しており、病害表現型の取得・抽出手法が中心である。

abstractThis study presents a spatial–spectral fusion deep learning framework (S2-PDD) that fuses uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAV)-based RGB imagery and hyperspectral-derived feature representations for plant-level detection of potato diseases (blackleg and Potato virus Y (PVY))

Deep Learning-Based Monitoring of Tea Plant Growth and Nitrogen Status Using UAV Multisource Remote Sensing Features ↗

Accurate and efficient monitoring of tea plant growth parameters via remote sensing is essential for precision plantation management. However, spectral indices relying solely on reflectance often exhibit limited sensitivity in capturing complex tea canopy characteristics. This study developed a data-driven framework integrating spectral reflectance, frequency-domain harmonic components, and spatial texture features to construct tri-feature fusion indices (TFIs) and establish machine learning and deep learning models for tea growth monitoring. Ten-band multispectral imagery was acquired using a UAV alongside synchronous field measurements of leaf and plant biomass and nitrogen accumulation. TFIs were constructed through exhaustive feature combinations and optimized via a data-driven search strategy. Subsequently, random forest (RF), multilayer perceptron (MLP), convolutional neural network (CNN), and transformer models were evaluated using a leave-one-site-out cross-validation (LOSO-CV) strategy. The selected TFIs showed strong associations with tea growth parameters within the investigated dataset, with R2 values up to 0.63 and 0.62 for leaf dry matter and leaf nitrogen accumulation, respectively. Models incorporating selected TFIs achieved cross-validated R2 values of 0.56 for leaf dry matter (MLP), 0.59 for plant dry matter (MLP), 0.73 for leaf nitrogen accumulation (MLP), and 0.68 for plant nitrogen accumulation (CNN). These models exhibited competitive predictive performance comparable to RF, although no statistically significant differences in mean absolute error were observed under site-held-out evaluation. Furthermore, model-derived spatial maps provided insights into fine-scale spatial heterogeneity and potential interannual variations in tea growth parameters across representative plantations from 2024 to 2025. Overall, this study provides a UAV-based framework for tea growth parameter estimation by integrating multi-domain information without requiring additional environmental observations.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVマルチスペクトル画像から茶植物の乾物量・窒素蓄積を推定する特徴量融合および機械学習・深層学習フレームワークを開発し、サイト外交差検証で評価しており、植物形質の取得・推定手法が中心である。

abstractThis study developed a data-driven framework integrating spectral reflectance, frequency-domain harmonic components, and spatial texture features to construct tri-feature fusion indices (TFIs) and establish machine learning and deep learning models for tea growth monitoring.

A UAV-based sparse-view 3DGS framework for greenhouse strawberry reconstruction ↗

UAV-based multi-view reconstruction is an important approach for high-precision, non-destructive 3D crop phenotyping. However, in greenhouse environments, UAV image acquisition is often restricted to sparse viewpoints because of UAV-induced airflow disturbances and the structural complexity of the greenhouse, which severely hinders accurate 3D phenotyping. To address this challenge, this study develops a task-driven phenotyping framework for constrained UAV viewpoints in greenhouse environments, integrating a vision-triggered flight planning strategy with an improved sparse-view 3DGS pipeline, termed SparseBerry-3DGS, for multi-view image acquisition and 3D phenotyping of greenhouse strawberries in GNSS-denied environments. Specifically, 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) is improved by incorporating flow-guided initialization, depth supervision, and an adaptive pruning strategy, which effectively alleviate geometric collapse and floating artifacts under sparse-view conditions. Furthermore, sequential semantic masks generated by SAM2 are utilized to guide the segmentation of strawberry point clouds, thereby reducing background interference and segmentation errors. Experimental results show that the vision-triggered flight strategy enables stable capture of 16 surrounding images for each target fruit. Under sparse-view conditions, SparseBerry-3DGS improves reconstruction stability, with the average peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) reaching 18.25 dB, corresponding to an 18% improvement. The SAM2-based segmentation module achieves high accuracy, with the mean intersection over union (mIoU) above 0.95. Geometric evaluation based on strawberry longitudinal diameter yielded an of 0.88, supporting the accuracy of fruit-scale geometric reconstruction. For weight estimation, five-fold cross-validation yielded an of 0.90 and an RMSE of 3.62 g, showing better predictive performance than models based on 2D projected area and standard 3DGS point clouds. This study provides a new approach for high-throughput, non-invasive digital crop phenotyping in greenhouse horticulture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods温室イチゴの3D形状再構成と重量推定を目的に、制約視点UAV撮影、SparseBerry-3DGS再構成、点群セグメンテーションを統合した表現型取得手法を開発・検証しており、方法が研究の中心である。

abstractthis study develops a task-driven phenotyping framework for constrained UAV viewpoints in greenhouse environments

Plant disease identification through Explainable AI: A deep learning architecture using fine-tuned EfficientNet for sustainable agriculture ↗

Problem: Agriculture plays a pivotal role in the Indian economy, where crop production quality and quantity directly impact the livelihoods of millions. Climate variability, emerging plant diseases, and improper pesticide application contribute significantly to agricultural losses. Early and accurate disease detection is crucial for mitigating crop damage and ensuring food security. Methodology: This study presents a novel deep learning framework based on EfficientNet architecture, enhanced with Progressive Fine-Tuning Strategy for automated plant disease detection. The proposed methodology was evaluated on two benchmark datasets: the Plant Village dataset comprising 20,639 images of tomato, potato, and bell pepper with 15 disease varieties; and a drone-captured rice plant dataset containing 4432 samples from public repositories. The model’s performance was assessed using multiple metrics, including classification accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. To strengthen the validation of high accuracy results, additional statistical analyses like class imbalance ratio, Entropy, Chi-Square test, convergence curve, ANOVA test, Tukey’s post hoc HSD test, confidence interval, Cohen’s Kappa result, fold-wise dispersion analysis, mean, std deviation are included in the manuscript. Result: Experimental results demonstrate that the fine-tuned EfficientNetV2-B1 architecture achieved exceptional performance with 99.7% classification accuracy on the PlantVillage dataset and 99.03% accuracy on the drone-based rice disease dataset, significantly outperforming existing state-of-the-art transfer learning models. Model explainability techniques further validated the reliability and interpretability of the predictions, confirming the model’s focus on disease-relevant features.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物画像から病害状態を推定する深層学習手法を開発し、複数データセットで性能検証しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThis study presents a novel deep learning framework based on EfficientNet architecture, enhanced with Progressive Fine-Tuning Strategy for automated plant disease detection.

Measuring and modelling the structural dynamics of poricidal anthers: a mechatronic approach. ↗

The mechanical dynamics of poricidal stamens play a crucial role in buzz pollination, but they have only been studied in a few species showing comparatively less curvature. This paper presents an integrated experimental-computational approach to characterize the dynamic behaviour of the morphologically more complex stamens of Medinilla magnifica. An experimental set-up employing a custom-built shaker and a laser triangulation sensor is developed to measure the stamen motion with high spatial and temporal resolution. The resulting displacement transmissibility reveals three distinct resonances, with the second one falling within the reported frequency range of pollination buzzes. Finite-element and multi-body models are developed and validated against experimental results. The models further reveal how the stamen morphology gives rise to its complex dynamic behaviour. The developed method enables precise parametric modelling of stamens and provides new insight into the mechanical basis of pollen release, thereby offering a framework for studying buzz pollination dynamics across plant taxa.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物の雄しべ運動をレーザー計測し、有限要素・マルチボディモデルで検証する実験計算手法が研究の中心であるため。

abstractAn experimental set-up employing a custom-built shaker and a laser triangulation sensor is developed to measure the stamen motion with high spatial and temporal resolution.

Improving cotton biomass estimation by assimilating SAR data into a modified crop growth model with simple calibration ↗

Aboveground biomass density (AGBD) is a key indicator in agricultural systems, directly reflecting crop carbon storage potential and yield levels. The World Food Studies (WOFOST) model is widely used for crop growth simulation due to its process-based interpretability. However, its application is limited by complex calibration demands and struggles with spatial heterogeneity. To address these limitations, this paper proposes an assimilation system that integrates Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data into a modified WOFOST model, which requires simple calibration. WOFOST is run in potential production mode, which assumes ideal conditions to reduce input data requirements. Before assimilation, phenology-related temperature sums are aligned with phenology and meteorological data to match local growth stages. Two quantities are then estimated and updated in the model through data assimilation by minimizing the difference between SAR-derived and simulated AGBD. These quantities are the proposed yield reduction factor, which represents the proportional decrease in potential CO 2 assimilation under stresses, and the initial total dry weight at sowing. Validation experiments were conducted using multi-year cotton datasets from two farms in Georgia, USA, differing in whether irrigation was applied. Compared to WOFOST simulations and evaluated against in situ AGBD measurements, the assimilation results improve agreement and reduce error (approximately 43% RMSE reduction at the rainfed site and 15% at the irrigated site). It also delivers spatial maps of biomass, together with model-derived yield and harvest-index diagnostics, and remains operational under frequent cloud cover where optical observations are sparse. This SAR-based assimilation strategy reduces calibration demands, providing a novel and practical pathway to extend WOFOST applications to diverse agricultural scenarios.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsSARデータを作物成長モデルに同化して綿の地上部バイオマスを推定する手法を開発し、複数年・複数圃場データで検証しているため、植物形質取得が中心である。

abstractthis paper proposes an assimilation system that integrates Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data into a modified WOFOST model

Remote Spectral Detection of Canopy Functional Dimensions Varying Within and Across Forest Types. ↗

Global trait axes reveal overarching dimensions of plant functional variation. However, how these dimensions are spatially organized within and across forest types remains unclear. We combined drone-based full-range imaging spectroscopy with crown-level measurements of 16 physiological, morphological and biochemical traits across temperate, subtropical and tropical forests in China to enable spatially-explicit trait mapping. Through site-training scenario, leaf-to-canopy scaling and spectral-domain modelling tests, we find that reliable canopy trait retrieval depends not only on trait and spectral coverage, but also on preserving trait-spectral relationships across sites and scales. Spectral predictions recovered observed multivariate covariation, summarizing crown variation into a leaf-economics dimension and two additional biochemical dimensions related to hydro-thermal regulation and defence/metabolism. Mapping these dimensions revealed distinct community-level trait organization alongside substantial species- and crown-level variation within forests. These findings link remotely sensed trait retrieval to environmental filtering and plant functional differentiation, providing a scalable framework for monitoring forest functional diversity.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsドローン分光画像と冠レベル形質測定を用いた植物形質の空間マッピング手法が中心で、スケーリングおよびスペクトルモデルの検証も行っている。

abstractWe combined drone-based full-range imaging spectroscopy with crown-level measurements of 16 physiological, morphological and biochemical traits across temperate, subtropical and tropical forests in China to enable spatially-explicit trait mapping.

Finlay-Wilkinson random regression for yield and yield stability prediction in cereals. ↗

Year-to-year climate variability poses a challenge for agriculture by increasing crop yield variability; therefore, there is a need to identify genotypes that can withstand these fluctuations. With the right selection criteria, genotypes with yield stability across variable environmental conditions can be selected. Methods such as Finlay-Wilkinson random regression (FWRR) may allow us to use sparse datasets-common in plant breeding pipelines-and incorporate genomic data to leverage phenotypic information from related genotypes to predict yield stability. Our objective was to examine how the number of environments and the variance among those environments affect stability predictions. We also integrate FWRR as a genomic prediction tool for characterizing yield stability, comparing it to the traditional genomic prediction models as a reference. We used three datasets: one highly unbalanced dataset for oats (Avena sativa L.) and two completely balanced datasets with different numbers of environments for barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). We fit standard Finlay-Wilkinson (FW) and FWRR models to estimate grain yield and stability under various scenarios. We found that the estimated stability values obtained were similar using balanced datasets for FW or FWRR. FWRR also achieved moderate predictive ability for stability using unbalanced datasets under 10-fold cross-validation (CV1) with new genotypes. In terms of environmental representation, selecting the right set of environments for inclusion in the model was more important than adding more environments. Our results suggest the possibility of using FWRR to select stable genotypes earlier in line development, as well as to design resource-efficient stability-testing schemes.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsFWRRを用いて穀類の収量安定性を推定・予測する統計的手法を検討し、環境数やデータ構成による予測性能を評価しているため、収量形質の計算的フェノタイピング手法が中心です。

abstractMethods such as Finlay-Wilkinson random regression (FWRR) may allow us to use sparse datasets-common in plant breeding pipelines-and incorporate genomic data to leverage phenotypic information from related genotypes to predict yield stability.

Three-dimensional organ segmentation and structural phenotyping of salt-stressed coriander seedlings using the optimized point transformer-based model PTV-SegCo ↗

Salt stress can markedly alter seedling architecture, creating a need for non-destructive three-dimensional (3D) phenotyping methods capable of resolving fine plant structures. However, organ-level segmentation of plant point clouds remains challenging because of leaf overlap, slender stems, ambiguous stem–leaf boundaries, and severe class imbalance. In this study, we developed PTV-SegCo, a task-adapted Point Transformer model for organ segmentation and structural phenotyping of coriander seedlings under salt stress. PTV-SegCo integrates efficient channel attention, gated shallow–deep feature fusion, and a combined cross-entropy–Dice loss to improve representation of fine and minority organ structures. The dataset comprised 60 manually annotated 3D point-cloud samples from 12 cultivation trays repeatedly observed over five acquisition dates under six NaCl concentrations (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 mmol L −1 ). Because the earliest acquisition represented a particularly challenging developmental stage, these 12 samples were used as a fixed early-stage model-selection set, while samples from the remaining four dates were organized into four date-blocked training–validation configurations. Under this internal model-development protocol, PTV-SegCo achieved mean mAcc and mIoU values of 93.05% and 89.05%, respectively, and showed numerically higher performance than its direct backbone PTV-Seg50. These values should be interpreted as internal comparative results rather than as an unbiased estimate of generalization to unseen cultivation trays, and the present results should not be interpreted as establishing the broad competitiveness of PTV-SegCo against other point-based, convolution-based, graph-based, transformer-based, or plant-specific segmentation architectures. After semantic segmentation, reconstructed scenes were metrically calibrated using the known cultivation-tray dimensions, followed by individual-plant separation and quality control. Four reconstruction-derived structural descriptors—plant height, projected area, voxel occupancy volume, and leaf point ratio—were extracted to characterize temporal structural variation under different NaCl treatments. For treatment-level inference, individual-plant measurements were aggregated within each cultivation tray at each acquisition time, with the cultivation tray treated as the independent experimental unit. Independent manual validation showed close agreement for plant height and projected area, with R 2 values of 0.9969 and 0.986, respectively. Overall, the proposed workflow provides a feasible approach for organ-level segmentation and automated 3D structural analysis of small coriander seedlings under salt stress. The extracted descriptors primarily represent reconstruction-derived spatial characteristics and should not be interpreted as direct indicators of physiological status; voxel occupancy volume and leaf point ratio remain without direct external validation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods3D点群による器官セグメンテーションと構造形質抽出の手法開発・内部比較・手動検証が研究の中心であり、塩ストレスは適用対象である。

abstractwe developed PTV-SegCo, a task-adapted Point Transformer model for organ segmentation and structural phenotyping of coriander seedlings under salt stress.

Destructive harvest validation of high-throughput measurements show that water use efficiency is unaffected by moderate drought in tobacco ↗

ABSTRACT Water-use efficiency (WUE), the ratio of accumulated plant biomass to water lost through transpiration has conventionally been determined using a destructive single-point measurement. Recent advances in high-throughput phenotyping now enable repeated, non-destructive estimation of biomass and WUE. However, these digital measurements must be statistically validated against conventional destructive methods to validate their use as reliable proxies. Therefore, we compared digital biomass determined point clouds produced from multispectral camera scanners with destructive harvests across eight harvests using Samsun tobacco grown under both drought and high-water conditions. WUE efficiency, calculated using the digital biomass estimated from a point cloud and gravimetric water use determinations, were compared to destructive harvest determinations. The coefficient of variation (CV) showed there were no significant differences in digital and destructive measurements for either biomass or WUE. Indicating that digital measurements can be used in place of destructive measurements. Drought plants used significantly less water and were significantly smaller than high-water plants from Harvests 4 through 8. However, there were no significant differences in the ratio of evapotranspiration to leaf area or WUE, indicating that drought plants were simply smaller and used less water than the high-water plants. This work validates that estimating plant biomass from a digital point coupled with continuous gravimetric determination of water use provides a reliable nondestructive measure of WUE in high-throughput measurements across the full plant life cycle. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY We grew tobacco plants under either a drought or high-water treatment and harvested a portion of the plants every few days for a total of eight harvests. Throughout the experiment, we collected 3D images of the plants and continuously measured pot weight to track plant growth and water use across different developmental stages. Destructive biomass served as the gold-standard measurement. We then compared biomass and water-use estimates generated from the digital measurements with the destructive measurements. The digital approach provided accurate estimates of plant biomass and water use while requiring little hands-on labor and no plant destruction. These nondestructive methods could help plant breeders identify water-efficient plants earlier in the breeding process, accelerating the development of crops that use water more efficiently.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods3D画像による非破壊バイオマス推定と連続的な重量測定からWUEを推定する手法を、破壊収穫と比較して検証しており、植物表現型取得法が中心である。

abstractRecent advances in high-throughput phenotyping now enable repeated, non-destructive estimation of biomass and WUE. However, these digital measurements must be statistically validated against conventional destructive methods to validate their use as reliable proxies.

AI-enabled Low-Cost 3D Maize Ear Morphometry Platform at Breeding Scale ↗

Maize ear geometry (length, width, curvature, and volume) is closely tied to yield and grain-filling outcomes, but existing high-throughput phenotyping pipelines remain constrained by the cost, labor, and specialized hardware they require. We developed and validated a low-cost pipeline that reconstructs a watertight 3-D mesh of a maize ear from a single 20-second video captured with a consumer-grade DSLR on a motorized turntable under uniform LED illumination. Camera poses from a multi-seed COLMAP procedure initialize a Neural Radiance Field (NeRF), and a cylindrical holder of known diameter, visible in every frame, provides automatic metric scaling with downstream geometric quality control. Applied to 300 ears spanning a diverse maize inbred panel, 250 (83.3%) passed automated processing and quality control. Skeleton length agreed with manual caliper measurements across all 250 ears (R^2 = 0.964, RMSE = 4.68 mm), and convex-hull volume agreed with water-displacement volume on a 15-ear subset spanning the full size range (R^2 = 0.982, RMSE = 5.26 mL). Residual length error grew with ear curvature, whereas bounding-box height, which records the same straight-line chord as calipers, showed no such trend; the discrepancy therefore originates in the measurement definition, since calipers record the chord while skeleton length traces the geodesic arc. The capture hardware costs approximately 607 USD, and operator involvement fell from roughly five minutes to one minute per ear, with all downstream processing running unattended. The platform provides a foundation for breeding-scale 3-D ear phenotyping.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシ雌穂の3D形態形質を抽出する低コスト画像計測パイプラインを開発し、手動測定および体積測定で技術検証しているため、方法が研究の中心である。

abstractWe developed and validated a low-cost pipeline that reconstructs a watertight 3-D mesh of a maize ear

REAL-TIME AND PRECISE DETECTION OF FIELD SOYBEAN RUST AND BACTERIAL SPOT BASED ON IMPROVED YOLOV11N ↗

To overcome YOLOv11’s limitations in complex field environments, this paper proposed SDD-YOLOv11n, a lightweight real-time detector for soybean diseases. The model reconstructed the backbone using GhostConv to minimize redundancy and integrates a C3k2_Star module to enhance small lesion detection against background noise. Additionally, a Detect Efficient (DE) head further compressed the architecture. Experimental results verified the model's efficiency, achieving a parameter count of 1.88 M and a weight size of 3.9 MB—reductions of 27.3% and 25% compared to YOLOv11n, respectively. Furthermore, the model maintained high detection performance with a Mean Average Precision (mAP50) of 75.6% and an F1-score of 69.3%, demonstrating its effectiveness in balancing architectural efficiency and accuracy in complex field environments.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods圃場のダイズ病害病斑を画像から検出する軽量YOLOモデルの開発と性能評価が研究の中心であり、植物の病害状態を直接推定するフェノタイピング手法に該当する。

titleREAL-TIME AND PRECISE DETECTION OF FIELD SOYBEAN RUST AND BACTERIAL SPOT BASED ON IMPROVED YOLOV11N

Channel-spatial dual-attention for plant disease detection: CBAM-ECA integrated CNN models with visual explainability ↗

Early detection of plant leaf diseases is critical for minimizing crop losses and supporting precision agriculture. While Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) have demonstrated high accuracy in image-based diagnosis, conventional architectures may not optimally balance spatial localization and channel-wise feature refinement, particularly in multi-crop classification settings. This study proposes a redundancy-aware dual-attention architecture, termed ATSA-DenseNet, which integrates the spatial branch of the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM-Spatial) with Efficient Channel Attention (ECA) within a DenseNet121 backbone. Unlike prior dual-attention frameworks that retain full CBAM and introduce channel-level redundancy, the proposed design isolates complementary spatial and channel mechanisms to improve representational efficiency without increasing computational complexity. The framework is evaluated on controlled multi-crop PlantVillage-derived datasets comprising tomato, potato, pepper, and maize. Across both 3-crop and 4-crop configuration, ATSA-DenseNet consistently outperforms baseline DenseNet121 and single-attention variants, achieving 99.94% accuracy and 0.9994 macro-F1 on the 4-crop setting while maintaining a lightweight footprint (6.96M parameters, 2.87G FLOPs). Grad-CAM visualizations indicate improved localization of disease-relevant regions compared to the baseline. While results are obtained under controlled imaging conditions, the findings demonstrate that redundancy-aware dual-attention enhances feature discrimination efficiency in multi-class agricultural classification tasks. Future work will extend validation to real-field datasets with natural variability.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物葉の病害状態を画像から推定するCNN手法を提案・評価しており、病害表現型の取得・分類手法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study proposes a redundancy-aware dual-attention architecture, termed ATSA-DenseNet, which integrates the spatial branch of the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM-Spatial) with Efficient Channel Attention (ECA) within a DenseNet121 backbone.

YOLOv12-RSLW: An Efficient Detection and Severity Grading Framework for Rice False Smut via Count-Area Calibration ↗

Rice false smut is a major panicle disease that affects rice yield and grain quality and is an important target for resistance evaluation in breeding programs. Accurate field phenotyping is important for disease assessment and resistance screening, yet current assessment relies heavily on manual visual scoring and smut ball counting, which are laborious and subject to evaluator variation. In close-range single-panicle images, false smut balls are often small, dense, occluded, adhered, making automatic detection and severity grading difficult. To address these challenges, we developed a YOLOv12-RSLW detector by integrating RepGhost, SimAM, LSCD, and WIoU into YOLOv12. Detection boxes were then used to guide the Segment Anything Model for panicle and lesion mask extraction, allowing calculation of the lesion-to-panicle area ratio as a supplementary indicator for count-based severity grading. A total of 1911 original field images were collected. After augmentation, the dataset contained 5663 images, including 4531 training images, 566 validation images, and 566 test images. Detection performance was evaluated on the test set, while SAM segmentation was assessed using 80 manually annotated original images. YOLOv12-RSLW achieved 92.06% mAP@0.5, 91.46% precision, and 87.01% recall, with 3.45 M parameters and 6.0 GFLOPs. Compared with the baseline YOLOv12, mAP@0.5 and recall increased by 3.60 and 4.37 percentage points, respectively. Within the augmented dataset, 41.2% of samples initially assigned to Grade 1 and 28.1% of those assigned to Grade 2 met the area-ratio criteria for potential reassignment to higher grades. The framework provides a quantitative approach to rice false smut severity phenotyping and may support future resistance breeding after further validation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネいもち病の病徴を画像から検出・分割し、病斑面積比に基づく重症度を定量化するフェノタイピング手法を開発・評価しており、方法が研究の中心である。

abstractTo address these challenges, we developed a YOLOv12-RSLW detector by integrating RepGhost, SimAM, LSCD, and WIoU into YOLOv12.

Image‐based and biochemical multimodal phenotyping for explainable classification of chia ( Salvia hispanica L.) genotypes ↗

Abstract BACKGROUND This study developed an explainable machine learning framework integrating morphological, color, and biochemical characteristics for classifying chia ( Salvia hispanica L.) genotypes. A dataset was assembled from 1200 seed images spanning four genotypes, from which 17 morphological and color features were extracted. These were complemented by six sample‐level biochemical traits – crude protein, fat, ash, fiber, carbohydrate, and total sugar – obtained from the corresponding experimental‐unit seed sample, resulting in a total of 23 variables in the integrated dataset. The dataset was evaluated comparatively with 10 machine learning algorithms under repeated 10‐fold cross‐validation, with all preprocessing confined to each training fold to avoid data leakage. RESULTS The highest performance was obtained with XGBoost, reaching 86.99% accuracy, a Matthews correlation coefficient of 0.820, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area of 0.975, and a precision–recall curve (PRC) area of 0.933; Simple Logistic followed closely at 86.85% accuracy, with comparable ROC and PRC areas (0.974 and 0.933). Significant differences among the algorithms were confirmed by the Friedman test ( P = 2.47 × 10 −120 ), with post hoc comparisons placing XGBoost and Simple Logistic within the same top‐performing group. Protein, fiber, ash, and fat were the most influential biochemical traits, while hue and saturation among color parameters and shape index and geometric mean diameter among morphological features also contributed appreciably. The G1 genotype, which showed comparatively high protein (27.62%) and fiber (40.62%) contents, was the most consistently distinguished class, with XGBoost and Simple Logistic achieving F‐measures of 0.954 and 0.955, respectively, whereas greater phenotypic overlap between G2 and G3 resulted in more frequent mutual misclassifications. CONCLUSION These findings indicate that multimodal phenotyping, coupled with explainable machine learning, offers a practical and biologically interpretable decision‐support approach for chia genotype classification. © 2026 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods画像から種子の形態・色形質を抽出し、生化学形質と統合したマルチモーダル表現型解析・機械学習分類法の開発と比較評価が研究の中心であるため。

abstractThis study developed an explainable machine learning framework integrating morphological, color, and biochemical characteristics for classifying chia ( Salvia hispanica L.) genotypes.

Optimizing deep learning models for plant leaf disease classification using nature-inspired algorithms ↗

Plant diseases greatly affect agricultural production, especially in developing countries, where prompt diagnosis can be quite challenging due to the limited availability of experts in real-time. Deep learning techniques for image analysis is gaining popularity and are increasingly considered an alternative to traditional manual inspection of plants. This research presents the evaluation of plant leaf disease detection system based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) optimized with different nature-inspired algorithms. The backbone model is based on the EfficientNet-B0 pretrained on ImageNet. Therefore, transfer learning is used to adapt the model to an updated PlantVillage dataset. Experiments have been conducted with multiple nature-inspired algorithms to improve generalisation and training efficiency of the prediction model. Different data preparation techniques have been carefully applied to the dataset, creating a unified approach to ensure consistency in the preprocessing pipeline for the training, validation, and testing phases. Our experiments indicate that application of the grey wolf optimizer (GWO) for tuning key hyperparameters of the model, including dropout, learning rates, and weight decay produced the best results, with an accuracy around 99.45%.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物葉の病害状態を画像から分類する深層学習手法を、複数の最適化アルゴリズムで評価・改良しており、病害表現型の取得・推定が研究の中心である。

abstractThis research presents the evaluation of plant leaf disease detection system based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) optimized with different nature-inspired algorithms.

Methodical approaches to the analysis of the state of soybean crops based on the results of aerial photography from UAV ↗

Goal. To substantiate the methodical approaches to analyzing the state of soybean crops based on the results of aerial photography with UAV by comparing manual vectorization, controlled classification according to the algorithm of maximum similarity, and uncontrolled classification of K-Means, as well as to determine the feasibility of their combination with expert visual interpretation to assess the spatial structure of the vegetation cover. Methods. Aerial photography of the test proving ground was performed with the help of the unmanned aerial vehicle DJI Phantom 4 Advanced with the subsequent photogrammetric study of materials and the formation of a highly detailed orthophotoplane. In the QGIS environment, visual decryption and manual vectorization of the main objects of the agrolandscape were carried out with the creation of polygonal layers. For automated mapping, methods of controlled classification according to the algorithm of maximum similarity and uncontrolled classification based on the K-Means algorithm were used. The accuracy of the results was evaluated by comparing the data of automated classifications with the data of manual digitization, which was used as a reference (control) method. On the basis of the results obtained, empirical data were summarized to justify practical recommendations for the application of the studied approaches. Results. The study was conducted on the territory of the research farm of the Separate subdivision of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine «Berezhany Agrotechnical Institute» (vil. Pavliv, Ternopil district, Ternopil oblast) (49.452057°N; 24,805818°E) in may – august 2025. The obtained cartographic materials made it possible to quantify the areas of the main objects of the agro-landscape and identify problem areas with sparse shoots. Methods of controlled classification showed greater compliance with the digitization data (average deviation — 6.7%) compared to uncontrolled (14.7%), which were effective from the point of view of preliminary assessment of spectrally homogeneous sections, but did not provide an accurate division of shoots by density. Analysis of the spatial structure of coverage made it possible to plan local agrotechnical measures and assess the potential yield. Conclusions. Methodical approaches to analyzing the state of soybean crops based on the results of aerial photography with a UAV equipped with RGB cameras are promising and economically feasible. Automated classification methods are effective for highlighting hard and contrasting objects and small-contoured areas, while a detailed assessment of the structure of the vegetation cover is advisable to carry out using a controlled classification in combination with expert visual interpretation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像を用いて大豆作物の植生被覆構造や疎な出芽域を抽出し、複数の分類法を手動ベクトル化と比較・精度評価している。植物状態の取得手法自体が研究の中心である。

abstractTo substantiate the methodical approaches to analyzing the state of soybean crops based on the results of aerial photography with UAV by comparing manual vectorization, controlled classification according to the algorithm of maximum similarity, and uncontrolled classification of K-Means

DualSlim-YOLO: A Lightweight Detection Model Based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Imagery for Cauliflower Seedling Identification and Growth Assessment ↗

Cauliflower emergence rate and seedling growth are key indicators of field conditions and varietal potential. Traditional manual surveys are unsuitable for continuous monitoring across multiple varieties. This study integrates UAV RGB imagery with the DualSlim-YOLO model to estimate cauliflower emergence rates and monitor seedling growth. Built on YOLOv11, the model incorporates a lightweight feature extraction structure and an optimized detection-scale configuration. It reduces computational complexity while maintaining detection accuracy, thereby improving the efficiency of cauliflower seedling detection. DualSlim-YOLO achieved P, R, F1-score, mAP@0.5, and mAP@0.5:0.95 of 95.35%, 96.75%, 96.05%, 98.55%, and 86.65%, respectively. The number of parameters was reduced by 38.61%, while the inference speed increased by 22.16%, demonstrating good lightweight performance. Based on this model, UAV images of 171 cauliflower varieties acquired at 7, 21, and 28 d after transplanting were used for seedling detection and emergence rate estimation. In addition, 18 time-series seedling phenotypic traits were extracted, enabling a comprehensive quantitative evaluation of emergence dynamics and early-growth performance across multiple cauliflower varieties. This method effectively screens cauliflower varieties for high emergence rates, rapid emergence, and excellent seedling growth performance. It provides technical support for high-throughput, nondestructive seedling phenotyping and early germplasm screening under field conditions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像と軽量YOLOモデルを用いて、カリフラワー苗の検出、出芽率推定、18種類の時系列表現型形質抽出を行う手法が中心であり、モデル性能も検証している。

abstractThis study integrates UAV RGB imagery with the DualSlim-YOLO model to estimate cauliflower emergence rates and monitor seedling growth.

Cross-batch calibration of sugarcane disease classification models based on visible and near-infrared spectroscopy using deep learning-based domain adaptation. ↗

Visible-near infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy provides rapid crop disease assessment; however, poor model generalizability remains a major limitation when models developed for a specific period are applied to batches collected at different times, primarily due to variations in physicochemical properties such as chlorophyll content, moisture level, surface texture, and tissue structure, which induce shifts in spectral distributions across batches. This study investigates deep domain adaptation to enhance cross-batch transferability for sugarcane disease classification. Two batches of healthy and symptomatic leaves were collected at different times using the same spectrometer. A customized one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) was trained on Batch 1 and adapted to Batch 2 using labelled samples through two strategies: retraining only the fully connected layers or fine-tuning all network parameters. Both strategies achieved 94% accuracy, with precision 0.92, sensitivity 0.97 and specificity 0.98, outperforming the non-adapted model and standard-free calibration transfer methods, namely Correlation Alignment and Transfer Component Analysis. These findings demonstrate that deep domain adaptation substantially improves the robustness and transferability of Vis-NIR classification models across heterogeneous sampling batches.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsサトウキビ葉の病徴分類を対象に、Vis-NIR分光と深層ドメイン適応によるモデルの開発・クロスバッチ検証が研究の中心であり、植物病害状態を直接推定している。

abstractThis study investigates deep domain adaptation to enhance cross-batch transferability for sugarcane disease classification.

Machine Learning-based Automated Detection and Multi-class Classification of Faba Bean Leaf Diseases using a VGG16 based Deep Convolutional Neural Network ↗

Background: Faba bean is an important legume crop valued for its nutritional and soil-enriching benefits, yet its productivity is severely affected by foliar diseases. Automated image-based detection using deep learning provides a rapid and reliable approach for early disease identification and improved crop management. Methods: This study developed a machine learning-based automated framework for multi-class classification of Faba bean leaf diseases using transfer learning with the VGG16 convolutional neural network. A dataset of 8,021 RGB images collected under natural field conditions was used, comprising four classes: healthy, rust, gall and chocolate spot. Images were resized to 224 × 224 pixels and normalized prior to training. The pretrained convolutional layers of VGG16 were frozen and a custom classification head with global average pooling and dropout regularization was added. Model performance was evaluated using classification metrics. Result: The proposed model achieved an overall classification accuracy of 92.34% and a macro-averaged F1-score of 0.9227 on the test dataset. Strong classification performance was observed across all disease categories, with particularly high predictive accuracy for healthy and rust classes. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of transfer learning for plant disease detection and highlight its potential for scalable, automated crop health monitoring in precision agriculture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物葉画像から病害状態を自動推定する深層学習手法の開発・性能評価が中心であり、植物フェノタイピング手法に該当する。

abstractThis study developed a machine learning-based automated framework for multi-class classification of Faba bean leaf diseases using transfer learning with the VGG16 convolutional neural network.

Volatile-Based In-Field Screening of Xylella fastidiosa in Olive Plants Using a Smart E-Nose ↗

Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) is among the most devastating phytosanitary threats to Mediterranean agriculture, causing Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (OQDS). Since containment efficacy depends on timely intervention, scalable in-field screening tools are needed. This study evaluates a portable digital electronic nose, based on a carbon-nanotube sensor array combined with artificial intelligence algorithms, for the in-field screening of Xf through volatile organic compound (VOC) profiling. Three replicate acquisitions were performed on 130 olive trees (390 measurements) across four cultivars (Cellina di Nardò, Ogliarola Salentina, Ogliarola Barese, and Leccino) in four Italian regions (Apulia, Calabria, Lazio, and Tuscany). Plant status was assigned from the official status of the sampling area (demarcated OQDS focus versus Xf-free area) and supported by real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) on every plant; within demarcated sites, plants with undetectable DNA in sampled twigs were retained as Xf+ following phytosanitary criteria, giving 216 infected and 174 healthy samples. The multidimensional sensor signals were processed with an optimized Shallow Neural Network. Under plant-grouped 80/20 validation, keeping each plant’s replicates in the same subset, the model achieved (93.3 ± 4.0)% accuracy, (97.7 ± 3.5)% sensitivity, and (88.2 ± 8.3)% specificity (mean ± SD). A feature-importance analysis revealed a reproducible, though not chemically resolved, VOC-related response pattern. This low-cost, portable Internet of Things (IoT) device offers a proof-of-concept screening approach for Xf surveillance, pending plant-level and external validation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物の感染状態をVOCセンサーとAIで直接推定する現地スクリーニング手法を開発・評価しており、植物病害状態の取得が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study evaluates a portable digital electronic nose, based on a carbon-nanotube sensor array combined with artificial intelligence algorithms, for the in-field screening of Xf through volatile organic compound (VOC) profiling.

Integrating soil and canopy sensing to map and relate variability in tart cherry orchards ↗

Abstract Purpose Evaluate how soil and canopy sensing can map within-block variability in tart cherry orchards and identify indicators robust enough for repeatable management decisions. Methods Soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) was mapped in spring 2022 across four commercial tart cherry blocks (8.5–10.5 ha; approximately 3,500 trees per block), followed by canopy sensing in 2023–2024. Canopy structure was measured using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry and mobile terrestrial laser scanning (MTLS) using light detection and ranging (LiDAR), and canopy density using mobile ceptometry. Spatial layers were aligned to per-tree grid cells. An August 2025 campaign compared UAV- and LiDAR-derived tree height with ground-truthed height. Results Soil-to-canopy relationships were weak to moderate but consistent within blocks ( r = 0.10–0.40), with strength and direction varying by site conditions. Canopy density was more strongly associated with UAV-derived volume than height. UAV-derived 90th-percentile height best predicted ground-truthed height ( R ² = 0.89; RMSE = 0.34 m), whereas LiDAR showed a weaker relationship and greater error ( R ² = 0.70; RMSE = 0.52 m). Cross-sensor agreement was moderate to strong ( r = 0.41–0.65). Per-tree rankings were stable between years for UAV height and volume. Conclusion Whole-block sensing revealed persistent spatial patterns that could support management-zone delineation. UAV photogrammetry provided accurate canopy metrics, MTLS offered measurements suited to routine orchard operations, ceptometry added seasonal canopy-density information, and ECa provided soil context. Occasional ECa mapping combined with strategically timed UAV surveys and other sensors as needed could reduce redundant sensing while supporting fertilizer evaluation, pruning, and labor allocation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVフォトグラメトリ、LiDAR、セプトメトリーによる樹冠の高さ・体積・密度の取得を中心に、地上実測との検証とセンサー間比較を行っているため、植物フェノタイピング手法の実質的な適用・検証に該当する。

abstractCanopy structure was measured using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photogrammetry and mobile terrestrial laser scanning (MTLS) using light detection and ranging (LiDAR), and canopy density using mobile ceptometry.

Combining 3D-multispectral and hyperspectral imaging to identify environmental stress treatments imposed during plant growth ↗

Abstract Non-invasive, high-throughput phenotyping tools are needed that can identify environmental effects on plant structure and function to diagnose factors responsible for reduced growth in commercial and non-commercial settings. In this study, we explored whether the integration of 3D-multispectral (3D) and 2D-hyperspectral imaging (HSI), aided by machine learning (ML), could be used to identify environmental stress treatments imposed during plant growth. Controlled environment-grown Nicotiana Benthamiana plants were subjected to a range of abiotic treatments – including different growth irradiances, heat treatment and drought stress – with the treatments resulting in differences in shoot height, biomass, leaf area and spectral reflectance. ML models were trained to identify these treatments using morphological and spectral traits measured at 27, 29, 31, and 34 days after sowing (DAS). A 3D-multispectral scanner was used to obtain information on plant height, biomass, and leaf area. A visible and near-infrared (VNIR) HSI camera provided detailed spectral information for deriving spectral indices including the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Photochemical Reflectance Index (PRI) and Normalized Difference Red Edge (NDRE). Manual measurements provided baseline comparative data. The 3D-multispectral scanner reliably estimated above-ground traits, with high correlations between manual and scanner-derived measurements. The ML models accurately differentiated among environmental stress treatments, with the fused 3D+HSI model achieving the best overall predictive performance across all evaluated metrics compared with models based on either imaging modality alone. Results demonstrated the effectiveness of combining 3D-multispectral and 2D-HSI data with ML analyses for non-destructive, high-throughput phenotyping. The integration of these techniques enabled non-destructive, high-throughput identification of environmental stress treatments imposed during plant growth.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods3Dマルチスペクトル画像・ハイパースペクトル画像と機械学習を統合し、植物形態・スペクトル形質を非破壊かつ高スループットに取得・検証する方法が研究の中心である。

abstractNon-invasive, high-throughput phenotyping tools are needed that can identify environmental effects on plant structure and function

Reducing Complexity in Leaf Disease Classification Using a Lightweight Convolutional Neural Network ↗

Agricultural production faces significant annual losses due to plant diseases, with economic impacts exceeding 40 million dollars and contributing to acute hunger affecting over 281.6 million people in 2023. The timely and accurate identification of plant diseases through leaf image analysis is crucial to mitigate these losses and ensure global food security. This study proposes a lightweight Convolutional Neural Network model, inspired by the MobileNet architecture, designed to classify various plant leaf diseases efficiently. Leveraging a publicly available dataset, this research focuses on developing a model that balances high performance with computational efficiency, making it suitable for real-world applications in resource-constrained environments. The proposed model, named LDPNet, achieved an outstanding accuracy of 99.62%, alongside precision, recall, F1-Score, and AUC metrics of 99.16%, 99.08%, 99.11%, and 99.99%, respectively. A comprehensive comparative analysis was conducted against MobileNetV2 and a reference model from previous research, highlighting the superior performance of LDPNet in terms of both accuracy and efficiency. The results demonstrate that the proposed architecture not only maintains high classification performance but also significantly reduces the number of parameters, making it a practical and scalable solution for plant disease identification. This study contributes to the growing field of agricultural technology by providing a robust, lightweight, and efficient tool for early disease detection, with the potential to enhance crop management and reduce economic losses in agriculture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods葉画像から植物病害を分類する軽量CNNを開発し、性能・効率を比較評価しており、植物の病害状態を取得する方法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study proposes a lightweight Convolutional Neural Network model, inspired by the MobileNet architecture, designed to classify various plant leaf diseases efficiently.

Clustering and classification of soybean leaves based on angle features ↗

Introduction Leaf shape is a genetically determined crop phenotype, and its accurate classification underpins soybean germplasm assessment and genetic improvement. Manual classification is highly subjective and struggles to distinguish morphologically similar leaves, while mainstream supervised classification demands large labeled datasets and incurs high development costs. Efficient feature frameworks for soybean leaf categorization are still insufficient. Methods In this study, 581 biologically replicated terminal leaflets sampled from 194 soybean varieties were analyzed at the single-leaflet level using traditional morphological indices and novel leaf contour angular features. Unsupervised K-means clustering was used to classify soybean leaflet morphological phenotypes; t-SNE was applied exclusively for dimensional reduction visualization, while Welch's ANOVA combined with Games-Howell post-hoc tests was adopted to detect inter-cluster phenotypic differences. Clustering stability and external consistency against manual visual labeling were further quantified via Adjusted Rand Index to comprehensively verify the reliability of grouping outputs. Results The results revealed no significant difference in leaflet edge complexity (p = 0.41) between two manually divided leaf groups distinguished by overall leaf outline similarity; these two morphologically similar leaf clusters failed to be fully separated even though the first two principal components accounted for 90.2% of total variance. For K-means clustering, k = 3 achieved better overall performance with a Calinski–Harabasz (CH) index of 395.55, Davies–Bouldin (DB) index of 1.03, and silhouette coefficient (SC) of 0.38, compared with k = 4. Nevertheless, the angular feature attained an F-value of 951.62 in driving sample reallocation across clusters, serving as the core indicator for fine subdivision at k = 4. Under k = 4 clustering, all six morphological indices differed significantly among the four groups (p < 0.05). Additionally, the number of cross-clustered samples increased from 66 to 119 as k rose from 3 to 4, with 96.6% of cross-clustering attributed to the leaflet contour angular feature. Discussion This research provides a novel reference and technical support for the automated identification and fine classification of soybean leaf morphology.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods大豆小葉の形態表現型を角度特徴量とクラスタリングで自動分類する手法が研究の中心であり、検証指標も明示されているため。

abstractLeaf shape is a genetically determined crop phenotype, and its accurate classification underpins soybean germplasm assessment and genetic improvement.

Non‐Destructive and High‐Fidelity Sensing of Plant Water Content Enabled by Near‐Infrared Luminescent Metal Halides ↗

ABSTRACT Real‐time, accurate water monitoring is a crucial technical foundation for industrial, environmental, and biological research. However, traditional detection methods typically include destructive processes and suffer from response delays. Near‐infrared (NIR) luminescent metal halides offer a novel solution to this challenge, but they still face issues such as ultraviolet excitation and low photoelectric conversion efficiency. Herein, a luminescent material was synthesized based on the blue‐light‐excited lead‐free perovskite Cs 2 HfCl 6 :Te 4+ /Mo 4+ , in which energy transfer (ET) from Te 4+ to Mo 4+ enables highly efficient NIR luminescence in the 800–1200 nm wavelength range. Upon encapsulation with a commercial blue light chip, the fabricated NIR light‐emitting diode device achieved a photoelectric conversion efficiency of up to 16.1%. By utilizing the absorption characteristics of water molecules in the NIR spectrum and receiving signals via a sensor, an interactive learning process based on a neural network machine learning algorithm was employed, achieving an estimation accuracy of up to 98.6% for plant water content. This non‐destructive and precise NIR detection module provides a new solution for the real‐time monitoring of crop physiological status and holds broad application prospects in the fields of precision agriculture and plant science.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物の含水量を非破壊・リアルタイムに推定するNIRセンシングモジュールと機械学習手法が研究の中心であり、植物生理状態の測定法を開発・検証している。

abstractBy utilizing the absorption characteristics of water molecules in the NIR spectrum and receiving signals via a sensor, an interactive learning process based on a neural network machine learning algorithm was employed, achieving an estimation accuracy of up to 98.6% for plant water content.

Using CarboTrace 480 to detect protoplastation in pigment deficient mutant of Chlorella sorokiniana ↗

The increasing world population necessitates new sustainable nutrient sources, making microalgae like Chlorella sorokiniana interesting due to its rich nutrient profile and sustainable cultivation methods. With genetic optimization tools like CRISPR/Cas9, microalgae as a nutrient source can be improved even further. However, degradation of the rigid cell wall of microalgae, and thereby developing protoplasts, is often necessary prior to transformation, but monitoring protoplast development in spherical, single-celled organisms like C. sorokiniana is challenging using bright-field microscopy. Carbotrace 480 and 630 were tested as fluorescent markers of the cell wall of a C. sorokiniana mutant for protoplast detection, and Carbotrace 480 was successfully used to distinguish protoplast from normal cells in a cell suspension. The enzymes Driselase, Glucanex, Snailase, and Saczyme were tested in different combinations to degrade the cell wall of the mutant, with Snailase as the most effective yielding ~60 % protoplasts. This study provides a quick and easy tool for monitoring protoplast development in the microalgae C. sorokiniana, the first step to improve C. sorokiniana as a sustainable nutrient source using genetic optimization tools like CRISPR/Cas9.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods微細藻類の細胞壁状態とプロトプラスト形成を蛍光マーカーで識別する方法の開発・検証が研究の中心であり、植物状態の取得手法に該当する。

abstractCarbotrace 480 and 630 were tested as fluorescent markers of the cell wall of a C. sorokiniana mutant for protoplast detection, and Carbotrace 480 was successfully used to distinguish protoplast from normal cells in a cell suspension.

Nuclear diversity in Charophyceae revealed by fluorescence staining and its implications for genome size estimation. ↗

Main conclusion We established a protocol for reliable nuclear visualization in Charophyceae, revealed diverse nuclear organization across cell types and species, and identified suitable cells for genome size estimation via flow cytometry. Charophyceae are multicellular green algae closely related to land plants and are established model systems for understanding plant evolution. Yet key cellular parameters like genome size remain poorly characterized. We combined fluorescence microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and flow cytometry to characterize nuclear diversity across cell types and species of Characeae and to identify a cell type suitable for genome size estimation. Among three DNA-intercalating fluorochromes, propidium iodide labeled nuclei most reliably. Nuclear morphology varied widely across cell types: mononucleated cells were found in vegetative apical cells, the coronula of oogonia, and spermatogenous filaments of antheridia, whereas multinucleation predominated in other tissues, e.g., cortical cells, spine cells, stipulodes and rhizoids. Nuclei in Chara hispida showed a significant gradient in cross-sectional area along the thallus axis. In the apical internodes, nuclei were larger and more heterogeneous, whereas in the basal internodes they were smaller and more uniform, which is consistent with possible endopolyploidy. TEM confirmed the nuclear identity of crescent-shaped structures. Relatively large nuclei were found in rhizoids and spine cells. Only Sphaerochara canadensis showed an organized nuclei pattern. Whole-thallus preparations did not yield a defined nuclear peak by flow cytometry, but antheridia of Chara tomentosa produced a sharp peak, from which a genome size of 5.32 pg (1C) was estimated. The protocol established here provides a simple, reproducible framework for visualizing nuclei and estimating genome size in Charophyceae, and helps address longstanding questions in this group, such as the mechanisms and functions of multinucleation, the site of meiosis, and genome evolution.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsシャジクモ類の核可視化とゲノムサイズ推定のための再現可能なプロトコルを開発・検証しており、表現型取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractWe established a protocol for reliable nuclear visualization in Charophyceae

Explainable TabPFN-Based Machine Learning for Single-Plant Yield Estimation and Trait Prioritization in Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) ↗

Faba bean yield reflects complex relationships among genotype, environment, and agronomic traits. This study evaluated an explainable Tabular Prior-data Fitted Network (TabPFN) framework for estimating plot-mean single-plant yield and prioritizing traits using 398 plot-level observations, 13 measured agronomic predictors, and six derived features. On the reference 80/20 split, TabPFN achieved the best values for all four test metrics (R2 = 0.8746, RMSE = 1.9132 g plant−1, MAE = 1.0819 g plant−1, and MAPE = 8.16%). The Friedman test detected differences among the six models (χ2(5) = 16.75, p = 0.005); Nemenyi comparisons distinguished TabPFN from HistGradientBoosting and SVR, whereas the Holm-corrected Wilcoxon analysis confirmed only the TabPFN–SVR difference. Across 10 repeated 80/20 splits, TabPFN obtained the highest mean test R2 (0.8614 ± 0.0691), ranked first in eight splits, and produced a higher R2 than every tuned baseline in at least eight splits. SHAP, permutation importance, and LOCO analyses emphasized pod-, seed-, and biomass-related predictors. Repeated-split ablation showed that derived features improved TabPFN consistently, whereas removing selected target-proximal yield variables reduced performance for every model. The framework is therefore a harvest-time trait-estimation and trait-prioritization tool rather than an early-season forecasting system. Notably, TabPFN achieved this performance without the 100-trial Optuna search used for each baseline; only n_estimators was screened over four prespecified values.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods単一個体収量を推定し、形質優先順位付けを行う機械学習フレームワークを評価・比較しており、植物形質抽出手法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study evaluated an explainable Tabular Prior-data Fitted Network (TabPFN) framework for estimating plot-mean single-plant yield and prioritizing traits

Enhancing soluble dietary fiber prediction in barley via Boruta-based feature selection and mid-infrared spectroscopy. ↗

Barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) is a major cereal crop whose soluble dietary fiber (SDF) offers significant health benefits, yet conventional SDF determination methods are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and destructive to samples. This study developed a rapid, non-destructive method for SDF quantification in barley using mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy combined with a Boruta-based partial least squares (PLS) hybrid approach. A total of 280 barley grain samples were subjected to Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectral acquisition from 2000 to 650 cm -1 , with reference SDF values determined by the association of official analytical chemists (AOAC) 991.43 enzymatic-gravimetric method. The Boruta algorithm selected 165 informative wavenumbers out of 363, reducing the variable space by 54.5%. The developed Boruta-PLS model achieved excellent predictive performance with a coefficient of determination for the training set ( R 2 C ) of 0.9695 and for the test set ( R 2 P ) of 0.9601 and a root mean squared error for the training set (RMSE C ) of 0.7464%, and for the test set (RMSE P ) of 0.7340%, substantially outperforming the full-spectrum PLS model with an R 2 P of 0.7759 and an RMSE P of 1.7387%, as well as conventional wavelength selection methods including variable importance in projection (VIP), competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), and uninformative variable elimination (UVE). The selected wavenumbers were predominantly located in chemically relevant regions at 1000-1200 cm -1 and 1500-1700 cm -1 , confirming model interpretability. This Boruta-PLS approach provides a rapid, non-destructive, and cost-effective alternative for SDF quantification, with strong potential for high-throughput screening and real-time quality monitoring of barley samples.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods大麦種子の可溶性食物繊維という種子形質を、MIR分光とBoruta-PLSで非破壊・高速推定する手法の開発と性能比較が研究の中心であり、単なる生物学的実験のルーチン測定ではない。

abstractThis study developed a rapid, non-destructive method for SDF quantification in barley using mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy combined with a Boruta-based partial least squares (PLS) hybrid approach.

CITRUS FLOWER, FRUIT, AND SHOOT RECOGNITION BASED ON IMPROVED YOLOv10 ↗

In the process of agricultural intelligence, precise detection of plant organs serves as the foundation for core tasks such as crop phenotyping analysis and yield prediction. However, in complex field environments, small targets such as citrus flowers and shoots face challenges including scale variation, background interference, and dense occlusion, which severely impact detection accuracy. This study improves the YOLOv10 model by introducing the BAM (Bottleneck Attention Module) attention mechanism and GIoU (Generalized Intersection over Union) loss function, constructing a YOLOv10s-BAM-GIoU model suitable for citrus flower, fruit, and shoot recognition. The BAM attention mechanism enhances the model's feature extraction capability for small target organs under complex backgrounds through parallel channel and spatial attention branches; the GIoU loss function improves the localization accuracy of densely occluded targets by optimizing the geometric alignment between predicted and ground-truth boxes. Validation experiments were conducted on a self-constructed dataset. The experimental results show that the improved YOLOv10s achieves significant advantages in comprehensive detection accuracy, with an mAP50 of 89.1%, representing an improvement of 2.9%~9.5% over the original YOLOv10s and other comparative models. In fine-grained category detection, the model achieves mAP50 of 91.2%, 83.6%, and 92.5% for shoots, flowers, and fruits, respectively. Furthermore, while maintaining high detection accuracy, the model achieves a detection speed of 23.6 ms per frame, meeting real-time detection requirements. The research results demonstrate that the improved YOLOv10s model integrating the BAM attention mechanism and GIoU loss function achieves an optimal balance between accuracy and speed in citrus organ detection tasks, providing a preferred solution for field real-time detection systems.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods柑橘の花・果実・シュートという植物器官を画像から検出する改良モデルを開発し、データセットで精度と速度を検証しており、表現型取得手法が中心である。

abstractThis study improves the YOLOv10 model by introducing the BAM (Bottleneck Attention Module) attention mechanism and GIoU (Generalized Intersection over Union) loss function, constructing a YOLOv10s-BAM-GIoU model suitable for citrus flower, fruit, and shoot recognition.

Systematic evaluation of hyperspectral imaging workflows for predicting pigment and nutrient traits in tomato leaves under varying nitrogen supply levels ↗

Abstract Purpose Rapid and non-destructive detection of pigment and nutrient traits in tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) leaves is essential for precision fertilization and greenhouse management. However, most existing studies focus on individual traits (e.g., chlorophyll or nitrogen) with isolated models, limiting the establishment of robust analytical workflows across growth stages and cultivation conditions. This study systematically evaluated hyperspectral imaging workflows for estimating pigment and nutrient traits in tomato leaves. Methods Hyperspectral images were collected at the stages of flowering-fruiting, ripening and harvest from tomato plants supplied with nitrogen at 0, 210, 300 and 390 kg N ha⁻¹. Total contents of chlorophyll, total nitrogen and nitrate were measured by standard biochemical assays for model calibration and validation. Result After sample partition with four strategies, seven spectral preprocessing methods were evaluated, namely moving average (MA), Savitzky-Golay smoothing (SG), Gaussian filtering (GF), median filtering (MF), normalization, baseline correction and standard normal variate (SNV), with normalization, MA and SNV yielded the best predictive performance for chlorophyll, total nitrogen and nitrate, respectively. For feature wavelength selection, competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) and successive projections algorithm (SPA) were used with CARS yielding the best performance for total chlorophyll and nitrate prediction, while SPA was optimal for total nitrogen prediction. By application of the above optimal methods, random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and convolutional neural network (CNN) models were developed to predict pigment and nutrient indicators. Conclusion The SVM performed best for chlorophyll ( R c ²=0.823, R p ²=0.431) prediction, while the CNN achieved higher accuracy for total nitrogen ( R c ²=0.826, R p ²=0.780) and nitrate ( R c ²=0.851, R p ²=0.753) prediction. Overall, leaf nitrogen-related traits were predicted more reliably than total chlorophyll, for which validation performance remained limited. Impact These findings demonstrate that sample partitioning, spectral preprocessing, wavelength selection and model selection should be optimized for each target trait rather than applied uniformly. This study provides a methodological basis for non-destructive assessment of tomato leaf N status and precision fertilization management.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトマト葉の色素・養分形質を対象に、ハイパースペクトル画像処理、波長選択、機械学習モデルを体系的に比較・検証しており、植物形質取得手法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study systematically evaluated hyperspectral imaging workflows for estimating pigment and nutrient traits in tomato leaves.

Rice aboveground biomass estimation based on three-dimensional dry matter distribution integration model ↗

Accurate quantification of rice aboveground biomass (AGB) is critical for crop monitoring but remains challenging due to the complex nonlinearity arising from the coupling of plant density, spatial structure, and internal dry matter distribution. To address the limitations of single-source remote sensing, this study proposed a Three-Dimensional Dry Matter Distribution Integration (3D-DMI) model, which establishes a physically interpretable framework decomposing AGB into dry matter density ( ρ ), horizontal projection distribution ( S ), and vertical cumulative distribution ( h d ) components. Guided by this framework, a core subset of six features (Red_650, MTCI, G_correlation, R_correlation, LPI, and HPA0_99) was extracted from UAV-based multispectral, RGB, and LiDAR data using a dual-step feature selection approach combining Maximum Information Coefficient (MIC) and Distance Correlation (dCor). A Random Forest (RF) regression model was then developed to estimate AGB across the entire growth season. The results demonstrated that the 3D-DMI model achieved excellent performance with an R 2 of 0.920, an RMSE of 0.184 kg/m², and an RPD of 3.544, significantly outperforming any single-sensor approach. Single-feature analysis revealed that while LiDAR-derived structural features provided the fundamental basis for biomass estimation, they encountered inherent saturation bottlenecks during late growth stages. Feature contribution analysis based on SHAP further quantified that LiDAR-derived features dominated the estimation process (68.5% contribution), providing the volumetric basis, whereas RGB textures (18.3%) and multispectral features (13.3%) provided indispensable supplements. Ultimately, this study established a robust, physically grounded computational paradigm for high-precision UAV-based rice biomass monitoring across the entire growth cycle.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVマルチスペクトル・RGB・LiDARデータからイネの地上部バイオマスを推定する3D-DMI計算手法を開発・評価しており、植物形質の取得・抽出が研究の中心である。

abstractthis study proposed a Three-Dimensional Dry Matter Distribution Integration (3D-DMI) model

RGB-Based Estimation of Chlorophyll-Fluorescence-Derived Photochemical Status Across Garden Plant Species Under Progressive Drought ↗

Chlorophyll fluorescence provides sensitive information on plant photochemical responses, but its measurement requirements can limit high-throughput application. This study investigated whether RGB imagery could approximate chlorophyll-fluorescence-derived photochemical status across garden plant species during progressive soil drying. A Photochemical Status Index (PSI) was constructed by principal component analysis from five highly correlated JIP-test energy-flux variables (RC/CS, ABS/CS, TRo/CS, ET2o/CS, and RE1o/CS). The dataset comprised 50 aggregated species-by-soil-moisture-stage observations representing ten species and five sequential soil-moisture stages. Eleven RGB-derived variables were evaluated, and a partial least-squares regression model was assessed using nested leave-one-species-out validation, with all data-dependent procedures repeated within each outer training fold. PC1 explained 96.5% of the shared variation among the fluorescence-derived fluxes. The predictors g, GLI, ExG, ExGR, and CIVE were retained in all ten outer folds. The final model yielded a pooled out-of-fold R2 of 0.469, an RMSE of 1.585, and an MAE of 1.183. However, species-specific R2 ranged from −0.179 to 0.959, and a calibration slope of 0.509 indicated prediction-range compression. These findings provide proof-of-concept evidence of moderate RGB-based approximation of fluorescence-derived photochemical status, but inconsistent species transferability and the common soil-moisture/time gradient require external validation before practical deployment.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB画像から蛍光由来の植物光化学状態を推定する手法を構築し、種間交差検証で性能評価しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThis study investigated whether RGB imagery could approximate chlorophyll-fluorescence-derived photochemical status across garden plant species during progressive soil drying.

OccPepSeg-YOLO for Instance Segmentation of Occluded Peppers in Field Images ↗

Agricultural operations such as pepper harvesting, fruit counting, and field phenotyping rely on accurate visual recognition and instance segmentation algorithms. However, pepper fruits in complex field environments often exhibit slender and curved shapes, partial occlusion, ambiguous boundaries, and adhesion between adjacent instances. Existing object detection and instance segmentation methods therefore struggle to obtain complete fruit masks, which adversely affects subsequent fruit counting, contour measurement, and picking-point localization. To improve the instance segmentation accuracy of occluded peppers in complex field scenes, this study proposes OccPepSeg-YOLO, an improved model based on YOLO11n-seg. First, a P2FreqFusion module is introduced to fuse shallow, high-resolution detail features with deep semantic features, thereby enhancing the representation of fruit edges and tip regions. Second, an ASC module is designed to model the directional and scale-related morphological characteristics of pepper fruits, while a BoundaryGate module strengthens responses at occlusion interfaces and boundaries between adjacent instances. Finally, an OccPepSegment multi-scale prototype segmentation head is constructed, and a BDoU loss function is introduced to improve the boundary consistency of instance masks. Experiments on a self-constructed field-pepper instance segmentation dataset showed that OccPepSeg-YOLO achieved M-P, M-R, M-mAP50, and M-mAP50–95 values of 93.87%, 92.09%, 97.17%, and 82.31%, respectively, representing improvements of 5.59, 3.18, 3.83, and 9.52 percentage points over YOLO11n-seg. Further comparisons with representative YOLO-based instance segmentation models, including YOLOv8n-seg, YOLOv9c-seg, YOLO12n-seg, and YOLOv26n-seg, demonstrated that OccPepSeg-YOLO achieved the best overall segmentation performance. In particular, its M-mAP50–95 exceeded the best competing result obtained by YOLOv9c-seg by 8.35 percentage points. Under a unified repeated-inference protocol on an RTX 3090 GPU using FP32 precision, a batch size of 1, and 640 × 640 inputs, OccPepSeg-YOLO achieved a mean inference latency of 15.801 ± 1.238 ms, a P95 latency of 17.323 ms, and a throughput of 63.29 FPS. These results demonstrate that the proposed model can produce more complete pepper instance masks under leaf occlusion, fruit overlap, and complex background conditions, providing technical support for field-pepper recognition, fruit counting, and visual perception by agricultural robots.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods圃場画像からピーマン果実のインスタンスマスクを抽出する手法を開発・比較検証しており、果実カウントや輪郭計測に利用可能な植物形質取得が中心である。

abstractAgricultural operations such as pepper harvesting, fruit counting, and field phenotyping rely on accurate visual recognition and instance segmentation algorithms.

SatCHM (Satellite Canopy Height Model): Leveraging deep learning for site-specific sub-meter canopy height predictions ↗

High-resolution monitoring of forest structure and productivity is essential for effective natural resource management. However, monitoring approaches such as field-based forest inventories or extensive lidar campaigns are costly, time-intensive, and spatially limited. Therefore, inexpensive and accessible methods are needed. SatCHM (Satellite Canopy Height Model) was developed to be an accessible and open-source tool for researchers, allowing for site-specific and temporally flexible predictions of canopy height with limited computational resources. SatCHM requires four inputs: panchromatic satellite imagery, solar and sensor angle metadata of satellite imagery, digital elevation models (DEMs), and lidar-produced CHMs for an area of interest. After SatCHM pre-processes inputs, data is loaded into a collection of convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for image-to-image regression. This ensemble cooperates to yield high-resolution predictions (up to 0.5-meter) of three-dimensional tree structure with discernible tree crowns across a broader defined area of interest. After calculating the mean absolute error for each prediction output, the median of these mean absolute errors was 6.06 meters.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods森林キャノピー高と樹冠構造という植物形質を衛星画像等から推定するオープンソース手法を開発し、CNNによる推定と誤差評価まで行っており、植物フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心である。

abstractSatCHM (Satellite Canopy Height Model) was developed to be an accessible and open-source tool for researchers, allowing for site-specific and temporally flexible predictions of canopy height with limited computational resources.

Intersection rotational invariance regression based plant disease detection. ↗

Emerged Technologies include imparted potentiality to generate adequate food to converge ultimatum of society. However, aspects like, climate change, plant disease, refuse at pollinators as well as others are demanding to farmers. The presence of diseases pulls up the maturation of their corresponding species. Plant disease recognition using image processing and machine learning (ML) with data collected from Internet of Thing (IoT) sensors has been receiving greater amount of interest in recent years, however timely disease detection remains a demanding issues. Despite early disease detection though reduces the risk of destruction to plants nevertheless the noise present in the sensor networks (i.e. Internet of Things) while collecting internet scrapped images compromise overall precision and accuracy. To address on this research gap, i.e., addressing noise with timely disease detection, in this work ML based plant disease detection method called, Intersection Histogram and Rotational Invariant Principal Component Regression (IH-RIPCR) is introduced. IH-RIPCR technique is dividing as pre-processing and feature extraction. First with the raw plant dataset obtained as input from Corn or Maize Leaf Disease Dataset, pre-processing is done employing Intersection Histogram based Contrast Enhancement model. Second with the obtained pre-processed contrast enhanced images is subjected as input to ML-based Rotational Invariance Principal Component Regression feature extraction model to extract relevant features pertaining to corn or maize leaf images for disease detection in an accurate and precise manner. Experiments are conducted with corn or maize plant leaf dataset with different existing methods to verify hypothesis potentiality of IH-RIPCR technique. Significance of technique is evaluated based on numerous parameters in terms of PSNR, processing time, precision, recall and accuracy respectively.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシ葉の病徴を画像から検出する画像処理・機械学習手法を開発し、既存法との比較評価を行っており、植物病害状態の表現型取得が中心です。

abstractin this work ML based plant disease detection method called, Intersection Histogram and Rotational Invariant Principal Component Regression (IH-RIPCR) is introduced.

Harnessing Vitis diversity to dissect and predict adventitious rooting traits in grapevine ↗

Adventitious root formation is critical for the cost-effective propagation of grapevine rootstocks, and poor rooting limits the adoption of new rootstocks derived from underutilized Vitis L. species. We evaluated 308 accessions representing 18 Vitis species over three growing seasons, scoring rooting at two developmental stages, callus-stage and post-transplant, together with root biomass, cutting weight, and a derived transplant- response index. Phenotypic variation was extensive within and among species, and species rankings depended on the trait considered: V. riparia , V. rupestris and V. californica ranked among the top five species for all four rooting traits, whereas V. arizonica and V. acerifolia rooted well at the callus stage but only intermediately after transplanting. Repeatability was moderate to high for root weight and callusstage rooting and lower for post-transplant rooting. Between-species differences accounted for most of the genetic variance in callus-stage rooting but little of that in cutting weight. After removing differences among species, accessions originating from wild sites with lower dry-season precipitation rooted better and produced more root biomass. Genome-wide association analysis of 3.4 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified 54 significant markers resolving into 18 independent loci across four traits. Candidate genes implicate auxin-linked cell proliferation, cell wall and lignin remodeling, and solute transport. Genomic and phenomic prediction achieved moderate accuracies across traits and seasons, including for previously unevaluated accessions, and combining spectral with genotypic data improved performance; accuracy was essentially flat between 5,000 and 50,000 markers. These results provide a framework for broadening the germplasm base of grapevine rootstock breeding. Plain Language Summary Grapevines are almost always grown as two plants joined together: a fruiting variety grafted onto a rootstock that supplies the root system. Nurseries build these plants from dormant cuttings, so a rootstock is only useful in practice if its cuttings root easily. Almost all commercial rootstocks descend from just three wild North American grape species, in part because cuttings of other species are believed to root poorly. We grew cuttings from 308 wild and cultivated grapevines representing 18 species over three years and measured how well each one rooted, first in the callusing room and again after the young plants were transplanted. Rooting ability varied a great deal, and several species outside the usual three rooted as well as the standards. Vines originally collected from places with drier summers tended to root best. We also located regions of the grape genome linked to rooting, and showed that the rooting ability of a vine can be predicted from its DNA or from light reflected by its leaves. Together, these results give breeders a way to screen a much wider range of wild grapevines for rootstock development before testing them in a nursery. Core Ideas Rooting ability varies widely across 18 Vitis species, well beyond the three used in rootstock breeding. Callus-stage and post-transplant rooting behave as genetically distinct stages of root formation. Accessions from collection sites with drier summers rooted better and produced more root biomass. GWAS resolved 18 loci implicating auxin signaling, cell wall remodeling, and solute transport. Genomic and phenomic prediction reached moderate accuracy and was insensitive to marker density.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods発根形質を対象に、スペクトル情報を用いたフェノミック予測を実施し、遺伝子型情報との統合や予測精度を評価しているため、形質取得・推定手法が研究の主要な技術的要素です。

abstractGenomic and phenomic prediction achieved moderate accuracies across traits and seasons, including for previously unevaluated accessions, and combining spectral with genotypic data improved performance

YOLOv11-MPD: A Multi-Part Maize Disease Detection Algorithm for Complex Field Environments ↗

Maize diseases affecting leaves, stalks, and ears can substantially reduce yield and quality; therefore, rapid and accurate recognition in complex field environments is important for intelligent agricultural monitoring. To address the large-scale variation, weak fine-grained texture, and strong background interference associated with multi-part maize diseases, this study proposes YOLOv11-MPD (YOLOv11 for Maize Multi-Part Disease Detection), a maize disease detection algorithm based on YOLOv11n. The method jointly improves spatial position awareness, shallow detail preservation, local-context modeling, key semantic-region enhancement, and lightweight detection-head reconstruction. RFCAConv, C3k2_RFCAConv, and Detect_LSDECD are introduced into the baseline network to strengthen directional texture modeling, multi-scale feature aggregation, and detection-head feature representation. FG-RFCAConv, HGD-C3k2, LCA-C3k2, and GRN-BiAttn are further designed for high-frequency differential gated detail compensation, P3 high-resolution detail enhancement, local-context fusion, and global-response-normalized attention regulation, respectively. Experimental results show that YOLOv11-MPD achieves Precision, Recall, mAP50, and mAP50-95 of 72.3%, 72.8%, 79.5%, and 50.2%, improving YOLOv11n by 2.4, 2.5, 2.9, and 2.4 percentage points, respectively, while reducing parameters from 2.6 M to 2.4 M. These results indicate that, within the scope of the dataset used in this study, YOLOv11-MPD improves multi-part maize disease detection under complex field conditions. However, the current conclusions are limited to the constructed dataset, and further validation using larger multi-region, multi-season, and multi-device datasets is required to evaluate its broader generalization ability.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシの葉・茎・穂における病害状態を画像から検出するアルゴリズムを開発し、性能比較・検証しており、植物表現型取得が研究の中心です。

abstractthis study proposes YOLOv11-MPD (YOLOv11 for Maize Multi-Part Disease Detection), a maize disease detection algorithm based on YOLOv11n.

Phenomic Prediction I: Plot-Level Prediction of Lodging Severity in Sorghum Breeding Trials Using UAV-Based Photogrammetric Height Data ↗

Lodging in sorghum presents a significant challenge for plant breeders due to the trade-off between lodging resistance and grain yield. Manually measuring lodging across thousands of plots is time-consuming, expensive, and error-prone, making selection for lodging resistance challenging in breeding programs. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-derived metrics provide a potential high-throughput alternative; however, it remains unclear whether photogrammetric heights derived from UAV imagery can estimate plot-level lodging severity in large sorghum breeding trials. This study developed a framework for predicting plot-level lodging from UAV imagery across 2,675 sorghum breeding plots. Multi-temporal canopy height data were collected at two critical time points: maximum crop height and at manual lodging assessment. Height percentiles were extracted from UAV-derived point clouds generated using photogrammetric algorithms. These data were used to develop parametric, non-parametric, and ensemble prediction models, which were evaluated using three statistical metrics. The ensemble model, averaging predictions from all models, achieved the highest accuracy with Pearson correlations of r = 0.80-0.84 and lowest root mean square error (RMSE=16-18%), explaining 64-70% of variation in manual lodging counts. Model diagnostics and iterative refinement, including inspection of UAV imagery and dataset curation, had minimal impact on model performance, demonstrating the robustness of the approach. Model performance was consistent across sites, with minimal effects of stratified sampling on accuracy, confirming the ensemble approach as optimal for plot-level lodging assessment. This study demonstrates that integrated multi-temporal UAV imagery offers a practical alternative to labor-intensive manual evaluation methods by enabling high-throughput lodging assessment suitable for implementation in sorghum breeding programs.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像と写真測量点群からソルガム区画の倒伏程度を推定する取得・解析フレームワークを開発し、実データで精度評価しており、植物表現型測定法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study developed a framework for predicting plot-level lodging from UAV imagery across 2,675 sorghum breeding plots.

How Accurately Can Smartphone LiDAR Document the Exposed Coarse Root Architecture of Scots Pine? A Low-Cost Field Workflow ↗

Coarse root systems govern tree anchorage, yet remain among the least documented components of tree architecture: excavation is irreversible, and established 3D methods rely on specialist scanners and lengthy post-processing. We evaluated whether a consumer smartphone records exposed coarse root architecture metrically, and which traits agree most closely with manual measurement. Four fully exposed Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) root systems in northwestern Poland were scanned with an iPhone 17 Pro running Scaniverse, at about 30 min of acquisition and 5 h of processing per tree. Clouds were registered, cleaned and oriented to magnetic north in CloudCompare; of eight architectural metrics, four were validated against manual references at 95 cross-sections on 44 roots, and four were exploratory. Visible root length (root-mean-square error, RMSE, 22.2 cm, 8.4%), azimuth (RMSE 3.58°, mean absolute error 2.47°) and depth (RMSE 3.18 cm, 14.9%) agreed most closely with the reference; 70 of 77 first-order roots were detected with no false positives. Diameter was the weakest metric and the only one dependent on the operator (RMSE 0.46 and 0.29 cm for two operators on the same clouds). Smartphone LiDAR thus turns an irreversible excavation into a permanent, measurable record of the traits relevant to anchorage, provided that centimetre-level diameters are not required.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsスマートフォンLiDARによる露出根系の3D形態計測ワークフローを開発・検証し、手動測定と複数の根系形質を比較しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractWe evaluated whether a consumer smartphone records exposed coarse root architecture metrically, and which traits agree most closely with manual measurement.

UAV multisensor data and GAMLSS improve forage biomass estimation in Cerrado integrated crop–livestock pastures ↗

Introduction Accurate estimation of aboveground biomass (AGB) is essential for monitoring pasture productivity and supporting sustainable management of integrated crop–livestock (ICL) systems. We hypothesized that integrating multispectral, thermal, and canopy-structural information derived from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) would improve AGB prediction relative to spectral information alone, and that Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale and Shape (GAMLSS) would accommodate seasonal heteroscedasticity while maintaining predictive performance comparable to Random Forest (RF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) models. Methods We collected 280 destructive biomass samples from two ICL paddocks and one continuously grazed pasture in the Brazilian Cerrado between 2022 and 2024. Twenty-four UAV-derived predictors, including spectral bands, vegetation indices, canopy surface temperature, and canopy height, were evaluated using repeated five-fold cross-validation. Model transferability was assessed by withholding one management paddock at a time. Results and discussion Under repeated five-fold cross-validation, GAMLSS achieved the lowest prediction error (R² = 0.69 ± 0.01; RMSE = 2.15 ± 0.04 Mg ha⁻¹), followed closely by SVM (R² = 0.68 ± 0.01; RMSE = 2.19 ± 0.03 Mg ha -1 ); RF showed lower accuracy (R 2 = 0.53 ± 0.01; RMSE = 2.63 ± 0.02 Mg ha -1 ). In the paddock-transferability assessment, GAMLSS also showed the lowest error (R 2 = 0.63 ± 0.04; RMSE = 2.34 ± 0.26 Mg ha -1 ). For GAMLSS, the complete multisensor configuration reduced RMSE by 6.2% compared with the spectral-only configuration. The selected model was used to generate spatially explicit maps of AGB and standing aboveground biomass carbon, estimated from the mean measured carbon concentration of forage biomass. Integrating multispectral, thermal, and structural UAV data with distributional regression improves AGB estimation and enables spatial monitoring of tropical pastures under contrasting management conditions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVのマルチセンサーデータと統計モデルを用いて牧草の地上部バイオマスを推定し、交差検証と圃場間移 transferability 評価を行っており、植物形質の取得・推定手法が研究の中心である。

titleUAV multisensor data and GAMLSS improve forage biomass estimation in Cerrado integrated crop–livestock pastures

A Novel Lightweight AlexNet Convolutional Neural Network for Tomato Leaf Disease Classification ↗

Tomato leaf diseases must be identified early and accurately in order to reduce output loss and advance sustainable agriculture. Deep learning models have shown encouraging results in the identification of plant diseases, but their high processing requirements and inability to adjust to field-specific limitations sometimes make it difficult to implement them in real-world applications. For the purpose of accurately and efficiently classifying tomato leaf diseases, we present a convolutional neural network based on AlexNet that is lightweight and field-aware. Our proposed model is designed with less complexity than traditional architectures and is able to perform inference faster without sacrificing accuracy, making it suitable for real-time implementation in low resource agricultural environments. The algorithm was trained and tested on a dataset of 7704 augmented images of tomato leaves from 7 different disease categories. The Lightweight AlexNet achieved accuracy comparable to VGG variants and outperformed deeper models such as ResNet (96.81%) with lower parameter overhead. It was trained from scratch using TensorFlow & Keras on 100×100 pixel inputs, achieving a training accuracy of 99.15% and a validation accuracy of 99.74%. Moreover, an effective structure of the model enables the installation on edge devices, which offers a scalable precision farming solution. Our work helps to bridge the gap between deep learning research and real-world application in agriculture, allowing the development of real-field, resource-efficient disease detection systems.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトマト葉の病害状態を画像から分類する軽量CNNを開発し、精度・計算量・エッジ実装性を評価しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心である。

abstractFor the purpose of accurately and efficiently classifying tomato leaf diseases, we present a convolutional neural network based on AlexNet that is lightweight and field-aware.

Video-rate label-free molecular mapping in living plant tissue with a deployable optical encoder ↗

Abstract Living tissues contain dynamic biochemical information that is difficult to capture with conventional hyperspectral microscopes because sequential spectral acquisition is poorly matched to in vivo molecular processes that evolve during measurement. Here we introduce a task-specific optical encoding framework for video-rate molecular inference in living plant tissue. The system integrates a passive spectral encoder, implemented here as a low-angle scattering LDPE layer, into a 22-mm miniaturized probe and learns a supervised mapping from ultraviolet-excited autofluorescence measurements to biomolecular abundance maps. Unlike conventional pipelines that first reconstruct hyperspectral datacubes and then perform spectral unmixing, the deployed system directly estimates endogenous molecular contrast associated primarily with lignin and chlorophyll in poplar tissue, with additional suberin-associated contrast evaluated in suberin-rich tissue. This reframing makes the measurement task biomolecular inference rather than spectral reconstruction, enabling biochemical mapping under low-photon autofluorescence conditions while reducing data burden and computational latency. In living poplar stems, the platform captures autofluorescence-derived videos of embolism propagation and wound-induced biochemical remodeling, dynamic processes for which sequential spectral acquisition can introduce temporal mixing because the molecular contrast evolves during the scan itself. The system also resolves genotype-dependent reductions in lignin-associated autofluorescence in engineered poplar lines. Direct molecular inference improves biomolecular estimation relative to a reconstruction-based pipeline, while probabilistic decoding provides uncertainty estimates. These results show that compact passive spectral encoding, when optimized for biological inference rather than datacube recovery, enables deployable, label-free molecular videography of living plant tissue dynamics after task-specific calibration.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods生体植物組織の生化学的状態を動画取得・推定する光学センシング手法を開発し、校正、比較評価、不確実性推定まで行っており、表現型取得法が中心である。

abstractHere we introduce a task-specific optical encoding framework for video-rate molecular inference in living plant tissue.

Explainable Deep Learning for Multi-Class Plant Disease Classification Using ResNet and EfficientNet with Grad-CAM Analysis ↗

Plant diseases can reduce crop quality and productivity, making early detection an important aspect of modern agriculture. Recent advances in deep learning, particularly Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), have shown promising performance in image-based plant disease classification. This study proposes an explainable deep learning approach for multi-class plant disease classification using ResNet50 and EfficientNetB0 combined with Grad-CAM visualization. The experiments were conducted using the PlantVillage dataset consisting of 15 classes of healthy and diseased plant leaves.The research process included image preprocessing, data augmentation, transfer learning, model training, performance evaluation, and explainability analysis. The dataset was divided into training and validation sets with a ratio of 80:20. Model performance was evaluated using accuracy, loss, confusion matrix, precision, recall, and f1-score metrics. Experimental results showed that ResNet50 achieved the best performance with an accuracy of 92% and a validation loss of 0.19, outperforming EfficientNetB0 which obtained 76% accuracy and 0.82 validation loss. The classification report demonstrated that ResNet50 provided more stable and consistent predictions across most disease classes. Furthermore, Grad-CAM visualization successfully highlighted disease-relevant regions such as lesions, discoloration, and damaged leaf areas, improving the interpretability of the CNN model. The findings indicate that the combination of ResNet50 and Grad-CAM is effective for plant disease classification and provides better explainability for deep learning-based agricultural applications.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物葉の病害状態を画像から分類・可視化する深層学習手法が研究の中心であり、病徴領域の推定も評価しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法として採用。

abstractThis study proposes an explainable deep learning approach for multi-class plant disease classification using ResNet50 and EfficientNetB0 combined with Grad-CAM visualization.

Explainable Machine Learning Prediction of Soybean Lodging Grade and Key Trait Analysis Under High-Density Drip Irrigation Cultivation ↗

To establish an accurate and interpretable prediction framework for soybean lodging grade and clarify the core regulatory traits and differentiated driving mechanisms of soybean lodging under high-density drip irrigation cultivation, 356 spring soybean germplasm accessions were used as experimental materials in this study. Morphological and mechanical traits including plant height (PH), stem pulling force (SPF), internode number (IN) and petiole length (PL) were measured over two consecutive years of field phenotyping. Two composite evaluation indices, plant height/stem pulling force ratio (PH/SPF) and plant height/internode number ratio (PH/IN), were further constructed. Four machine learning algorithms were adopted to develop multi-classification models for soybean lodging grade prediction. SHAP analysis combined with three global sensitivity approaches (perturbation analysis, Sobol’ method and Morris screening) was applied to decipher the regulatory patterns of key traits. The results showed that lodging grade significantly affected soybean grain yield and explained 25–28% of the phenotypic yield variation; yield reduction tended to plateau under severe lodging. Compared with single indicators such as SPF and PL, the two derived composite indices could stably distinguish soybean accessions with different lodging grades and exhibited stronger discriminatory power. Model comparison revealed that the XGBoost model achieved optimal prediction accuracy and generalization stability for lodging grade, with a weighted F1-score of 95.34% on the test set, significantly outperforming the conventional linear model. Interpretability analysis demonstrated that the PH/IN, PH, and PH/SPF acted as the primary positive traits promoting lodging, while SPF was the sole protective trait. Driving factors of lodging presented obvious gradient heterogeneity: mild lodging was dominated by the imbalance of plant architecture ratio, whereas severe lodging was governed by the cumulative effects of PH and IN. Strong interactions existed among all measured traits. The interpretable machine learning framework established in this study can provide theoretical support and technical references for lodging-resistant germplasm screening and targeted plant architecture regulation for densely planted soybean under drip irrigation systems.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods大豆の倒伏状態を形態・力学形質から機械学習で推定し、モデル性能比較と解釈性解析を行う枠組みが研究の中心であり、単なる生物学的実験の routine 測定ではない。

abstractTo establish an accurate and interpretable prediction framework for soybean lodging grade and clarify the core regulatory traits and differentiated driving mechanisms of soybean lodging

SolanAPP: An Offline-First Mobile Framework for Segmentation-Based Diagnosis of Solanaceae Crop Diseases ↗

Abstract Purpose : The system for diagnosing diseases in Solanaceae crops (SolanAPP), including tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, and eggplants, represents a promising tool for supporting decision-making in agricultural fields using AI. This system reconciles the computational intensity of multitasking models with the infrastructural limitations of rural environments, thereby increasing digital literacy. Its architecture is based on two fundamental pillars: (i) autonomous, offline operation for the detection and classification of diseases in Solanaceae crops; (ii) a georeferenced epidemiological surveillance network with agricultural recommendations for crop monitoring. Methods : The core diagnostic process combines crop-specific semantic segmentation and disease classification models exported to TensorFlow Lite, enabling on-device visual inference and pixel-level severity estimation. An optional online layer integrates Groq’s large language model (LLM)-based reasoning and Firebase services to generate structured agronomic explanations and facilitate the creation of georeferenced community reports when a connection is available. Preprocessing and management of the dataset were performed using the Roboflow platform. The mobile app was developed natively in Kotlin. Model performance was rigorously evaluated using accuracy, recall, F1 score, mean IoU, mPA, inference latency, model size, and decision matrix. The optimal model for the crop was selected using Simple Additive Weighting (SAW). Finally, the overall framework quality and usability were evaluated in Cuba through a user validation survey using a 5-point Likert scale and aligned with the ISO/IEC 25010 software quality model. Results : The model that yielded the best results for most crops was DeepLabV3+ with MobileNetV2, which achieved a classification accuracy of over 97\% while operating with lower inference latency. Beyond individual diagnoses, the system incorporates a collaborative georeferencing feature that allows users to share observations and precise geographic coordinates of detected pathologies to facilitate regional epidemiological monitoring. The user satisfaction survey yielded a satisfaction rating of 4.5/5, with users highlighting the importance of offline diagnosis. Conclusion : Plant disease diagnosis using computer vision can support earlier intervention in resource-constrained agricultural settings, but practical deployment requires models that are accurate, lightweight, interpretable, and usable under limited connectivity. SolanAPP, an offline-first Android framework for detecting foliar pathologies in Solanaceae crops, not only establishes a framework for disease identification in complex natural environments but also provides a theoretical and practical foundation for automated agronomic treatment recommendations and community-based crop surveillance. Impact SolanAPP is a free framework that supports the synergy between multitask deep learning for offline disease diagnosis and LLM-driven reasoning for decision-making in the field. Beyond the quantitative metrics obtained from the selected models, the deployment of SolanAPP in rural contexts serves a fundamental socio-technical purpose: it acts as a catalyst for open access, digital literacy, and agronomic decision-making under unfavorable development conditions. It also represents a strong effort to foster a collaborative epidemiological surveillance network in the agricultural sector. Although it faces challenges, such as the use of field images for model training, this framework marks a promising step in the deployment of edge AI, balancing technical accuracy with practical utility.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物病害を画像からセグメンテーションし、病害のピクセル単位の重症度を推定する手法と、オフライン実装・性能評価を中心とした研究であり、植物状態の計測方法が中核です。

abstractThe core diagnostic process combines crop-specific semantic segmentation and disease classification models exported to TensorFlow Lite, enabling on-device visual inference and pixel-level severity estimation.

FitoView: A Decision Support Application Integrating Weather Forecasts and CNNs for Plant Disease Classification and Severity Assessment - Case Study on Cercospora Leaf Spot in Chili Pepper ↗

Abstract Plant diseases represent major constraints on agricultural productivity, often resulting in significant yield losses. This study presents FitoView, a cloud-based mobile decision support system that integrates deep learning with real-time weather forecasting for sustainable plant disease management. Demonstrated through a case study on Cercospora leaf spot in chili pepper, the system employs custom YOLOv8 models for automated disease detection, classification, and pixel-level severity quantification, combined with meteorological data from the OpenMeteo API. The core innovation lies in an integrated decision matrix that considers three dimensions: AI-assessed disease severity, 48-hour climatic risk forecasts, and optimal spraying conditions, generating four contextualized management scenarios with tailored re-evaluation periods (3-10 days). OpenMeteo API validation across four cities in Sergipe demonstrated very strong correlations, with Pearson coefficients (r) of 0.90-0.97 for temperature, 0.81-0.95 for humidity, and 0.92-0.95 for solar radiation, corresponding to R² values of 0.65-0.94. The YOLOv8 object detection model achieved perfect precision (100%) and macro-averaged recall of 89% across all disease classes, with Cercospora leaf spot detection reaching perfect metrics (100% precision, recall, and F1-score). Field validation in Lagarto, Sergipe, confirmed the system’s practical use: it accurately detected Cercospora leaf spot, estimated severity, and, combined with climatic risk, generated recommendations for alternative treatment and short-term re-evaluation. The Progressive Web Application architecture, deployed on a Cloud Platform, ensures accessibility without installation requirements, while the modular design enables scalability to additional crops and diseases, representing a significant advancement toward democratizing AI-powered precision agriculture tools for smallholder farmers in Brazil.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物病害の検出・分類と病斑のピクセルレベル重症度推定をYOLOv8で実装・検証したシステムであり、植物状態の取得・定量化が中心的な技術貢献です。

abstractThe core innovation lies in an integrated decision matrix that considers three dimensions: AI-assessed disease severity, 48-hour climatic risk forecasts, and optimal spraying conditions

Time course sensor‐based phenotyping can predict Ascochyta blight disease severity in Cicer species ↗

Abstract Ascochyta blight is a widely occurring chickpea fungal disease that can cause severe yield loss. Breeding for crop resistance benefits from high‐throughput evaluation of plant–pathogen interactions in genotypes which can serve as sources of resistance. Current practice for the evaluation is human visual scoring of disease symptoms, which is limited in throughput and precision. Here, we developed open‐source sensor‐based phenotyping methods using red, green, blue (RGB) and multispectral imaging to measure resistance components and predict disease severity classes in chickpea and wild relatives grown outdoors over three seasons. Pots were imaged at multiple time points with a ground‐based platform, providing 86,792 RGB and 8199 multispectral images. Lesion count was estimated with YOLOv5 (You Only Look Once version 5) object detection (F1 score = 0.27–0.30), fractional green canopy cover was estimated from RGB images, and vegetation indices were extracted from multispectral images. A model trained on growth rates of fractional green canopy cover normalized to control genotypes could predict disease severity classes with an accuracy of 65% –81 % ( 0.43–0.59) on unseen data from three different seasons. The developed methods provide a pathway to predict visual disease severity scores and support the breeding of crops for disease resistance. They may also be used to characterize disease progression, to find underlying resistance mechanisms, and for early disease detection.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB・マルチスペクトル画像と地上センサープラットフォームを開発し、病斑数、緑色キャノピー被覆率、病害重症度を推定・予測する手法が研究の中心であるため。

abstractHere, we developed open‐source sensor‐based phenotyping methods using red, green, blue (RGB) and multispectral imaging to measure resistance components and predict disease severity classes in chickpea and wild relatives grown outdoors over three seasons.

Potential of UAV-derived RGB spectral indices for the early selection of cotton genotypes based on fiber quality traits ↗

Abstract This study evaluated the potential of UAV-derived RGB spectral indices to predict fiber quality traits in cotton genotypes. Nineteen genotypes were assessed under a randomized complete block design, and RGB imagery acquired at full flowering was used to calculate GLI, NGRDI, SCId, and SI. Significant genetic variability and moderate-to-high heritability were observed for both fiber traits and spectral indices. GLI was positively associated with the Spinning Consistency Index, whereas NGRDI was associated with fiber length uniformity. Regression models showed moderate predictive ability (R² LOOCV between 32.4–35.4%; and accuracy between 0.57–0.60). GLI and NGRDI demonstrated potential as complementary tools for large-scale phenotyping and preliminary genotype selection, although they do not replace conventional fiber quality analyses. Further studies across additional developmental stages are needed to improve prediction accuracy.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV由来RGB画像からスペクトル指標を算出し、ワタの繊維品質形質を予測する手法を評価しており、大規模フェノタイピングへの応用と予測性能の検証が中心である。

abstractThis study evaluated the potential of UAV-derived RGB spectral indices to predict fiber quality traits in cotton genotypes.

IoT and Machine Learning for Crop Stress Assessment and Decision Support ↗

Precision agriculture increasingly requires intelligent systems capable of integrating multimodal sensing with transparent decision support to enable timely and reliable crop management. This study proposes a hybrid intelligent IoT framework integrating environmental monitoring, wearable plant physiological sensing, AI-based pest-monitoring, machine-learning-based prediction of crop physiological stress, and explainable fuzzy rule-based decision support into a unified architecture for crop stress assessment. A novel Physiological Stress Index (PSI) was developed by combining vapor pressure deficit, relative humidity, Delta-T, leaf capacitance, and relative irradiance to provide an interpretable indicator of crop physiological stress. The proposed framework was experimentally validated under real field conditions using a commercial environmental monitoring station, wearable leaf sensors, AI-enabled pest-monitoring devices, and cloud-based analytics. Correlation analysis confirmed strong relationships between PSI and the principal environmental variables (VPD: r = 0.980, Delta-T: r = 0.990, RH: r = −0.961), demonstrating the internal consistency and sensitivity of the proposed index. At the 15 min forecasting horizon, Linear Regression and Gradient Boosting demonstrated virtually identical performance: Gradient Boosting achieved a marginally lower RMSE and higher R2 (RMSE = 0.0273; R2 = 0.9810), whereas Linear Regression achieved a slightly lower MAE (MAE = 0.0186). At the 1 h forecasting horizon, Gradient Boosting achieved the strongest performance (R2 = 0.9034), indicating increasing relevance of nonlinear modelling at longer prediction horizons. The proposed framework demonstrates the feasibility of combining multimodal sensing, machine learning, explainable artificial intelligence, and edge-enabled IoT technologies to support proactive, transparent, and intelligent precision agriculture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物の生理的ストレス状態を多モーダルセンサーと機械学習で推定する方法を開発し、圃場で検証しており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstracta hybrid intelligent IoT framework integrating environmental monitoring, wearable plant physiological sensing, AI-based pest-monitoring, machine-learning-based prediction of crop physiological stress

A Vision-Based Deep Learning Framework enables High-Accuracy Prediction of Geng Rice Eating Quality and Facilitates QTL Mapping. ↗

Northeast China's Geng rice (Oryza sativa subsp. japonica) dominates the high-value rice markets in China due to its superior eating quality. However, current evaluation methods rely on either labor-intensive, subjective sensory protocols or low-accuracy, calibration-heavy near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), constraining breeding for high eating quality and market development. Here, we report a vision-based deep learning framework combining multi-population fine-tuning with industrial vision-language model (VLM) pre-training for Geng rice eating quality prediction. Trained on natural and recombinant inbred (RI) population datasets, our optimal model (Model 4) showed high cross-population stability. It achieved R 2 values of 0.98, 0.57, and 0.61 in a natural population validation set (35 cultivars), an independent DA-RI population (201 lines), and a randomly collected set (30 Northeast and 28 Southern cultivars), respectively, consistently outperforming the widely used Satake STA1B analyzer. Furthermore, our approach enabled the mapping of a novel, robust quantitative trait locus, qIVOE7, for Geng rice eating quality on Chromosome 7. Further analysis suggested that Model 4 appears to rely on the Hue dimension of the HSV color space for its predictions. This framework provides a high-accuracy prediction model and an easy-to-use tool for rice eating quality evaluation, accelerating high-quality rice breeding as well as the development of the high-quality rice market.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsコメの食味という植物（種子）形質を画像ベースの深層学習で推定する手法を開発し、複数集団で検証・既存分析器と比較しており、フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe report a vision-based deep learning framework combining multi-population fine-tuning with industrial vision-language model (VLM) pre-training for Geng rice eating quality prediction.

Towards Intelligent Disease Phenotyping in Peach: A Deep Feature Extraction Framework for Leaf Disease Detection Under Real Field Conditions ↗

Abstract In modern agriculture, it is essential to identify the early symptoms of plant diseases and to accurately maintain the productivity of the crop and reduce economic losses. Foliar diseases are a special concern in peach because they can cause yield as well as quality if not timely detected. Artificial intelligence, machine learning and deep learning are some of the advanced technologies that are gaining great importance in today's agriculture, especially with the image analysis applications. In this study, a deep learning method for automated detection and classification of three peach leaf diseases and healthy class was presented based on image data. The dataset were taken at different phenological and disease stages under temperate conditions in Kashmir with four classes Healthy, Leaf Curl, Shot hole and Rust. Three convolutional neural networks (CNNs) architectures were applied, VGG-16, ResNet 50 and Xception were trained using transfer learning and Inception-V4 was trained from scratch for a comparative study of the learning strategies. Data augmentation techniques were applied to improve generalization. Results show that all models were able to learn disease specific features well. The result of Inception-V4 was found to be highest with 97.50%, followed by ResNet-50 with 94.49%, VGG-16 with 92.04% and Xception with 75.95%. The results of transfer learning-based architectures were also good and competitive but the best results obtained from the Inception-V4 architecture reveal its capability in modelling complex visual patterns. The results highlight the potential of deep learning techniques for early detection of diseases in peach, supporting precision agriculture and better disease management.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsモモ葉の画像から病害症状を自動検出・分類する深層学習手法が研究の中心であり、植物の病害状態を直接推定しているため。

abstracta deep learning method for automated detection and classification of three peach leaf diseases and healthy class was presented based on image data.

Automated Drought-Stress Assessment in Lettuce: A Detection-Guided Segmentation Approach for Multi-Plant RGB Imagery ↗

Accurate and non-destructive assessment of drought stress is important for improving lettuce production and supporting timely crop management. This study presents a detection-guided deep learning framework for plant-level drought-stress assessment in hydroponically grown lettuce using bird’s-eye-view RGB images. The study further investigates whether canopy segmentation can improve classification performance by reducing irrelevant background information. The framework was evaluated using 2190 images collected across three independent cultivation cycles in which drought stress was induced by isolating the plant root zones from the nutrient solution. In the first stage, YOLO-based object detection was used to localize individual plants, with YOLO26m achieving the highest detection performance of 99.4% mAP@0.5. The detected regions were subsequently used as spatial prompts for zero-shot canopy segmentation using the Segment Anything Model (SAM), with SAM ViT-B achieving a mean IoU of 0.9864. Six convolutional, transformer-based, and hybrid classification architectures were then evaluated independently using YOLO-cropped and SAM-segmented plant images. Segmented inputs consistently improved classification performance, with MaxViT-S achieving the highest binary test accuracy of 96.3%. The framework further distinguished time-defined pre-stress, early-stress, and late-stress periods with an accuracy of 92.4%. Plant-level generalization was further assessed using six-fold leave-one-plant-out cross-validation, resulting in a mean test accuracy of 90.25 ± 1.78% on unseen plants. These findings demonstrate that RGB-based plant-level analysis can support non-destructive drought-stress assessment and that canopy segmentation improves classification by reducing background influence.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB画像からレタス個体の乾燥ストレス状態を推定する検出・セグメンテーション・分類フレームワークを開発し、複数サイクル、未見個体、性能指標で検証しており、表現型取得手法が中心である。

abstractThis study presents a detection-guided deep learning framework for plant-level drought-stress assessment in hydroponically grown lettuce using bird’s-eye-view RGB images.

YOLO-Based Deep Learning for Citrus Fruit Detection, Counting, and Yield Estimation in Complex Orchard Environments: A Systematic Review ↗

Abstract A systematic review based on 174 Scopus-records of studies using YOLO-type one-stage detectors for detecting citrus fruits, their count, and yield estimation followed PRISMA guidelines 2020. The title/abstract-screening process, done in duplicate (κ=0.920) yielded 90 included study-records, followed by two further post-hoc exclusions. Each study in the 80 reporting on fruit-level detection showed an average precision of 89.6%, recall of 85.9%, and mAP@0.5 of 91.0%. However, coverage for any individual metric rarely exceeded half of the studies, and only 13% were able to report the more stringent mAP@0.5:0.95. Both YOLOv8 and YOLOv5 were each utilized as the backbone architecture by approximately 22.2% of the studies. From 2025, YOLOv11 has also been emerging. Half of all studies modified architectural components including attention modules, lightweight architectures, and variants of IoU loss functions. Original contributions are generally concentrated in downstream tracking, sensor fusion, and yield modeling rather than the detector itself. A custom-made seven-domain risk of bias tool was developed and utilized by two reviewers who arbitrated discrepancies (91.5%). Results showed that all but one of the reviewed studies had a high level of risk due to almost universal lack of statistical validation and limited dataset diversity; a sensitivity analysis excluding the most risky studies left the performance profiles nearly identical. We conclude that the field has converged around a common technical toolkit but continues to lack standardized benchmarks, multispectral data, and rigorous field-deployment validation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods柑橘果実の検出・計数・収量推定に用いる画像解析手法を体系的にレビューし、性能評価、リスク・オブ・バイアス、標準化やベンチマーク不足を検討しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractA systematic review based on 174 Scopus-records of studies using YOLO-type one-stage detectors for detecting citrus fruits, their count, and yield estimation followed PRISMA guidelines 2020.

Evaluación de Arquitecturas de Redes Neuronales Convolucionales para la Detección de Enfermedades en las Hojas de la Papa ↗

Potato, one of the world's most important staple food crops, is highly susceptible to various foliar diseases that significantly affect its productivity and pose a serious threat to food security, thereby contributing to economic losses and impacting farmers’ income. Therefore, early and accurate detection is essential. Conventional detection methods rely primarily on manual observation, which is time-consuming and requires specialized personnel. In this study, five convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures were evaluated for the automatic classification of potato leaf diseases, including pretrained models (ResNet50, MobileNet, and VGG16) and models trained from scratch (AlexNet and LeNet-5). The dataset was constructed by integrating and selecting images from publicly available Kaggle repositories, resulting in a total of 6,691 images distributed across five classes: early blight, late blight, potato leafroll virus (PLRV), mosaic virus (PVY), and healthy leaves. Multiple experiments were conducted by varying hyperparameters such as batch size, optimizers, and the number of training epochs. The results show that VGG16 achieved the best performance, with an accuracy of 99.87%, outperforming the other architectures. Additionally, a mobile application based on the optimal model was developed for real-time detection. These findings demonstrate the potential of deep learning for intelligent and scalable agricultural diagnostic systems.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsジャガイモ葉の病害状態を画像から自動分類するCNN手法を比較・評価し、最適モデルと実時間アプリを開発しており、植物表現型取得が中心である。

abstractfive convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures were evaluated for the automatic classification of potato leaf diseases

Evaluation of saline-alkali tolerance in 71 soybean germplasms based on multi-method integrated analysis at the germination stage. ↗

Background Global soybean production is constrained by scarce arable land, and standardized evaluation tools remain lacking for natural mixed saline-alkali stress, the predominant abiotic stress under field conditions. Objective This study aimed to establish a comprehensive saline-alkali tolerance evaluation system for soybean germplasms via integrated multivariate statistical methods, and screen core and auxiliary indicators for efficient germplasm identification. Methods Seventy-one soybean germplasms were tested under 90 mmol/L mixed saline-alkali stress (NaCl:Na 2 SO 4 :NaHCO 3 :Na 2 CO 3 = 1:9:9:1, pH 8.2) simulating natural saline-alkali soil. We quantified the saline-alkali tolerance coefficients (SATC) of 13 morphological and physiological indicators, followed by coefficient of variation (CV), principal component analysis (PCA), subordinate function, cluster analysis and regression modeling. Results Significant inter-germplasm variations in saline-alkali tolerance were detected, and indicators with CV > 0.35 ( e.g ., root length (RL), root fresh weight (RFW)) were screened as primary indices. PCA extracted five principal components with 87.18% cumulative variance contribution, and the integrated analytical pipeline categorized germplasms into five tolerance grades: eight highly tolerant, 24 moderately tolerant, 13 generally tolerant, 16 sensitive and 10 highly sensitive accessions. A high-precision prediction model was constructed ( D = 0.290 X 1 - 0.026 X 2 + 0.438 X 3 + 0.402 X 4 + 0.180 X 5 + 0.153 X 6 + 0.813 X 7 - 1.123; R 2 = 0.998, where X 1 - X 7 represent the SATC of germination rate (GR), RL, RFW, total fresh weight (TFW), shoot dry weight (SDW), root dry weight (RDW), and total dry weight (TDW), respectively). A Chi-squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) decision tree model was further developed and validated using 10-fold cross-validation, yielding a cross-validation risk value of 0.003, which was comparable to the resubstitution risk value (0.002), indicating good generalization ability and low risk of overfitting. A novel five-dimensional overlapping analysis identified RFW as the core evaluation indicator, with RDW, TFW and R/S as key auxiliary indicators. Conclusion This study delivers a standardized, reproducible technical framework for large-scale screening of saline-alkali-tolerant soybean germplasms. It facilitates global saline-alkali land utilization, accelerates worldwide soybean stress-tolerance breeding, and provides a transferable paradigm for stress tolerance evaluation in other major crops.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsダイズの耐塩・耐アルカリ性を評価するための形態・生理形質の統合評価体系、予測モデル、指標選定、交差検証を中心的に開発・検証しており、再利用可能な植物表現型評価手法に該当する。

abstractThis study aimed to establish a comprehensive saline-alkali tolerance evaluation system for soybean germplasms via integrated multivariate statistical methods, and screen core and auxiliary indicators for efficient germplasm identification.

Phenology-adaptive machine learning for early mapping of field-scale corn crop yield using fusion of Sentinel-2 satellite spectral imagery, and weather-based accumulated heat units ↗

Abstract Purpose Timely, accurate, and field-scale crop yield mapping is essential for precision crop management, yet most existing studies rely on late- or full-season data, limiting in-season decision-making. This study aims to develop a stage-aware earliest possible corn yield mapping framework that balances early data availability, predictive accuracy, and spatial fidelity by integrating Sentinel-2 imagery, vegetation indices (VIs), and accumulated growing degree days (AGDD). Methods Corn yield data were collected from a commercial farm over three growing seasons (2018–2020). The final modeling dataset included 51,794 Sentinel-2 10 m aggregated yield samples across three seasons: 2018 ( n = 16400), 2019 ( n = 18534), and 2020 ( n = 16860). Sentinel-2 raw spectral bands and derived VIs were organized for V4, V6, R1, R5, and R6 growth stages based on AGDD- and DAP-defined corn growth-stage windows, also confirmed visually on-ground, allowing observations from different planting and harvest dates across the three growing seasons to be aligned by crop developmental stage rather than calendar date. A stage-wise Pearson correlation and frequency-based selection identified informative and non-redundant VI subsets across crop development. Four machine learning models: Random Forest (RF), XGBoost (XGB), k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), and a Neural Network (NNET; multi-layer perceptron) were trained using 13 input configurations, including individual growth stages and multi-stage combinations capturing phenological progression. Models were tuned via randomized search, trained on 2018–2019 data, and independently validated on the 2020 season. Yield predictions were mapped directly at 10 m Sentinel-2-pixel resolution without spatial interpolation to preserve fine-scale variability. Results Model performance was strongly influenced by phenological stage selection. Among single-stage inputs, R1 was the earliest stage where reliable yield mapping could be availed (RF: R² = 0.56, RMSE = 29.50%). While combining V6 with R1 stage inputs substantially improved predictive performance (RF: R² = 0.70, RMSE = 24.13%) for the yield mapping at the R1 stage, where V6-stage signals provided complementary yield-related information. The full-season combination (V4 + V6 + R1 + R5 + R6) produced the highest accuracy (RF: R² = 0.72, RMSE = 23.28%) but would be less suitable for early in-season decision-making. Early- or late-stage-only inputs (V4, R5, R6) showed weaker and less stable cross-year performance. Among algorithms, RF consistently generalized best to the independent 2020 dataset and is recommended for operational use. XGB showed strong training performance but reduced cross-year stability, kNN yielded moderate accuracy, and NNET achieved accuracy comparable to RF while closely reproducing observed spatial patterns such as center-pivot effects and edge gradients. Direct 10 m mapping preserved yield heterogeneity and avoided smoothing artifacts common in interpolation-based approaches. Conclusion Stage-aware feature selection and phenology-informed input combinations are critical for balancing yield prediction timeliness and accuracy. For operational in-season yield mapping, the RF model using the V6 + R1 stage combination provides a practical and reliable solution, enabling early, accurate, and spatially detailed yield estimates with robust cross-year performance. This study presents a deployable framework for integrating satellite time series and weather data into conventional (non-sequential) machine learning models to support proactive, within-season decision-making in precision agriculture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods衛星画像・気象データと機械学習を統合し、作物の収量という明示的な植物形質を圃場内10 m解像度で推定する手法を開発・独立年で検証しており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThis study aims to develop a stage-aware earliest possible corn yield mapping framework that balances early data availability, predictive accuracy, and spatial fidelity by integrating Sentinel-2 imagery, vegetation indices (VIs), and accumulated growing degree days (AGDD).

Genomic prediction vs. gene-based crop models: a case study on rice trait prediction. ↗

Conventional breeding for ideotypes in target environments remains challenging due to genotype-by-environment interactions and the genetic complexity of key agronomic traits. Traditional multi-environment field trials are costly and time-consuming, limiting rapid genetic gain. These challenges highlight the need for digital tools to support rice breeding. However, two major approaches, genomic prediction (GP) and gene-based crop models (GBCMs), have distinct advantages. In this study, a dataset derived from a natural rice population comprising 210 genotypes, genotyped with about 650,000 markers, rice dry matter, and yield across three environments, was used to develop two genomic prediction models, genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) and a convolutional neural network (CNN), together with a gene-based crop modeling framework. The effectiveness of these models in predicting rice traits and assisting in breeding selection was subsequently evaluated. Prediction results indicated that biomass and yield could be effectively predicted by all models, with Normalized Root Mean Square Error (NRMSE) values ranging from 10.60% to 18.59% and 9.93% to 18.19%, respectively. In terms of predictive accuracy, parameter-based crop models achieved the highest predictive accuracy, although it was confined to theoretical simulations. This was followed by the GBCM and CNN, whereas the GBLUP exhibited the lowest performance. Furthermore, GGE biplot analysis revealed the predictions of the GBCM aligned more closely with field observations than those of the CNN, emphasizing the potential of GBCM as a practical surrogate for digital breeding. These results provide valuable insights into modeling genotype-by-environment interactions and support the development of data-informed breeding strategies for future rice improvement.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネの乾物量・収量という植物形質を予測する複数の計算モデルを開発・比較評価しており、形質推定手法が研究の中心である。

abstractIn this study, a dataset derived from a natural rice population comprising 210 genotypes, genotyped with about 650,000 markers, rice dry matter, and yield across three environments, was used to develop two genomic prediction models, genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) and a convolutional neural network (CNN), together with a gene-based crop modeling framework.

Long-term monitoring of winter wheat phenology using a 30 m Landsat framework integrating curve reconstruction and machine learning in northern Henan and southern Xinjiang ↗

Accurate long-term monitoring of winter wheat phenology is important for crop growth assessment and irrigation management, but 30 m Landsat-based phenology retrieval remains challenging because of sparse observations, cloud contamination and sensor differences. This study developed and evaluated an integrated Landsat-based workflow for monitoring winter wheat phenology in the People’s Victory Canal (PVC) Irrigation Area of northern Henan and the Alar Irrigation Area of southern Xinjiang from 2000 to 2024. Winter wheat areas were mapped using temporally stacked NDVI/EVI features and a CART classifier. Vegetation-index trajectories were reconstructed using locally adjusted cubic-spline capping combined with Savitzky–Golay filtering, and green-up, jointing, heading and maturity were extracted using threshold- and derivative-based detection. The CART-based mapping achieved an overall accuracy of 89.51%, with higher accuracy in Alar (91.45%) than in PVC (84.35%). Compared with S-G-only, Whittaker and TIMESAT-like approaches, LACC + S-G reduced phenological-date errors, especially for green-up and maturity, with RMSE values within 3.1 d against agro-meteorological observations. Phenological stages generally occurred later in Alar than in PVC, and spatial autocorrelation confirmed significant clustering. Agro-meteorological analysis suggested stronger thermal associations in PVC and stronger moisture-related associations in Alar. These results provide practical 30 m phenological information for regional winter wheat monitoring and irrigation scheduling analysis.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsLandsat時系列から冬コムギの生育ステージを抽出するワークフローを開発し、複数手法との比較および農業気象観測による精度検証を行っており、植物フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study developed and evaluated an integrated Landsat-based workflow for monitoring winter wheat phenology

A breeding-oriented UAV phenotyping framework for scalable lodging assessment and candidate gene identification in soybean ↗

Lodging is a major yield-limiting factor in soybean, but efficient large-scale phenotyping and genetic dissection of this complex trait remain challenging for breeding programs. To bridge this gap, this study developed an integrated, breeding-oriented framework that links UAV-based high-throughput phenotyping with candidate gene identification. Field experiments involving 741 diverse soybean genotypes were conducted over two years, with UAV remote sensing performed at key reproductive stages (from R5 to R7). We identified UAV-derived structural (relative plant height), textural (homogeneity, dissimilarity, correlation), and spectral (NDVI, EVI, NDRE) features as the most sensitive indices for retrieving lodging severity. The fusion of these complementary features, coupled with the XGBoost algorithm, achieved high classification accuracy (0.81–0.92) across genotypes, growth stages, and years. This reliable phenotyping pipeline enabled the precise selection of contrasting genotypes (lodging-resistant vs. lodging-prone) for transcriptomic analysis. Transcriptome sequencing revealed 13,447 differentially expressed genes, with significant enrichment in phenylpropanoid and starch–sucrose metabolic pathways. Moreover, the haplotype analysis within a natural population identified superior allelic variants of two candidate genes ( Glyma.19G249100 and Glyma.05G142200 ) significantly associated with soybean lodging resistance. This work can effectively bridge the gap between scalable field phenotyping and the discovery of functionally validated breeding targets, providing an efficient and translational framework to accelerate the development of lodging-resistant soybean varieties.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像・リモートセンシング特徴量とXGBoostを統合し、ダイズの倒伏重症度を大規模に推定・検証する育種向け表現型解析パイプラインが研究の中心である。

abstractthis study developed an integrated, breeding-oriented framework that links UAV-based high-throughput phenotyping with candidate gene identification

Low-Cost and Rapid Construction of 3D Point Clouds for Field-Grown Cotton and Evaluation of Canopy-Level Traits ↗

Canopy 3D architecture is a critical determinant of light interception, photosynthetic efficiency, and final yield in cotton, yet its rapid and accurate characterisation remains challenging in field conditions. To achieve efficient, non-destructive, and quantitative monitoring of the canopy structure of field-grown cotton, this study proposes a 3D structure-based technology stack for high-efficiency, low-cost, and high-precision phenotyping extraction. This stack directly addresses the technical bottlenecks of traditional 3D data acquisition, namely high cost, long processing time, and low operational efficiency, which have hindered large-scale application. We developed a pipeline that integrates a fast reconstruction algorithm with a scale-recovery mechanism using ground control points (GCPs), enabling the generation of true-scale 3D point clouds from UAV aerial images in a cost- and time-effective manner. Using only 141 UAV images and with a reconstruction time of approximately 20 min, we efficiently reconstructed high-quality, scale-accurate point clouds of two 5.5 m × 5.5 m cotton plots, significantly outperforming SfM-MVS and Instant-NGP in terms of both reconstruction efficiency and point cloud completeness. This method, whose current validation is confined to a single season, one growth stage, and two experimental plots, not only achieves a breakthrough by using fewer input images with high efficiency, but also ensures point cloud accuracy and completeness, showing strong potential for rapid field monitoring and real-time management. Based on the high-quality reconstructed point clouds, we further quantitatively evaluated canopy characteristics at harvest, analyzing the coefficient of variation of canopy height, porosity distribution, and canopy volume fraction. The core shortcomings and optimization strategies for the existing canopy structure were identified, providing scientific data support and practical technical references for precision cultivation management and mechanization-compatible planting in cotton.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像からの3D点群再構成とスケール復元パイプラインを開発・比較検証し、綿花キャノピー形質を定量化することが研究の中心であるため含める。

abstractthis study proposes a 3D structure-based technology stack for high-efficiency, low-cost, and high-precision phenotyping extraction.

Field-based estimation of cotton seedling agronomic traits: Using UAV-LiDAR and weakly supervised semantic segmentation ↗

Accurate estimation of the cotton seedling Leaf Area Index (LAI) is essential for yield prediction and precision crop management. Traditional manual methods are limited by low throughput, while two-dimensional remote sensing techniques often struggle with sparse canopy cover and soil background interference. Although three-dimensional LiDAR presents a promising alternative, existing deep learning approaches typically depend on costly fully supervised point-wise annotations. To address this challenge, this study proposes an end-to-end framework that integrates UAV-based LiDAR, weakly supervised segmentation, and physical parameter inversion. A weakly supervised network, termed CogNet, was developed—incorporating self-distillation and structure-aware label propagation—to achieve precise segmentation of cotton plants using only 10% sparse annotations. Following instance segmentation via Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN), individual plant phenotypic traits were extracted. A nonlinear Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) model was then constructed to invert LAI by leveraging allometric relationships between 3D structural parameters and leaf area. Experimental results showed that CogNet achieved an Intersection over Union (IoU) of 85.34%, effectively mitigating overfitting to label noise and achieving performance competitive with the fully supervised RandLA-Net (82.13%). Notably, under the specific conditions of this cotton seedling dataset characterized by strong geometric priors, the weakly supervised model demonstrated enhanced robustness against annotation inconsistencies. The framework attained a plant detection rate of 96.2%, and the XGBoost model delivered high estimation accuracy (R² = 0.879, RMSE = 0.138). This study demonstrates that weakly supervised learning can substantially reduce annotation costs while maintaining model performance, providing an efficient and cost-effective solution for field-scale crop phenotyping.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV-LiDAR、弱教師ありセグメンテーション、個体形質抽出、LAI推定を統合した作物フェノタイピング手法の開発・評価が研究の中心である。

abstractthis study proposes an end-to-end framework that integrates UAV-based LiDAR, weakly supervised segmentation, and physical parameter inversion.

Development and Verification of an Automatic Tower-Based SIF Observation System Based on Narrow Field-of-View Scanning and DOAS Atmospheric Correction ↗

Sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) is an effective proxy for vegetation photosynthesis, but tower-based retrieval suffers from atmospheric path interference under humid and variable conditions. We present a DOAS-based SIF retrieval algorithm that operates in Fraunhofer lines (680–686 nm, 745–758 nm) and water vapour-sensitive bands (717–727 nm). It constructs an adaptive reference spectrum from SCOPE simulations and PCA and incorporates H2O absorption cross-sections into the fitting process for active atmospheric correction. The algorithm is implemented in a dedicated tower-based system integrating a 1° scanning gimbal with a high-resolution spectrometer. Validation with simulated and field data demonstrates the following: (1) the algorithm retrieves SIF with high fidelity (correlation coefficients >0.9 across all windows); (2) it exhibits lower water-vapour sensitivity and greater cloudy-sky stability than FLD, 3FLD, and SFM, achieving the lowest coefficient of variation (CV = 0.356); (3) over a complete wheat–rice rotation, the retrieved SIF tracks crop growth and phenological stages. This work provides a reliable solution for automated, high-precision tower-based SIF observation under complex atmospheric conditions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物の光合成状態を示すSIFを取得するタワー型分光観測システムとDOAS補正アルゴリズムを開発し、シミュレーションおよび圃場データで検証しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractWe present a DOAS-based SIF retrieval algorithm

A Simple and Reproducible ImageJ Workflow for Measuring Areas of Irregularly Shaped Necrotic Lesions on Plant Leaves. ↗

Accurately quantifying the areas of necrotic lesions on plant leaves is essential for evaluating plant-pathogen interactions and disease resistance. Although digital image analysis methods using ImageJ are widely employed, they often require case-specific optimization and may not be readily applicable across different experimental conditions. Furthermore, many studies have used ImageJ for lesion measurement without providing methodological details, which limits reproducibility. Here, we present a simple, step-by-step ImageJ workflow for measuring irregular necrotic lesions using a standard personal computer and mouse. The procedure relies on manual lesion selection using the freehand selection tool, followed by Gaussian smoothing, binarization, and automated particle analysis to extract lesion area measurements. By balancing manual isolation with computational thresholding, this protocol eliminates the need for extensive parameter tuning. This approach provides an accessible, reliable alternative to time-consuming color thresholding methods, thereby improving transparency and reproducibility in lesion quantification. The workflow's reproducibility has been confirmed through both intra-user and inter-user analyses. Key features • Relies on simple manual freehand selection combined with minimal image processing, requiring only a standard computer and mouse without specialized software or advanced training. • Enables accurate quantification of irregular necrotic lesions in conditions where automated thresholding methods require time-consuming optimization. • Provides a fully detailed, reproducible ImageJ workflow addressing common gaps in published methods, facilitating direct implementation. • Demonstrates high reproducibility, validated by intra-user and inter-user statistical analyses, ensuring reliable lesion quantification regardless of the operator.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物葉の壊死病斑面積を画像から抽出するImageJワークフローを開発し、ユーザー内・ユーザー間解析で再現性を検証しており、病害表現型の取得手法が中心である。

abstractHere, we present a simple, step-by-step ImageJ workflow for measuring irregular necrotic lesions using a standard personal computer and mouse.

An optimised FISH-based approach for tissue and subcellular localisation of apple scar skin viroid in cucumber. ↗

Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) is a valuable technique for visualising RNA molecules in their native cellular context. Still, its application in plant tissues is often limited by tissue autofluorescence and the lack of optimised protocols. Here, we developed and validated a simple, reproducible FISH workflow to detect Apple scar skin viroid (ASSVd) in cucumber. Systematic optimisation of probe chemistry, tissue selection, and sampling stage significantly improved assay sensitivity and reproducibility. The AZDye594-labelled antisense riboprobe produced higher signal-to-background ratios and lower background fluorescence than fluorescein-labelled probes, enabling reliable detection of ASSVd in vascular-associated tissues. The optimised workflow consistently detected ASSVd in both leaves and stems. High-resolution confocal imaging further revealed predominant nuclear accumulation of ASSVd RNA in infected cells. Together, this study establishes a sensitive and accessible FISH workflow for localisation of ASSVd in cucumber and provides a practical platform for investigating the spatial distribution of viroid and other plant RNA pathogens.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物組織内の病原体RNAの空間局在を可視化・定量可能にするFISHワークフローを開発・検証しており、植物状態の画像取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractHere, we developed and validated a simple, reproducible FISH workflow to detect Apple scar skin viroid (ASSVd) in cucumber.

Predicting LiDAR-Derived Canopy Leaf Area Index in Loblolly Pine Plantations with Sentinel-2 Imagery Using a Convolutional Neural Network Approach ↗

Canopy Leaf Area Index (CLAI) is a stand attribute containing information on the real-time health and growth potential of managed pine plantations. Current remote sensing techniques for quantifying CLAI rely on simple linear models applied to satellite multispectral imagery, or on techniques based on light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data that are costly and less frequently collected. This study demonstrates a convolutional neural network (CNN) approach to retrieving CLAI from 10 m Sentinel-2 multispectral imagery with a model trained on gridded LiDAR-based CLAI estimates. We demonstrate large gains in accuracy with the CNN compared to traditional linear models based on vegetation indices (e.g., Simple Ratio), but also clear shortfalls in model skill when predicting “blind” in some spatial domains that were completely excluded during model training. Pixel-scale root mean squared error ranged from 0.34 to 0.64 by domain when exposed to CLAI training data from all available spatial domains, but rose to 0.58–1.74 when predicting without prior domain-specific training. Prediction accuracy was consistently lower when applied to completely unobserved USGS LiDAR-based CLAI estimates. Traditional linear models, in contrast, had the advantage of usually lower prediction error across unobserved spatial domains (0.43–1.98), but with lower maximum accuracy. These results demonstrate a potential route for deploying more complex models for LiDAR “mimicry”, e.g., between data acquisitions widely separated in time, but advocate for the development and use of more stable generalized approaches for use in unobserved managed pine stands.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsLiDARで得た林分の葉面積指数をSentinel-2画像とCNNから推定する手法を開発・比較検証しており、植物キャノピー形質の取得が研究の中心です。

abstractThis study demonstrates a convolutional neural network (CNN) approach to retrieving CLAI from 10 m Sentinel-2 multispectral imagery with a model trained on gridded LiDAR-based CLAI estimates.

Construction and Validation of a High-Fidelity Virtual Scene for Low-Stature and High-Biodiversity Ecosystems—Simulating Multi-Modal Sensing Approaches ↗

The Greater Cape Floristic Region (GCFR) in South Africa is a fire-prone biodiversity hotspot where high species richness, structural complexity, and small plant sizes (0.0001–4 m2) pose substantial challenges for remote sensing-based biodiversity assessment. Spectral similarity among species and the mismatch between plant size and sensor pixel dimensions limit the capacity of current and forthcoming spaceborne systems to resolve individual species and accurately detect plot-level diversity changes. We therefore developed a physics-based simulation framework that couples fynbos trait measurements with radiative transfer modeling in the DIRSIG (Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation) environment towards quantifying information loss across spectral and spatial scales and to define theoretical limits for biodiversity monitoring. We constructed a three-dimensional virtual scene of post-fire fynbos communities in Grootbos Private Nature Reserve, integrating high-resolution imagery, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), and structure-from-motion (SfM)-derived point clouds. Field measurements of mean diameter and percent cover were used to scale vegetation models and constrain species abundance. We distributed plant instances using a blue noise sampling algorithm, guided by density maps derived from unmanned aerial system (UAS) imagery. Species-specific optical properties were parameterized using field-measured reflectance data and the PROSPECT radiative transfer model, while terrain structure was derived from SfM-based digital terrain models. The integrated scene was used to simulate multispectral (DJI Mavic 3 MSI), hyperspectral (AVIRIS-NG), and light detection and ranging (LiDAR) observations. Agreement between simulated outputs were evaluated against corresponding field-acquired datasets using spectral signatures and vegetation indices. This framework enables systematic assessment of sensor specification effects on spectral biodiversity metrics and provides a pathway for evaluating theoretical limits of species discrimination across airborne and satellite platforms.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物群落の種判別・多様性指標を対象に、物理ベースの仮想シーンとマルチモーダルセンシングを開発し、実測データで検証しているため、植物状態の取得・推定法が中心である。

abstractWe therefore developed a physics-based simulation framework that couples fynbos trait measurements with radiative transfer modeling in the DIRSIG (Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation) environment towards quantifying information loss across spectral and spatial scales and to define theoretical limits for biodiversity monitoring.

A two-dimensional axis estimation method for pickable canopy apples based on YOLO cascade network. ↗

Introduction In a complex orchard environment, canopy apples are obscured by various factors, making it hard for apple harvesting robots to accurately determine which apples can be directly harvested. Furthermore, the complex obstruction leads to difficulties in identifying keypoints on the apples and caculating the axis direction, directly affecting the robot's determination of grasping positions. Methods To solve these issues, a two-dimensional (2D) axis estimation method for pickable canopy apples based on a YOLO cascade network was proposed. Firstly, the study introduced SPDConv for lossless downsampling and adopts dynamic upsampling to improve segmentation boundary accuracy, constructing an instance segmentation network named the YOLO-SD model to select pickable apples according to different occlusion conditions and growth states. Secondly, the geometric center of the mask image was located using its minimum enclosing circle, and the region of interest was extracted through morphological dilation. Then, by integrating the RFAConv, SCSA attention, and MBConv modules, a keypoint detection network YOLO-RSM was constructed to extract keypoints of pickable apples. Finally, a 2D axis construction strategy was proposed, which adaptively constructs the growth axis based on the visibility of keypoints. Results Experimental results show that the overall average accuracy mAP50 of the YOLO-SD model for apple segmentation reached 95.2%, and the parameter quantity was reduced to 2.47 M. The average accuracy of the YOLO-RSM model for keypoint detection has reached 90.3%, which is 2.4%, 2.6%, and 4.7% higher than that of the YOLOv8n, YOLO11n, and YOLO12n models respectively. The 2D axis estimation algorithm has an average axis angular error of 7.23° ± 16.73°, and an axis estimation accuracy of 92.68%. Discussion The proposed method can achieve high-precision canopy apple segmentation, keypoint detection, and 2D axis estimation, thus offering technical support for the picking operations of apple harvesting robots.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリンゴ果実のセグメンテーション、キーポイント抽出、成長軸（器官形態）の推定を中心に新規画像解析法を開発・検証しており、単なる収穫対象の検出を超える植物器官形質の推定に該当する。

abstracta two-dimensional (2D) axis estimation method for pickable canopy apples based on a YOLO cascade network was proposed.

Spectral-Consistency-Aware Evaluation of Deep Super-Resolution Methods for UAV Five-Band Multispectral Crop Imagery ↗

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based multispectral imaging enables flexible, non-destructive crop monitoring. Although UAV imagery offers much higher spatial resolution than satellite platforms, its effective spatial detail at typical operational flight altitudes can still be insufficient for plant-level interpretation and fine canopy structure, which can reduce vegetation-index reliability. Most super-resolution (SR) research targets RGB or satellite imagery and emphasizes perceptual or pixel-wise quality, leaving the spectral fidelity of reconstructed UAV multispectral imagery under-examined. This study benchmarked an SR evaluation framework for UAV-based five-band crop imagery (Blue, Green, Red, Red-edge, and near-infrared) using the open-source AI Hub cabbage dataset, with low-resolution inputs generated by controlled downsampling at ×2, ×3, and ×4. Nine methods (bicubic, SRCNN, EDSR, RCAN, SwinIR-based, ESRGAN-based, HAT-based, DAT-based, and DRCT-based SR) were compared under joint five-channel and band-wise reconstruction on 2170 test scenes using image-quality, spectral-angle, vegetation-index (NDVI, GNDVI, NDRE), band-wise, and efficiency metrics. EDSR and RCAN gave the most balanced performance. At ×4, band-wise reconstruction was strongest for per-band spatial fidelity, where EDSR reduced RMSE by 12.6%, and RCAN lowered near-infrared RMSE by about 21% relative to bicubic, whereas joint reconstruction with its spectral-angle and vegetation-index losses best preserved spectral relationships (spectral angle and vegetation-index errors). Learning-based gains were clearest at ×4. The recently proposed HAT-based, DAT-based, and DRCT-based attention models achieved the strongest pixel-wise RMSE and PSNR but did not surpass EDSR or RCAN on spectral angle or vegetation-index preservation under the equalized training budget. These results indicate that UAV multispectral SR should be assessed by spatial fidelity together with spectral consistency and agricultural index reliability.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVマルチスペクトル画像の超解像法を比較・ベンチマークし、スペクトル一貫性や植生指数の信頼性を評価する研究であり、植物キャノピー形質の画像取得・抽出基盤が中心である。

abstractThis study benchmarked an SR evaluation framework for UAV-based five-band crop imagery

An Efficient Attention-Gated Hybrid Transformer-CNN Framework for Plant Disease Segmentation In-the-Wild ↗

Abstract In real field scenarios in agriculture, automatic segmentation of plant diseases is an important technique for precision farming. However, it remains exceptionally challenging due to blurred lesions, complex morphological structures, irregular backgrounds, and severe class imbalance. While traditional convo lutional networks struggle to capture long-range semantic context and standard vision transformers fail to preserve sharp localized boundaries, this paper proposes an efficient, attention-gated hybrid framework optimized for field deployment. Our architecture leverages a hierarchical Mix Transformer (MiT-B2) encoder stream integrated with an Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling (ASPP) scale-space context bridge and a custom Cross-Scale Multimodal Attention Gate (CMAG) to isolate discriminative disease markers selectively. Evaluated on the highly challenging and unbalanced PlantSeg dataset, our framework achieves competitive mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 66.57% and an F1-score of 79.93%, while maintaining a highly compact parameter footprint of only 30.37 M. Experimental evaluations demonstrate that the proposed system establishes a new performance milestone, outperforming current competitive architectures and proving highly viable for resource-constrained edge devices. To further enhance out-of-distribution stability, we outline future directions to extend our top-performing candidate variants into a Level 1 meta-stacking ensemble optimized via few-shot learning and partial backbone fine-tuning.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物病害領域の画像セグメンテーション手法を開発・評価し、病変の分割性能を定量検証しているため、植物の病害状態を推定するフェノタイピング手法が中心です。

abstractautomatic segmentation of plant diseases is an important technique for precision farming.

CED-RTDETR: a contour-aware evidence-guided decoupled network for rice leaf disease detection. ↗

To address the challenges posed by large lesion-scale variations, weak boundary cues, and high inter-class similarity in rice leaf disease detection, this study proposes an improved RT-DETRv2-R50-based rice disease detection model, termed CED-RTDETR. First, a Lightweight Contour-Guided Aggregation Backbone (LCGA-Backbone) is constructed. In the PResNet residual blocks, an InceptionDWConv2d-based direction-aware depthwise separable spatial mixing strategy is introduced to capture local, horizontal, and vertical lesion texture patterns with low computational overhead. Meanwhile, a Contour-guided Efficient Global Aggregation Block (CEGA Block) is embedded after the outputs of the C3, C4, and C5 stages. Through contour-difference enhancement, channel shuffle, group-wise efficient global aggregation, and bottleneck channel mixing, the proposed block strengthens the representation of the boundaries of small lesions, weak textures, and contextual semantics. Second, a Multi-scale Evidence Interaction Fusion Neck (MEIF-Neck) is used to perform multi-scale evidence interaction and salient-region competition after cross-scale feature concatenation. A lightweight feature reconstruction process is further implemented using Spatial-Evidence RepNCSPELAN (SE-RepNCSPELAN), which is developed from a YOLO-style feature fusion structure. Finally, a Direction-Amplitude Decoupled Deformable Attention (DAD-DA) mechanism is introduced to decompose sampling offsets into direction rotation residuals and radius gains while incorporating an aspect-ratio-aware geometric compression-restoration strategy, thereby improving the geometric stability of sampling locations during the decoding stage. Experimental results on the constructed rice leaf disease dataset show that CED-RTDETR achieves AP, AP50, and AP75 values of 29.5%, 75.2%, and 17.6%, respectively, outperforming RT-DETRv2-R50 by 4.1, 4.9, and 3.8 percentage points. To further evaluate the model on an additional public benchmark dataset, experiments were also conducted on the public Rice Disease Dataset. On this dataset, CED-RTDETR achieves AP, AP50, and AP75 values of 34.1%, 77.1%, and 23.2%, respectively, improving upon RT-DETRv2-R50 by 4.3, 5.6, and 3.4 percentage points. These results indicate that the proposed method achieves consistent overall performance improvements on both the constructed dataset and the public benchmark dataset.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ葉の病斑・病害を画像から検出する深層学習モデルを開発し、構築データセットと公開ベンチマークで性能検証しているため、植物病害状態のフェノタイピング手法が中心です。

abstractTo address the challenges posed by large lesion-scale variations, weak boundary cues, and high inter-class similarity in rice leaf disease detection, this study proposes an improved RT-DETRv2-R50-based rice disease detection model, termed CED-RTDETR.

A multi-scale dataset combining 3D plant architecture, leaf gas exchange, and whole-plant fluxes in young oil palm under controlled climate scenarios ↗

Functional-structural plant models simulate plant responses to environmental conditions, but their development and evaluation are often limited by the lack of datasets combining detailed architectural and physiological measurements. Here, we present a comprehensive dataset acquired from four oil palm plants ( Elaeis guinnensis) grown under controlled and contrasting climate scenarios. The dataset includes (i) three-dimensional reconstructions of plant architecture derived from terrestrial lidar point clouds, (ii) leaf-level gas exchange measurements used to parameterize photosynthesis and stomatal conductance models, and (iii) continuous plant-scale measurements of CO 2 and H 2 O fluxes obtained in a microcosm under precisely monitored and manipulated environmental conditions (light, temperature, humidity, and CO 2 concentration) across height climate scenarios. By combining detailed structural data with physiological measurements at both leaf and whole-plant scales, this database has been designed to build and evaluate digital twins (or shadows) of plants functioning under controlled conditions. It provides a valuable resource for calibrating biophysical models (light interception and photosynthesis), benchmarking model predictions across scales, and investigating the consistency between leaf-level parameterization and plant-level fluxes. All data and processing workflows are openly available, facilitating reuse for model development, evaluation, and intercomparison in plant and crop modelling communities.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods3D LiDARによる植物構造計測と生理計測を統合したデータセットで、モデルの較正・ベンチマーク・評価を主目的としており、植物フェノタイピング手法と再利用可能なワークフローが中心である。

abstractthree-dimensional reconstructions of plant architecture derived from terrestrial lidar point clouds

Hyperspectral Visual SLAM for Autonomous UAV Crop Stress Detection: A Reinforcement Learning Approach to Precision Agriculture ↗

Localized soil-moisture deficits, that is, irregular sub-field patches where crops experience water stress well before visible wilting, are a leading cause of yield variability in row-crop agriculture. These zones are difficult to detect at the spatial resolution and revisit frequency required for timely irrigation response. This paper presents a reinforcement-learningguided autonomous quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform that fuses onboard Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (Visual SLAM) with a pushbroom hyperspectral imaging payload to construct georeferenced, canopy-registered maps of a Crop Water-Stress Index (CWSI) in near real time. Rather than flying a fixed lawnmower survey, the platform is guided by an adaptive-sampling policy trained with Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) that reallocates flight time and sensor dwell toward regions of emerging water stress as evidence accumulates mid-flight. We present the complete engineering pipeline: airframe and sensor design, a keyframe-based Visual SLAM front and back end that provides centimeter-scale geolocation without continuous reliance on Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) GNSS lock, a hyperspectral preprocessing and spectralindex chain (NDVI, NDRE, NDWI/NDMI) used to derive CWSI through a learned regression, the partially observable Markov Decision Process (POMDP) formulation and reward shaping used to train the sampling policy, and the fused system architecture tying these subsystems together. In simulated field trials over a 0.8-hectare test plot, the reinforcement-learning-guided policy achieved a 92% water-stress-zone detection rate versus 61% for a fixed-grid baseline, while reducing mission flight time by approximately 32%. We further report an ablation study isolating the contribution of SLAM-derived canopy structure to CWSI accuracy, a sensitivity analysis across field complexity, and a full error budget for the fused pipeline. We close with a discussion of validation limitations, broader scientific and agricultural impact, and a roadmap toward multi-UAV fleet deployment for whole-farm monitoring

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV、Visual SLAM、ハイパースペクトル画像、機械学習を統合し、作物の水ストレス状態を推定・地図化する技術パイプラインを開発・評価しており、植物表現型取得が中心である。

abstractThis paper presents a reinforcement-learningguided autonomous quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platform that fuses onboard Visual Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (Visual SLAM) with a pushbroom hyperspectral imaging payload to construct georeferenced, canopy-registered maps of a Crop Water-Stress Index (CWSI) in near real time.

Monitoring phases of plant stress in juvenile commercial forest cuttings using contemporary nursery sensor technologies ↗

Abstract Visual assessments of growing forest nursery plants are time-consuming and often result in a lack of information at a physiological level. There exists a need for health screening in nurseries, that is fast and efficient, to improve overall health monitoring and nursery productivity. Rapid handheld sensors such as rapid thermal devices, leaf porometers and moisture meters, can provide regular information at a physiological level, that can improve the understanding of the impact of stress on young plant cuttings and their decline in health over time. This paper evaluates the utility and reliability of contemporary sensor technologies, to operationally monitor stress phases in juvenile forest plant cuttings during progressive moisture (dry-down) conditions. Furthermore, to assess whether thermal sensors could be used as an indicator, in conjunction with other variables such as soil water content or stomatal conductance, is needed operationally for fast screening during limited planting windows. Near Infra-Red Analysis (NiRA) data was collected to understand detailed plant functions at a finer reflectance level. A relationship was found where the increase in thermal signals reflects a depletion of water content, resulting in an eventual decline in stomatal conductance and, ultimately, plant mortality. Several algorithms were used in a preliminary test, using RapidMiner software, to discriminate between the four phases of plant health decline using physiological variables and NiRA data. Both Gradient Boosting Trees (GBT) and Deep Learning (DL) showed the best performances, achieving favourable accuracies of 96.8% and 91.2% without NiRA data, 84.6% and 88.2% with NiRA data, with shorter training times. Using thermal technology weighted amongst the highest of the best performing variables using GBT, the utility and accuracy showed good discrimination between the stages of plant decline and is encouraged for future research in this field.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物のストレス段階を熱センサー、ポロメータ、含水率計、NiRAおよび機械学習で測定・識別する方法の有用性と信頼性を評価しており、表現型取得・判定手法が中心である。

abstractThis paper evaluates the utility and reliability of contemporary sensor technologies, to operationally monitor stress phases in juvenile forest plant cuttings during progressive moisture (dry-down) conditions.

Multi-Platform LiDAR Comparative Assessment for Aboveground Biomass and Carbon Estimation in Mediterranean Woody Crops ↗

Reliable aboveground biomass (AGB) estimates for woody crops are essential for carbon accounting and for Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) frameworks. However, it remains unclear how LiDAR modality and sampling geometry influence plot-scale and tree-scale AGB predictions in intensively managed Mediterranean orchards. In this study, we benchmarked four LiDAR modalities, namely open national airborne laser scanning from the Spanish National Aerial Orthophotography Plan (PNOA/ALS), a dedicated Riegl airborne laser scanner (ALS), unmanned laser scanning (ULS) and mobile laser scanning (MLS), across three woody-crop sites in Córdoba (southern Spain): IFAPA, Doña María, and Villaseca. Plot-level LiDAR metrics (mean height, 95th height percentile, maximum height, and canopy-cover proxies) were extracted from normalized point clouds and related to field AGB using Random Forest and XGBoost regression models, together with an ensemble predictor, under an 80/20 train–test split. In parallel, TreeQSM-based Quantitative Structure Models (QSMs) were evaluated as an independent tree-level three-dimensional reconstruction approach. XGBoost achieved the lowest errors at IFAPA (RMSE = 0.400 Mg ha−1; R2 = 0.994) and Villaseca (RMSE = 0.872 Mg ha−1; R2 = 0.995), whereas PNOA/ALS was competitive at Doña María (RMSE = 0.725 Mg ha−1; R2 = 0.994). TreeQSM closely matched the field inventory at the low-biomass IFAPA site but tended to overestimate biomass at Doña María and Villaseca, and only 28% of scanned trees yielded usable reconstructions. The results support the use of cross-platform LiDAR for orchard AGB and carbon mapping and identify the conditions under which open national LiDAR can enable scalable MRV of Mediterranean woody crops.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsLiDAR複数プラットフォームと3D再構成を比較・検証し、樹木・区画レベルの地上部バイオマスという植物形質を推定する手法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe benchmarked four LiDAR modalities

Allometric relationships and growth dynamics of quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) as influenced by sowing date: implications for non-destructive leaf area estimation ↗

Abstract Understanding the allometric relationships between leaf area and other plant traits is essential for non-destructive growth monitoring and efficient crop management. However, no comprehensive study has yet modeled leaf area in quinoa ( Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) using simple morphological traits across different sowing dates. This study aimed to quantify allometric relationships between leaf area and plant height, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, panicle dry weight, and total dry matter, and to evaluate whether these relationships are modified by sowing date. A two-year field experiment was conducted with 12 sowing dates under a randomized complete block design with three replications. Leaf area index (LAI) dynamics were described using a logistic model, and allometric relationships were fitted using power-law equations. The results showed that LAI followed a logistic trend across all sowing dates, with maximum values ranging from 2.7 to 7.9. Plant height provided the most reliable prediction of leaf area (R² = 0.83, b = 1.2), followed by leaf dry weight (R² = 0.72, b = 0.97). The allometric coefficients for stem dry weight (b = 1.54, R² = 0.74) and panicle dry weight (b = 1.95, R² = 0.71) showed greater variability. A striking finding was the exceptionally high allometric coefficient (b = 4.95) recorded on May 6 of the second year, indicating a pronounced shift in resource allocation toward leaf area expansion. Total dry matter was a weak predictor (R² = 0.54), likely due to leaf fall during the growing season. The hypothesis that sowing date modifies allometric relationships was confirmed, as evidenced by considerable variation in allometric coefficients across sowing dates. This study provides, for the first time, a comprehensive set of allometric models for quinoa across multiple sowing dates. Plant height and leaf dry weight are recommended as simple, rapid, and non-destructive indicators for leaf area estimation, facilitating improved crop monitoring and management under diverse environmental conditions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods草丈や乾物重から葉面積を非破壊推定するアロメトリックモデルを中心に開発・評価しており、植物形質の取得手法が実質的な主題である。

abstractThis study aimed to quantify allometric relationships between leaf area and plant height, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, panicle dry weight, and total dry matter, and to evaluate whether these relationships are modified by sowing date.

Development of a Sheath Inoculation Protocol to Screen Rice Varieties for Resistance to Cercospora janseana . ↗

Cercospora janseana (Racib.) O. Const. is a re-emerging fungal pathogen that causes Cercospora net blotch on rice. Previous research on resistance to C. janseana has primarily focused on foliar symptoms. Subsequently, sheath infection remains poorly characterized which hinders disease management efforts. This study developed and validated a reproducible sheath inoculation protocol under controlled conditions. Three inoculation methods (agar disc, spray, and drop) were evaluated with and without mechanical wounding. Lesions only formed with inoculation methods using wounding and the agar disc method produced the most consistent and uniform symptom development. Time-course analysis in the susceptible variety Cheniere revealed earlier lesion onset, more rapid expansion, and lower variability in the agar disc method compared to spray, confirming its suitability for phenotypic screening. The optimized protocol was applied across five independent trials involving four rice varieties. DG263L consistently exhibited minimal lesion development, confirming its resistance, while Cheniere showed extensive lesion growth, indicating high susceptibility. PVL03 and LaGrue displayed moderately susceptible reactions, with PVL03 developing significantly higher lesion lengths and AUDPC values than LaGrue in one-month-old plants. Although lesion onset was delayed in 45-day-old plants, disease progressed more rapidly once established. AUDPC analysis corroborated these trends, further distinguishing varietal responses. The protocol effectively discerned resistant, intermediate, and susceptible phenotypes, supporting its use in resistance screening. To our knowledge, this is the first controlled sheath inoculation method developed for Cercospora net blotch, offering a standardized approach for evaluating sheath-specific resistance and advancing the characterization of the C. janseana -rice pathosystem.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ葉鞘の病斑を用いた抵抗性表現型の取得プロトコルを開発・検証し、品種間の病害表現型を再現性よく識別しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThis study developed and validated a reproducible sheath inoculation protocol under controlled conditions.

Scale Matters: Adaptive Granularity Selection for Cross-Species 3D Plant Organ Segmentation ↗

Recent 3D foundation models provide powerful feature representations for point cloud learning by controlling spatial granularity. However, relying on a fixed spatial granularity severely limits generalization in applications like plant phenotyping, where organ morphology and size vary substantially across species and growth stages. To address this, we propose AGS-PlantSeg, a few-shot 3D plant organ segmentation method that leverages the frozen Utonia (arXiv:2603.03283) foundation model combined with Adaptive Granularity Selection. By dynamically selecting the best granularity levels for each specific plant model, our method extracts optimized geometric features for a lightweight MLP segmentation head. Extensive experiments across PLANesT-3D (arXiv:2407.21150), Pheno4D , and Crops3D demonstrate that AGS-PlantSeg significantly improves cross-species generalization, achieving 88.9% average mIoU performance and outperforming fixed-granularity baselines by 2.5 mIoU points. Despite requiring minimal annotated data, our approach is highly competitive with fully supervised, plant-specific architectures.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物器官の3Dセグメンテーション手法を開発し、複数の植物フェノタイピングデータセットで性能検証しているため、フェノタイピング手法が中心です。

abstractwe propose AGS-PlantSeg, a few-shot 3D plant organ segmentation method

Non-destructive durian locule counting from rotational RGB imaging using rotation-synchronized 2D-to-1D morphological energy inference ↗

The edible yield and commercial value of durian are strongly determined by the number of fully developed internal locules, yet their assessment still relies largely on subjective manual inspection or costly destructive analysis. Existing non-destructive approaches, including tapping-based evaluation and X-ray imaging, are either insufficiently standardized or impractical for high-throughput phenotyping. This study proposes the Rotation-Synchronized Structural Locule Evaluator (RS-SLE). The framework integrates convolutional spatial learning with deterministic signal processing to estimate internal locule number from rotational RGB imaging. The proposed system learns frame-wise spatial morphology using convolutional heatmap regression and performs temporal inference through deterministic kinematic signal processing over a mechanically bounded 360° rotation, thereby avoiding reliance on data-intensive recurrent video models. Specifically, sequential 2D locule-probability heatmaps are transformed into a synchronized 1D morphological energy signal, which is subsequently refined using gradient-based integration, Tikhonov regularization, and adaptive morphological thresholding to recover cycle-consistent structural peaks corresponding to fertile locules. This design provides a transparent and computationally efficient alternative to learned temporal memory while maintaining robustness to viewpoint variation, partial occlusion, and high-frequency spine noise. Evaluated on 260 fruits of the ‘Monthong’ cultivar, the proposed framework achieved a mean absolute error of 0.289 locules and a 71.1% exact-match rate on independent rotational videos. When combined with morphological correlation analysis, the framework attained a 100% tolerance accuracy (±1 locule) on the test set with destructive ground-truth measurements. These results demonstrate that dynamic external morphology can serve as a reliable optical proxy for internal locule development. Crucially, the final locule count is derived entirely from the CNN-generated one-dimensional morphological signal. This demonstrates the necessity of localized structural analysis over simple macroscopic shape indices. The findings highlight the value of explainable, kinematics-informed vision systems for practical precision agriculture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods回転RGB画像からドリアン内部のlocule数という植物器官状態を推定する画像ベース表現型計測法を開発し、独立動画と破壊的グラウンドトゥルースで検証しているため、方法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study proposes the Rotation-Synchronized Structural Locule Evaluator (RS-SLE).

DisQuan: a hybrid quantum–classical architecture for plant disease detection in staple and specialty crops ↗

Image-based plant disease identification is essential for advancing smart agriculture, particularly for staple crops such as rice and economically significant crops such as tea, which are cultivated under complex environmental conditions. Furthermore, these crop groups present distinct challenges: rice leaf disease data typically exhibits clear pathological structures but necessitates large-scale deployment on resource-limited devices, whereas tea leaf disease data is complicated by variable lighting, diverse backgrounds, and high biodiversity. Although current deep learning models achieve high accuracy, they predominantly utilize deep convolutional neural network (CNN) architectures with millions of parameters, which hinders practical deployment on edge devices and increases the risk of overfitting when field data is scarce. In response, this study introduces DisQuan, a hybrid architecture that integrates classical deep learning with quantum machine learning (QML) to balance accuracy and resource efficiency. In particular, DisQuan combines the lightweight DisNet feature-extraction network with a variablequantum neural network to compress and refine feature representations in quantum space, yielding a model with only 0.09 million parameters. Experimental results on rice and tea leaf disease datasets indicate that DisQuan achieves the highest accuracy on the rice dataset and performance comparable to deep CNN models with significantly more parameters on the tea dataset, while maintaining a compact and stable structure. Overall, these findings suggest that DisQuan provides a practical compromise between performance and model complexity, and highlight the potential of quantum-classical hybrid architectures for plant disease detection in real-world agricultural settings and on resource-constrained devices.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物葉の病害状態を画像から識別する量子・古典ハイブリッド手法を開発し、複数データセットで性能とモデル規模を評価しており、表現型取得・推定が中心である。

abstractExperimental results on rice and tea leaf disease datasets indicate that DisQuan achieves the highest accuracy on the rice dataset and performance comparable to deep CNN models with significantly more parameters on the tea dataset

Development of High-Fidelity DenseNet Framework for Multi-Disease Real-Time Crop Health Surveillance and Farming Recommendation in Maize (Zea Maize) Cultivation in Nigeria ↗

In Nigeria, maize is the most widely cultivated grain, largely supporting food security for about half of the population. Research has indicated that there is annual production is declaiming to approximately 50% in maize, this is due to crop diseases and pest damage. This research presents a deep learning surveillance system for crop disease prediction and pesticides recommendations based on a DenseNet-121 architecture for continuous video streams. The research was evaluated on a curated field dataset collected from three states in Nigeria; Adamawa, Borno, and Taraba State. The system achieved a mean accuracy of 98.2% and a mean F1-score of 0.982. The results reflect a strong discriminative capacity across the diverse textural maize diseases.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシの病害状態を映像から推定する深層学習手法の開発・評価が中心であり、植物病害表現型の画像ベース計測に該当する。農薬推薦も含むが、病害分類性能が明示的に評価されている。

abstractThis research presents a deep learning surveillance system for crop disease prediction and pesticides recommendations based on a DenseNet-121 architecture for continuous video streams.

A System for the Recognition of Some Selected Grain Plant Leaves Using Deep Learning Algorithms ↗

Manual inspection of grain plant leaves for defects is subjective and labor-intensive. Few studies have compared deep learning methods on a combined multi-crop dataset. The study collected locally 5,640 leaf images from rice, maize, and guinea corn farms in Nigeria and grouped them into six classes representing defective and healthy leaves for each crop. Three models were trained: YOLOv8 for end-to-end detection and classification, EfficientNetB0 for standalone image classification, and a hybrid that used YOLOv8 for leaf detection followed by EfficientNetB0 for patch classification. The hybrid achieved 99.85% accuracy on the test set, slightly above EfficientNetB0 (99.82%) and YOLOv8 (mAP 0.995). The hybrid also supplies bounding box locations, helping farmers identify exactly where damage appears. This system offers a reliable, field-deployable tool for monitoring grain crop health.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods穀物葉の健全・欠損状態を画像から検出・分類する深層学習システムの開発とモデル比較が中心であり、植物の病害・損傷状態を直接推定するため、植物フェノタイピング手法に該当する。

abstractManual inspection of grain plant leaves for defects is subjective and labor-intensive.

GCT-BCLN: a bidirectional closed-loop network for nondestructive detection of rice seed vigor using hyperspectral imaging. ↗

Rice seed vigor is a key determinant of germination performance and final crop yield, making its rapid and non-destructive assessment essential for seed quality evaluation. Conventional vigor detection methods are often destructive, labor-intensive, and time-consuming. Hyperspectral imaging provides a promising non-destructive alternative, but hyperspectral data are typically high-dimensional, redundant, and susceptible to noise and scattering interference. Moreover, existing models still have limited ability to discriminate subtle spectral differences among seed vigor levels. To address these challenges, this study proposes a gated recurrent unit (GRU)-guided closed-loop CNN-Transformer network (GCT-BCLN) for accurate, non-destructive identification of rice seed vigor. The model establishes bidirectional information flow between CNN and Transformer via the GRU, enabling dynamic and synergistic optimization of local spectral features and global spectral representations. In addition, a combined preprocessing strategy integrating adaptive iteratively reweighted penalized least squares (AirPLS), Savitzky-Golay (SG) smoothing, and multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) was adopted to improve spectral quality. Experimental results showed that GCT-BCLN achieved a test accuracy of 0.9795 for hybrid indica rice, outperforming the CNN-Transformer fusion model by 1.37%. The model also achieved accuracies of 0.9793 and 0.9758 on conventional japonica rice and glutinous japonica rice, respectively, showing consistent performance across the three evaluated variety-specific datasets under the controlled experimental protocol. These results support the feasibility of GCT-BCLN for laboratory-scale, non-destructive discrimination of aging-induced rice seed categories under controlled conditions, while practical application requires further external validation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ種子の活力という植物状態を、ハイパースペクトル画像と新規深層学習モデルで非破壊推定する手法開発が研究の中心である。

abstractthis study proposes a gated recurrent unit (GRU)-guided closed-loop CNN-Transformer network (GCT-BCLN) for accurate, non-destructive identification of rice seed vigor.

Development and validation of methods to assess red crown rot (Calonectria ilicicola) severity in soybean: standard area diagram set for roots and diagrammatic scale for canopy ↗

Red crown rot of soybean (RCR), caused by Calonectria ilicicola, is an emerging soilborne disease whose quantification is challenging due to its complex symptom development across root and foliage levels. This study developed and evaluated a multi-scale framework to improve the assessment of RCR severity from controlled environments to field conditions using root imaging and standardized visual scales. Under controlled conditions, a standard area diagram (SAD) for root necrosis was developed and validated, and SAD-assisted evaluations significantly improved accuracy, precision, and inter-rater agreement compared with unaided assessments. In field conditions, a diagrammatic symptom scale (DSS) was developed using consensus-rated images from experts and showed high reliability, repeatability, and reproducibility across 18 raters, with strong intra- and inter-rater agreement. This study developed and evaluated complementary methods to improve the assessment of RCR severity from controlled environments to field conditions using root imaging and standardized visual scales.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods根の壊死と地上部症状という植物病害状態の定量評価法を開発・検証しており、画像化と標準視覚尺度が研究の中心であるため。

abstractThis study developed and evaluated a multi-scale framework to improve the assessment of RCR severity from controlled environments to field conditions using root imaging and standardized visual scales.

UAV-Hyp: UAV Dataset for Remote Sensing-Based Phenotyping of Hypericum perforatum ↗

Quantitative flowering phenotypes are needed to support breeding and harvest management in Hypericum perforatum L. (St. John’s wort), but manual flower assessment is slow and difficult to standardize under field conditions. UAV-Hyp is a multi-temporal UAV RGB dataset containing 12,653 high-resolution images acquired at 26 measurement dates across the complete flowering period of 15 H. perforatum accessions. The images represent variable illumination, soil moisture, weed pressure, and developmental stages. The dataset provides 59,163 plant bounding boxes and 107,054 flower bounding boxes. As an application example, cascaded YOLOv8 plant and flower detectors achieved mAP@0.50:0.95 values of 0.977 and 0.950, respectively. UAV-Hyp supports scalable flower quantification and the development of time-series phenotyping methods for genotype comparison and quality-oriented medicinal-plant breeding.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物の開花形質を定量化するUAV画像データセットを提供し、検出性能も評価しているため、フェノタイピング用データセット・解析手法が中心です。

abstractUAV-Hyp is a multi-temporal UAV RGB dataset containing 12,653 high-resolution images acquired at 26 measurement dates across the complete flowering period of 15 H. perforatum accessions.

An Integrated Spatially Resolved Mechanistic Model of Hierarchical Auxin–Cytokinin–Ethylene Crosstalk Underlying Root Growth Inhibition in Arabidopsis ↗

Decoding how plants integrate multiple hormone signals to coordinate growth requires tools capable of resolving pathway interactions at cellular resolution in living tissue. Here we present ACE (Auxin–Cytokinin–Ethylene) and ACE2 , proof-of-concept single-locus reporters to simultaneously capture activity of multiple hormones. Deploying ACE alongside well-established reporters, exogenous hormone treatments, and reverse-genetic perturbations of hormone biosynthesis, signaling, and transport in three-day-old etiolated Arabidopsis seedlings, we dissect the spatiotemporal hierarchy governing primary root elongation and root apical meristem (RAM) size. We demonstrate that both ethylene- and cytokinin-triggered root growth inhibition involve a boost of TRYPTOPHAN AMINOTRANSFERASE OF ARABIDOPSIS1 (TAA1)-mediated auxin biosynthesis and AUXIN RESISTANT1 (AUX1)-dependent auxin redistribution. Two spatially distinct auxin responses underlie the respective root growth effects: ethylene expands TAA1-dependent auxin biosynthesis from the root vasculature into the epidermis and promotes AUX1-mediated auxin import into the transition and elongation zones to inhibit cell elongation, while cytokinin confines ethylene-dependent TAA1-boosted activity to the vasculature and drives auxin accumulation in lateral root cap cells to reduce RAM size. Together, these data establish a reciprocal regulatory loop between these hormones, positioning ethylene as a convergence node in auxin–cytokinin crosstalk, and cytokinin as a modulator of the ethylene–auxin interaction. Critically, the changes in cross-activated reporter patterns described for different genetic backgrounds, alongside quantitative assessment of hormone-specific inhibition of the mutants’ growth, were consistent with the multi-hormone network established over two decades of research, and added cell-type-resolved spatial detail and a proposed hierarchy for the etiolated seedling root. Finally, a second-generation reporter, ACE2 , overcomes key technical limitations of ACE , expanding the platform’s capacity toward a higher-order multi-hormone monitoring system. These resources expand the Arabidopsis genetic toolkit and provide a generalizable framework instrumental for dissecting multi-hormone signaling hierarchies at the cellular level.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods多ホルモン活性を生体組織で同時可視化するACE/ACE2レポーターを開発・改良し、遺伝背景や根成長阻害との整合性を検証しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractHere we present ACE (Auxin–Cytokinin–Ethylene) and ACE2 , proof-of-concept single-locus reporters to simultaneously capture activity of multiple hormones.

BFMambaNet: Boundary-Frequency-Guided Global Semantic Mamba Network for Fine-Grained Camellia oleifera Leaf Disease Segmentation. ↗

Camellia oleifera leaf disease segmentation under natural field conditions is important for precision plant protection but remains challenging because lesions often show small target areas, blurred boundaries, uneven illumination, complex backgrounds, and coexisting symptoms. To address these problems, this paper proposes BFMambaNet, a Boundary-Frequency-guided Global Semantic Mamba Network for fine-grained disease segmentation. The model adopts an encoder-decoder framework and introduces a Global Semantic Mamba-based spatial selective feature modeling block to capture long-range lesion context and reduce semantic confusion. A gated wavelet spatial enhancement block is further designed to strengthen high-frequency boundary details while suppressing noisy responses. During training, boundary-frequency auxiliary supervision guides contour localization and pathological texture recovery without additional manual boundary labels. A reinforcement-learning-guided adaptive loss controller adjusts class-wise reweighting factors and loss-component weights according to the training state, improving optimization stability. A pixel-level dataset containing 1400 images and seven disease categories was constructed for evaluation. Experimental results show that BFMambaNet achieves 92.39% Precision, 91.43% Recall, 91.26% Dice, and 85.46% mIoU, outperforming representative CNN-based, Transformer-based, and Mamba-based models. Evaluations on environmental subsets confirm superior robustness, outperforming VMamba by 3.70% mIoU under uneven illumination, 3.55% mIoU under complex backgrounds, and 5.10% mIoU under coexisting symptoms. Cross-dataset validation on Apple leaf diseases further proves its generalization with 3.39% mIoU and 3.84% Dice improvements over U-Mamba, while maintaining a competitive inference speed of 30 FPS. Qualitative results also show clearer boundaries, fewer missed small lesions, and more stable predictions in complex field scenarios.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物葉の病斑・病害状態を画像から画素単位で推定するセグメンテーション手法を開発し、データセット構築、性能評価、環境別評価、クロスデータセット検証まで行っており、病害フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractA pixel-level dataset containing 1400 images and seven disease categories was constructed for evaluation.

Optimizing cell segmentation and downstream processing for plant probe-based spatial transcriptomics ↗

Abstract Probe-based spatial transcriptomics platforms use predefined oligonucleotide panels to detect selected RNAs in tissue sections while preserving transcript spatial coordinates. Accurate cell segmentation is required for reliable transcript-to-cell assignments. This analytical process is affected in plant tissues by cell walls, large vacuoles, and strong autofluorescence, which often reduce boundary contrast and elevate background. Nucleus-only segmentation with fixed-distance expansion can be an alternative approach, but it underestimates cellular area and morphology and reduces the number of assignable transcripts per cell. Here, we present a practical workflow for segmentation and downstream processing in plant probe-based spatial transcriptomics. Using the soybean nodule, soybean seed, rice root, and wheat inflorescence, we demonstrate the applicability of our workflow across species, tissues, and technological platforms. In brief, candidate cell masks are generated from available fluorescence signals and then selected and corrected using two napari plugins. Transcript-informed refinement with Baysor is included as an optional step. Upon benchmarking our approach using a collection of metrics (assignment yield, background/negative controls, and per-cell transcript/gene distributions) and linked segmentation choices to expression-matrix quality and downstream clustering, we demonstrate the potential of our workflow to support the analysis of plant probe-based spatial transcriptomics.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物組織の細胞セグメンテーションとトランスクリプト割当てを改善する実用ワークフローを開発し、複数種・組織でベンチマークしている。植物形態そのものの測定ではないが、細胞レベルの空間状態を抽出する解析手法が中心である。

abstractHere, we present a practical workflow for segmentation and downstream processing in plant probe-based spatial transcriptomics.

A Novel Drought-Resistance Index Balancing Foxtail Millet Yield and Quality and Its Prediction Based on UAV Multimodal Data ↗

Drought stress severely limits foxtail millet yield and quality, yet current drought-resistance indices are exclusively yield-oriented and ignore grain-filling quality. Our two-year (2024–2025) experiments with 24–48 varieties revealed that yield and blighted grain rate (BGR) are partially decoupled (e.g., Zhangzagu 18: yield 2307 kg/ha, BGR 0.444; Zhonggu 19: yield 1622 kg/ha, BGR 0.280). We therefore constructed the Yield–Quality Synergy Index (YQSI = DYI − BGR), which penalizes varieties with poor grain filling. The YQSI tied for first place with DYI in comprehensive screening performance and achieved the highest inter-annual stability (Spearman ρ = 0.823, Jaccard = 0.438, composite score = 1.261). Sensitivity analysis confirmed robustness of the equal-weight formula across a 4-fold range of quality-penalty weights. Six strongly drought-resistant germplasms with balanced yield and quality were identified. Using UAV multimodal data (RGB, multispectral, and thermal infrared) acquired during grain filling, a Random Forest model predicted a YQSI with overall R2 = 0.819 and an F1 score of 0.933 for variety screening. Feature-importance analysis highlighted NDVI, WDRVI, and red-edge texture as key predictors. This study provides a quality-constrained drought-resistance evaluation framework and demonstrates the potential of UAV-based high-throughput phenotyping for foxtail millet breeding.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVのRGB・マルチスペクトル・熱赤外データから干ばつ耐性指標を予測する高スループット表現型解析手法が研究の中心であり、モデル性能も評価している。

abstractUsing UAV multimodal data (RGB, multispectral, and thermal infrared) acquired during grain filling, a Random Forest model predicted a YQSI with overall R2 = 0.819 and an F1 score of 0.933 for variety screening.

Detection of Candidate Wuyi Rock-Tea Shoots in Field RGB Images Using YOLO11s-CSNG ↗

Accurate field detection of candidate tea shoots could support plantation monitoring, yield estimation, fresh-leaf assessment, and future selective-harvesting research. Wuyi rock-tea shoots are small and slender, have weak visual boundaries, and are easily confused with branches, petioles, and complex canopy backgrounds. Here, we developed YOLO11s-CSNG for candidate shoot detection in natural plantation scenes. The model combines a channel-spatial feature enhancement bottleneck, a normalized Wasserstein distance constraint for bounding-box regression, and ghost convolution layers in the detection head. We evaluated the model through detector comparisons, module ablations, and repeated training with five matched random seeds on a natural-scene dataset containing four Wuyi rock-tea cultivars. Across the five matched seeds, the mean mAP@0.5 increased from 67.37 ± 0.91% to 67.97 ± 0.90% on the validation set and from 61.29 ± 0.40% to 61.88 ± 0.66% on the internal test set. Neither paired difference was statistically significant: The 95% confidence intervals included zero, and the exact two-sided paired-permutation p values were 0.375 and 0.250, respectively. The mean mAP@0.5:0.95 did not improve. YOLO11s-CSNG retained a model size and model-only edge-inference time comparable to YOLO11s, providing a compact design for candidate shoot-region detection under the sampled field conditions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods茶芽という植物器官の画像検出手法を開発し、比較・アブレーション・反復検証を行っているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractHere, we developed YOLO11s-CSNG for candidate shoot detection in natural plantation scenes.

SporaScan: cost-effective, high-precision leaf-disc disease severity assessment for grapevine downy mildew. ↗

Background Accurate assessment of disease severity is essential for evaluating fungicide performance and breeding disease-resistant crop varieties. Manual scoring of infection on individual leaf discs is labor-intensive and variable, while traditional computer vision methods require manual parameter tuning and lack robustness. Existing deep learning approaches often struggle to simultaneously localize leaf discs and accurately segment disease symptoms, limiting their practical application. Results We developed SporaScan, an automated pipeline combining YOLO v8n for leaf disc localization, Mobile SAM for background removal, and UNet for sporulation segmentation. It achieved high accuracy (mAP@50 >99%, mIoU@50 >96%), with background removal reducing misclassification (0.21% for sporulation and 2.75% for leaf discs). Severity estimates showed strong agreement with manual annotations (R 2 = 0.99). In a blind test, technicians selected SporaScan as superior in 37.2% of cases, manual annotation in 26.2%, and equal performance in 36.6% (P Conclusion These results demonstrate that SporaScan provides an efficient and practical approach for automated assessment of downy mildew severity, supporting applications in disease evaluation, breeding, and fungicide assessment (http://116.10.197.212:9060/segment/#/). © 2026 Society of Chemical Industry.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsブドウ葉ディスク上のべと病症状を画像から自動分割し、病害重症度を推定する手法を開発・検証しており、植物表現型取得が中心である。

abstractWe developed SporaScan, an automated pipeline combining YOLO v8n for leaf disc localization, Mobile SAM for background removal, and UNet for sporulation segmentation.

Evaluation of Portable X‐Ray Fluorescence ( pXRF ) as a Rapid Tool for Mineral Phenotyping in Cowpea [ Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] ↗

ABSTRACT The present study evaluated the applicability of Portable X‐ray Fluorescence (pXRF) for rapid determination of seed mineral concentrations in cowpea [ Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.] by comparing pXRF measurements with those obtained using Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS). Fifty‐seven cowpea genotypes, including two check varieties, were analysed for iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), potassium (K), and calcium (Ca). Simple linear regression was used to assess the relationship between pXRF‐ and AAS‐derived mineral concentrations using training ( n = 47) and independent validation ( n = 10) datasets. The pXRF measurements showed good agreement with the corresponding AAS values for both macro‐ and micronutrients, with comparatively stronger relationships observed for Fe, Zn, Mn, and Cu. Residual and normal Q–Q plot analyses supported the suitability of the regression models. The findings demonstrate that pXRF enables rapid, simultaneous multielement analysis with minimal sample preparation and provides an efficient approach for high‐throughput mineral phenotyping and biofortification‐oriented cowpea breeding programmes.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodspXRFによる種子ミネラル形質測定をAASと比較し、独立検証データで妥当性を評価しており、鉱物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThe present study evaluated the applicability of Portable X‐ray Fluorescence (pXRF) for rapid determination of seed mineral concentrations in cowpea

Climate change, water quality, and water diversion are associated with the shifts of aquatic vegetation structure and phenology in five temperate regulating lakes of eastern China. ↗

Aquatic plants are vital for lake ecosystem functioning and water-quality stability, yet their community dynamics and phenology rhythms remain insufficiently understood, due to the lack of effective strategies for fine-scale species mapping and phenology extraction. In this study, based on Sentinel-2 MSI imagery, we developed an integrated framework combining machine learning and a priori ecological knowledge to quantify the spatiotemporal changes in aquatic plant distribution, species composition and phenological dynamics for eight dominant species in five regulating lakes along the Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project in China. Results showed that the proposed framework enabled accurate aquatic plant identification, achieving an overall classification accuracy of 96.16% and over 90% accuracy for each species. Since 2016, aquatic vegetation coverage has substantially declined in most lakes, mainly due to the retreat of submerged vegetation. Community structure has shifted from submerged-plant dominance to emergent and floating-leaved dominance in two of them. Phenologically, we found that most aquatic vegetation exhibited a longer growing season, characterized by earlier growth onset (-0.28 days/year) and peak timing (-0.67 days/year) and delayed senescence (0.54 days/year). Correlation analysis indicated that aquatic vegetation dynamics was associated with climate variation, nutrient enrichment, turbidity, and water diversion, with warming and solar radiation likely promoting the growth of some emergent species, while nutrient enrichment and turbidity could be linked with submerged vegetation decline and earlier phenological shifts. Overall, this study provides an effective framework for species-level mapping and phenological monitoring of aquatic vegetation, offering valuable support for the management and conservation of lake ecosystems.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsSentinel-2画像と機械学習等を統合した、植物種分布・構成・フェノロジーを抽出する手法を開発し、精度検証と大規模適用を行っているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractwe developed an integrated framework combining machine learning and a priori ecological knowledge to quantify the spatiotemporal changes in aquatic plant distribution, species composition and phenological dynamics for eight dominant species in five regulating lakes

A Method for Measuring Plant Spacing of Maize Seedlings Based on Improved YOLOv8 ↗

The uniformity of maize plant spacing serves as a critical indicator for assessing sowing quality, seed vigor, and field seedling emergence stability. However, manual measurement is inefficient, and complex field conditions make automatic seedling detection and plant spacing measurement challenging. Aiming at the challenges of missed detection, insufficient accuracy for small targets, and large errors in plant spacing calculation under complex field conditions, this study constructs a high-quality dataset containing 693 maize seedling images and implements preprocessing enhancement for images degraded by haze or dust. An intelligent maize seedling detection and plant spacing measurement method based on improved YOLOv8 is proposed. The Global Attention Mechanism (GAM) is embedded into the backbone network to strengthen cross-dimension information interaction between channels and spaces, suppress background interference, and reduce the missed detection rate. The Bi-directional Feature Pyramid Network (BiFPN) is adopted to replace the original PAFPN for enhanced multi-scale feature fusion and deep semantic representation. A new 160 × 160 high-resolution small-object detection layer is added to significantly improve the detection performance of weak and small seedlings. Experimental results demonstrate that the improved model achieves a precision, recall, mAP50, and mAP50-95 of 89.4%, 90.3%, 94.4%, and 49.4%, respectively, which are 2.6, 0.5, 1.5, and 2.7 percentage points higher than those of the original YOLOv8 model. These results indicate that the proposed model improved maize seedling detection performance under complex field conditions. Automatic plant spacing calculation is realized based on detection outputs; the average plant spacing of the dataset is 30.42 cm, with a relative error of only 4.93% compared with the preset sowing spacing of 32 cm. The proposed method can efficiently accomplish field seedling identification, plant spacing quantification, and sowing quality evaluation, providing reliable technical support for precision maize sowing, seeder parameter optimization, and intelligent field management, which is of great significance for promoting the intelligent upgrading of grain crop production.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシ幼苗の検出画像から株間という植物形態・配置形質を自動抽出するYOLOv8手法を開発し、データセット構築と性能検証まで行っており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractAutomatic plant spacing calculation is realized based on detection outputs

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

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.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods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。

abstractLaser 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.

Global-Local Feature-Based Rice Leaf Disease Classification Using Two-Stream Deep Neural Network Feature Fusion ↗

Rice leaf diseases significantly affect crop health and yield potential, creating a need for accurate and timely disease diagnosis. Many existing approaches still rely on single-stream feature extraction architectures, which may limit the ability to simultaneously capture global contextual information and fine-grained disease characteristics. Moreover, limited interpretability and decision-support capability hinder their practical deployment in real-world rice farming. To address these limitations, we employed a framework consists of two parallel feature extraction streams designed to capture different characteristics of disease patterns. The first stream uses a Swin Transformer to learn global contextual information and long-range spatial relationships across the leaf image. The second stream employs ConvNeXt to extract local texture features, including lesion details, spots, and color variations. By combining these complementary representations, the proposed framework effectively integrates global semantic information with local disease-specific features for improved classification performance. The extracted features from the two streams are fused through concatenation followed by an attention-based feature refinement module, enabling adaptive weighting of discriminative features. The refined representation is then used by a fully connected classifier for disease prediction. To enhance model interpretability, Grad-CAM visualization is incorporated to highlight disease-relevant regions and provide visual explanations for the model decisions. Furthermore, an LLM-based advisory module is integrated as a post-diagnosis decision-support component to provide contextualized disease management information and suggestions based on the predicted disease category. The generated suggestions are intended to support, rather than replace, expert agronomic recommendations and should be validated by agricultural professionals before practical application. The proposed framework was evaluated on two rice leaf disease datasets, achieving accuracies of 99.55% and 97.06% on Dataset-1 and Dataset-2, respectively, which are higher than those reported in previous studies. Additionally, five-fold cross-validation on Dataset-1 achieved an average accuracy of 98.91% ± 0.47, demonstrating the stability of the proposed approach. Cross-dataset evaluation using nine common disease classes across both datasets achieved 90.80% accuracy, indicating improved generalization across different data distributions. The proposed framework provides an accurate and explainable approach for rice leaf disease diagnosis in smart agriculture applications.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ葉画像から病害状態を推定する二流路深層学習手法を開発・評価しており、植物病害表現型の取得・分類が中心である。

titleGlobal-Local Feature-Based Rice Leaf Disease Classification Using Two-Stream Deep Neural Network Feature Fusion

Deep Learning Techniques for Crop Health Monitoring and Disease Detection ↗

This paper explores how deep learning methods can be used to monitor the health of crops and identify diseases, particularly for the apple crop. As the need for food security and sustainable farming methods increases, there is a strong demand for early detection of crop diseases. We have used a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), based on the model of VGG16 architecture, since the model is known to be effective in image classification. The dataset contained 7771 training images for to enhance machines deep learning regarding plant diseases. Following that, validation image collection of 1747 images divided into four health conditions of the apple crops. In addition, the model was evaluated using 196 new images as a final test. To enhance the model capacity for recognizing diseases of real leaves rather than just memorize exact training pictures, data augmentation was used with ImageDataGenerator of TensorFlow. This means the training images were zoomed, rotated, and shifted to enable the machine detects more variations. Ten epochs of training were performed to measure the model accuracy. The results indicated that the model obtained significant improvement in training and validation accuracy from 56.43% to 78.12% and 92.94 to 96.93%, respectively. Most impressively, the final test dataset, which contained completely new images, scored an accuracy rate of 98%. The results indicate that in the architecture field the application of deep learning methodologies is effective, suggesting that automated detection of diseases by using sophisticated image analysis manages crop diseases identification efficiently. Combination of these methods successfully creates avenues for novel research to built real-time systems of crop disease monitoring, which help farmers increase their productions and farm their lands sustainably.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリンゴ葉の画像から病害・健全状態をCNNで推定する画像ベース植物フェノタイピング手法であり、学習・検証・未知画像で性能評価を行っているため含める。

abstractWe have used a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), based on the model of VGG16 architecture, since the model is known to be effective in image classification.

Spatial Domain Mismatch Between Field Plots and GEDI Inflates Aboveground Biomass Model Accuracy in a Sudanian Savanna Woodland ↗

Accurate estimation of aboveground biomass (AGB) in dryland savanna woodlands is constrained by sparse field data, which has motivated widespread fusion of field plots with spaceborne LiDAR reference data from the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI). Here, we show that such fusion can substantially inflate apparent model accuracy when the two reference sources sample different spatial domains. Using 44 field plots from the Abu-Gadaf Natural Reserved Forest (AGNRF), Sudan, and 56 GEDI L4A footprints drawn from a 50 km buffer surrounding the reserve, we trained Random Forest (RF), Gradient Boosting (GB) and Classification and Regression Tree (CART) models on Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, SRTM and Dynamic World predictors and evaluated them under 10-fold, 2 km block spatial cross-validation. The merged dataset yielded apparently moderate performance (RF: RMSE = 9.40 Mg ha−1, R2 = 0.33). However, GEDI-derived AGB was 2.1 times higher than field-measured AGB (18.71 vs. 8.89 Mg ha−1; Kolmogorov–Smirnov D = 0.53, p

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods圃場・GEDI・衛星データを統合して植物群落の地上部バイオマス（AGB）を推定し、空間交差検証でモデル精度と空間ドメイン不一致によるバイアスを評価している。植物形質の推定手法の検証が中心で、単なる生物学的実験の routine measurement ではない。

abstractAccurate estimation of aboveground biomass (AGB) in dryland savanna woodlands is constrained by sparse field data, which has motivated widespread fusion of field plots with spaceborne LiDAR reference data from the Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation (GEDI).

Machine learning-optimized spectral indices for high-throughput phenotyping of chlorophyll and yield of wheat breeding lines under salinity stress conditions ↗

High-throughput phenotyping is key in modern breeding for rapidly and cost-effectively evaluating salt-adaptive traits. However, few studies have combined spectral reflectance indices (SRIs) with deep learning to assess field-grown wheat under salt stress. In this study, we developed optimized 2D and 3D SRIs integrated with artificial neural network (ANN) to assess chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), total chlorophyll (TChl), and grain yield (GY) in 32 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) and four cultivars under 150 mM NaCl field conditions. ANOVA revealed that genotype contributed the largest proportion of the treatment sum of squares across all traits (60–80%), followed by the genotype × year interaction (8–15%), whereas year contributed the smallest proportion (1–5%). Heatmap clustering of these traits clearly distinguished salt-tolerant from salt-sensitive genotypes. The study findings highlight using four key traits as screening criteria for salt tolerance in wheat. Our optimized 2D/3D spectral indices showed moderate to strong predictive power (R 2 = 0.25–0.75), outperforming earlier indices. Multi-season data improved accuracy by 15–25%, with best predictions for Chl a and TChl (R 2 = 0.34–0.75) versus Chl b and GY (R 2 = 0.25–0.64). Top models included ANN-3D-SRIs-8 for Chl a (R 2 = 0.735/0.644), ANN-3D-SRIs-3 for Chl b (R 2 = 0.611/0.549), ANN-2D-3D-SRIs-3 for TChl (R 2 = 0.713/0.619), and ANN-2D-SRIs-2 for GY (R 2 = 0.648/0.553). This framework combines optimized indices and machine learning for scalable, high-throughput phenotyping to advance precision breeding of salt-tolerant wheat.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsスペクトル指数とニューラルネットワークを開発・評価し、コムギのクロロフィルと収量を高スループット推定する方法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe developed optimized 2D and 3D SRIs integrated with artificial neural network (ANN) to assess chlorophyll a (Chl a), chlorophyll b (Chl b), total chlorophyll (TChl), and grain yield (GY)

Detection of nitrogen content in wheat leaves based on visible/near-infrared spectroscopy sensing. ↗

Nitrogen is an important element present in vital substances such as plant proteins and chlorophyll, the content of which directly reflects the nutrient status of crops, and provides a theoretical basis for crop nutrient diagnosis, growth monitoring and yield potential prediction. Taking the chip-level visible/near-infrared spectral sensor AS7263 as the data acquisition module and the Arduino Uno single-chip microcomputer development board as the control module, a portable crop leaf spectral sensing system was designed in this study. The spectral reflectance and nitrogen content of wheat leaves were obtained through field experiments. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to eliminate abnormal spectral data. Combined with pretreatment algorithms including Multiplicative Scatter Correction (MSC) and Standard Normal Variate (SNV), the prediction models for wheat leaf nitrogen content were established based on Partial Least Squares (PLS), Support Vector Machine (SVR), Random Forest (RF) and a Back Propagation (BP) neural network. The results showed that compared with SNV, the model performance based on the spectral data after MSC pretreatment was better. The test set R 2 values of PLS, SVR, RF and BP models were 0.61, 0.75, 0.83, and 0.89, and the root mean square errors (RMSEs) were 4.62 mg g -1 , 4.38 mg g -1 , 3.39 mg g -1 and 3.27 mg g -1 , respectively. The MSC-BP prediction performance was the best, and the non-destructive and accurate detection of nitrogen in wheat leaves was realized, which verified the feasibility of micro-spectral sensing technology in crop nutrition diagnosis.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小型可见/近红外光谱传感系统及预测模型是论文核心，用于无损估计小麦叶片氮含量这一植物生理性状，并报告了模型比较与验证性能。

abstracta portable crop leaf spectral sensing system was designed in this study

Comparison of UAV Image-Based Detection Accuracy of Pine Wilt Disease-Affected Trees Using Different Dataset Compositions and Attention Modules ↗

This study evaluated the effects of input-channel composition and the incorporation of attention modules on the detection accuracy of visually suspected pine wilt disease (PWD)-affected trees using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) RGB orthomosaic imagery and the YOLO26-Large (YOLO26-L) deep learning model.Four datasets were constructed: Dataset A, consisting of three RGB channels; Dataset B, combining RGB with elevation and aspect (5 channels); Dataset C, combining RGB with three graylevel co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) texture features, namely Angular Second Mement (ASM), Entropy, and Homogeneity (6 channels); and Dataset D, combining RGB with the GLCM texture features and topographic information, namely elevation and aspect (8 channels).The Squeeze-and-Excitation (SE) block and Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) were independently integrated into the YOLO26-L baseline model, and the detection performance of the 12 combinations was analyzed.In the accuracy assessment, the YOLO26-L baseline model trained with Dataset B achieved the highest mean Average Precision (mAP)@50 of 0.63 among the 12 combinations.However, the differences among the 12 combinations were marginal and did not indicate the superiority of a specific combination.Dataset C and Dataset D, which incorporated GLCM texture features, achieved accuracy levels similar to those of Dataset A, which used RGB alone, indicating that GLCM texture features did not substantially improve the detection of PWD-affected trees in 5-cm-resolution imagery.The application of attention modules also did not lead to a consistent improvement in accuracy, and the detection rates of all 12 combinations remained around 60% for objects smaller than 25 m².These results suggest that simply adding texture features or attention modules did not reliably improve detection accuracy.This study extends RGB-based UAV detection of PWD-affected trees by progressively integrating elevation, aspect, and GLCM texture features into four datasets and evaluating their interactions with SE and CBAM attention modules across a 12-combination experimental matrix.The results can inform the selection of input channels and model architectures in future forest disease detection studies.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像と深層学習モデルを用いてマツ材線虫病罹病木の検出精度、入力特徴、注意機構を比較評価しており、植物の病害状態を推定する方法の技術的検証が中心である。

abstractThis study evaluated the effects of input-channel composition and the incorporation of attention modules on the detection accuracy of visually suspected pine wilt disease (PWD)-affected trees using unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) RGB orthomosaic imagery and the YOLO26-Large (YOLO26-L) deep learning model.

APLICAÇÃO DE REDES NEURAIS CONVOLUCIONAIS PARA DETECÇÃO DE DOENÇAS EM FOLHAS DE MACIEIRAS ↗

O cultivo de maçãs tem grande importância econômica no setor agropecuário brasileiro, especialmente na região Sul do país. No entanto, a produtividade dos pomares é frequentemente comprometida por doenças foliares que, se não tratadas, podem resultar em perdas substanciais. Nesse contexto, os avanços em técnicas de Aprendizado de Máquina têm possibilitado o desenvolvimento de soluções computacionais que auxiliam no diagnóstico agropecuário com maior precisão e agilidade. Este trabalho propõe uma abordagem baseada em Redes Neurais Convolucionais que utiliza aprendizado por transferência para detectar automaticamente sintomas de doenças em folhas de macieira. A metodologia desenvolvida inclui a segmentação e análise de regiões sintomáticas para reduzir o ruído proveniente de áreas saudáveis ​​e direcionar o aprendizado do modelo para sinais relevantes. Um total de 32.382 manchas de sintomas foram extraídas de 1.995 imagens originais, abrangendo cinco classes de distúrbios foliares: glomerela, sarna, danos por herbicidas, deficiência de magnésio e deficiência de potássio. A rede MobileNetV2, treinada por meio de aprendizado por transferência, alcançou um F1-score de 0,926 e 93,8% de acurácia no conjunto de teste reservado. Os resultados indicam um bom desempenho no contexto avaliado, sugerindo o potencial da abordagem como ferramenta de apoio ao diagnóstico da saúde das plantas e à tomada de decisões em campo. Palavras-chave: aprendizado de máquina; visão computacional; doenças em plantas. Application of convolutional neural networks for disease detection in apple tree leaves ABSTRACT: Apple cultivation holds significant economic importance in the Brazilian agricultural sector, especially in the southern region of the country. However, orchard productivity is often compromised by foliar diseases, which, if left untreated, can lead to substantial losses. In this context, advances in Machine Learning techniques have enabled the development of computational solutions that support agricultural diagnostics with greater accuracy and agility. This work proposes an approach based on Convolutional Neural Networks that uses transfer learning to automatically detect disease symptoms in apple leaves. The developed methodology includes segmentation and analysis of symptomatic regions to reduce noise from healthy areas and focus the model’s learning on relevant signals. A total of 32,382 symptom patches were extracted from 1,995 original images, covering five foliar disorder classes: glomerella, scab, herbicide damage, magnesium deficiency, and potassium deficiency. The MobileNetV2, trained via transfer learning, achieved a F1-score of 0.926 and 93.8% accuracy on the held-out test set. The results indicate good performance in the evaluated setting, suggesting the approach’s potential as a tool to support plant-health diagnosis and field decision-making. Keywords: machine learning; computer vision; plant disease.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods葉の病徴を画像から自動検出・分類するCNNと、症状領域のセグメンテーションを中心的に開発・評価しており、植物病害状態の画像ベース表現型計測に該当する。

abstractEste trabalho propõe uma abordagem baseada em Redes Neurais Convolucionais que utiliza aprendizado por transferência para detectar automaticamente sintomas de doenças em folhas de macieira.

Rice evapotranspiration estimation and irrigation optimization based on coupling UAV multispectral and thermal infrared imagery with the FAO-56 model ↗

Abstract China's rice production and environmental sustainability are largely dependent on the cold black soil region in Northeast China, where precise water and nitrogen management is challenged by water scarcity and high carbon emissions. To overcome the limitations of conventional empirical management and improve the accuracy of evapotranspiration (ET) estimation in controlled-irrigation paddy fields, this study proposes a novel framework integrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral and thermal infrared observations, the FAO-56 dual crop coefficient approach, and the NSGA-II multi-objective optimization model. To parameterize and validate this methodology, field data comprising four lower limit thresholds for controlled irrigation and four nitrogen fertilizer application rates were acquired from the Rice Research Site of Farm 856, Heilongjiang Province, China. This integrated approach was used to systematically evaluate rice growth, water consumption, resource use efficiency, and greenhouse gas emissions under different water-nitrogen treatments. Based on these evaluations, an irrigation optimization scheme was developed using daily crop evapotranspiration (ETc). The results indicated that water, nitrogen, and their interaction significantly affected rice yield, irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE), partial factor productivity of nitrogen (PFPN), and global warming potential (GWP). Treatments W3N2 (80%+155 kg/ha N) and W3N3 (80%+200 kg/ha N) achieved the highest yields, 11,883.51 and 11,436.82 kg/ha, respectively, whereas W2N1 (70%+110 kg/ha N) exhibited the best comprehensive performance, with a TCQ value of 0.65. Among the tested vegetation indices, the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) showed the strongest correlation with the basal crop coefficient, with an R²of 0.85. The NDVI -crop water stress index ( CWSI ) coupled model achieved the highest ET c estimation accuracy (R 2 = 0.89, RMSE = 0.39 mm/day), reducing the RMSE by 10.3% compared to the traditional, Multi-objective optimization revealed obvious trade-offs among high yield, water saving, high nitrogen efficiency, and low emissions. Scenario S5 was identified as the optimal solution, with an irrigation amount of 669.94 mm, a nitrogen rate of 117.48 kg/ha, a yield of 11,473.43 kg/ha, and the highest coordination degree of 0.86. These results demonstrate that coupling UAV multispectral and thermal infrared imagery with the FAO-56 model can effectively improve ETc estimation and provide reliable data support for water-nitrogen multi-objective optimization in cold-region rice production.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVマルチスペクトル・熱赤外画像とFAO-56を結合し、イネの蒸発散量を推定する手法を開発・検証しており、ETc推定精度も定量評価しているため、単なる灌漑試験ではなく植物状態の計測手法が中心です。

abstractthis study proposes a novel framework integrating unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) multispectral and thermal infrared observations, the FAO-56 dual crop coefficient approach, and the NSGA-II multi-objective optimization model.

Comparative evaluation of five biomass quantification methods in bermudagrass ↗

Accurate estimation of pasture biomass is essential for determining cattle stocking rates and grazing durations. The objective of this study was to comparatively evaluate five sensor-based systems for estimating aboveground Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) biomass and identify the leading sensing approach for continued development and broader validation. The five systems included Structure-from-Motion (SfM), Ultrasound Sensor and Ski (US-Ski), Inertial Measurement Unit and Ski (IMU-Ski), Inertial Measurement Unit and Roller (IMU-Roller), and Depth Camera (DC). These systems were deployed on unmanned aerial and ground vehicles to measure crop height under identical field conditions. Regression models relating measured crop height to wet biomass yield (WBY) were developed as a common calibration framework for statistically comparing sensor performance. These empirical allometric equations were intended to support comparative benchmarking of the sensing systems and were not developed as final operational biomass prediction models for immediate field deployment. The influence of vegetation coverage on yield predictions generated by the crop height-based equations was also examined. The results indicated that the IMU-Ski system demonstrated the strongest overall comparative performance (R2 = 0.97; SeY = 1112 kg-wet/ha), followed by the DC system (R2 = 0.97; SeY = 1132 kg-wet/ha). Based on its overall benchmarking performance, including calibration accuracy, residual error and simplicity, the IMU-Ski system was identified as the leading sensing approach for continued development and broader validation among the five evaluated methods. The results also indicated that addition of vegetation coverage into the crop height-based regression models did not significantly improve prediction accuracy under the experimental conditions evaluated.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods複数のセンサーシステムによる牧草バイオマス推定を比較・校正・ベンチマークしており、植物形質の取得法と技術性能の評価が研究の中心です。

abstractcomparatively evaluate five sensor-based systems for estimating aboveground Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) biomass

High‐throughput assessment of plant stand establishment, seedling vigor, and light interception in peanut using UAV‐based RGB and multispectral imagery ↗

Abstract In peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.), plant stand establishment, seedling vigor, and canopy growth are key determinants of crop performance; yet traditional ground‐based assessment methods can be destructive, labor‐intensive, and limited in throughput. This study evaluated the potential of vegetation metrics derived from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)‐based red‐green‐blue (RGB) and multispectral (MS) imagery for high‐throughput, nondestructive assessment of plant stand establishment, seedling vigor, and light interception in peanut. Six runner‐type peanut cultivars were evaluated in 2024 and seven in 2025, with each cultivar represented by two seed size classes (small and large), to generate variation in these traits. Within‐row vegetation discontinuity‐based plant stand ratings for estimating plant stand count ( R 2 = 0.81–0.90), together with canopy coverage for assessing seedling biomass ( R 2 = 0.77–0.82) and light interception ( R 2 = 0.96–0.98), were the best‐performing vegetation metrics. These vegetation metrics provided similar or greater cultivar separation compared with ground‐based measurements. In contrast, several vegetation indices exhibited strong correlations with ground‐based measurements but provided inconsistent cultivar rankings and statistical groupings. MS imagery outperformed RGB imagery for plant stand and seedling biomass assessment. Overall, these results demonstrate that UAV‐derived canopy metrics provide reliable, high‐throughput tools for early‐ to mid‐season crop assessment and offer scalable alternatives to traditional ground‐based approaches for agronomic, crop physiological, and plant breeding research.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像から植物体の出芽・苗勢・バイオマス・光 interception を推定する植 phenotyping 手法を開発・評価しており、取得指標の性能検証が研究の中心です。

abstractThis study evaluated the potential of vegetation metrics derived from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)‐based red‐green‐blue (RGB) and multispectral (MS) imagery for high‐throughput, nondestructive assessment of plant stand establishment, seedling vigor, and light interception in peanut.

Non-destructive tree volume estimation using mobile laser scanning: Impact of the tree shape on measurement error. ↗

Accurate tree volume estimation is central to forest management and carbon accounting. Allometric equations are widely used but limited in transferability across species, regions, and environmental conditions. Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS) offers a promising alternative through direct measurement of tree geometry; however, the influence of tree shape on MLS accuracy remains poorly understood. This study evaluated MLS-derived estimates of stem diameters, total tree height, and merchantable stem volume against destructive reference measurements from 176 trees spanning eight species (four hardwood, four softwood) in Wallonia, Belgium. A Zeb Horizon RT scanner was used; tree architectural descriptors extracted from the point cloud were tested for associations with measurement error. Across 7,824 stem diameter measurements, MLS achieved a mean error of 0.46 cm, with precision declining above 15 m. MLS-derived height outperformed Vertex IV clinometer measurements for hardwood species (RMSE% = 6.88 vs. 8.78) but performed slightly less well for softwoods (RMSE% = 7.36 vs. 6.14). QSM-based volume estimates systematically underestimated reference values, while taper-based reconstruction produced nearly unbiased estimates with an RMSE of 15.72%. Correlation analyses and PCA showed that tree architectural variables explained only a small fraction of MLS error variability. Diameter and height errors were largely independent of structural attributes, while volume errors showed moderate associations with tree size and crown density. These findings indicate that tree architecture is not a primary source of MLS measurement uncertainty. Future MLS-based forest inventory efforts should prioritize acquisition and processing optimization, as scanning conditions and forest structure appear more influential than tree shape.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsMLSによる樹木形状・直径・樹高・幹材積の非破壊推定を、破壊測定と比較検証し、測定誤差の要因を評価した方法検証研究である。

titleNon-destructive tree volume estimation using mobile laser scanning: Impact of the tree shape on measurement error.

Revisiting the Temperature Dependence of the Photorespiratory CO 2 Compensation Point (Γ*). ↗

Accurate estimation of the photorespiratory CO 2 compensation point (Γ*) is essential for describing the balance between Rubisco carboxylation and oxygenation and for parameterising biochemical models of photosynthesis. Γ* and the rate of CO 2 release in the light (D L ) are commonly estimated using the Laisk method, based on measurements of net CO 2 assimilation rate (A net ) at low chloroplastic CO 2 concentrations (c c ), under several sub-saturating irradiance levels. However, many widely used temperature dependence relationships for Γ* (Γ*(T)) were derived using conventional linear implementations of the Laisk method, despite the intrinsically nonlinear behaviour of the A net -c c response predicted by the photosynthetic theory. Here, we revisited the temperature dependence of Γ* and D L using the improved Laisk-FvCB framework that simultaneously constrains the nonlinear A net -c c response across multiple irradiance levels. Gas exchange of sunflower leaves was measured across a wide temperature range from 3.9°C to 42.0°C. The conventional linear implementation generated highly dispersed pairwise intersections and unstable estimates of both Γ* and D L , including some physiologically unrealistic negative D L values at low temperatures. In contrast, the mechanistically constrained Laisk-FvCB framework produced physiologically meaningful temperature responses and substantially reduced methodological artefacts associated with linear extrapolation. Using this framework, we derived a revised in vivo Γ*(T) relationship described by an Arrhenius-type function with Γ*(25) = 43.4 μmol mol -1 and an apparent activation energy of 27.7 kJ mol -1 , such that Γ*(T) = 43.4 exp[11.176 ((T - 25)/(T + 273.15))], where T is leaf temperature in °C. Comparison with other widely used Γ*(T) formulations showed substantial divergence at temperature extremes, often exceeding the variability expected from realistic interspecific differences in Rubisco specificity among C 3 species.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物葉のガス交換からΓ*と光呼吸CO₂放出速度を推定する改良Laisk-FvCB手法を提示し、従来法との比較で推定の安定性と方法論的アーティファクトを検証しているため、植物表現型測定法が中心である。

abstractHere, we revisited the temperature dependence of Γ* and D L using the improved Laisk-FvCB framework that simultaneously constrains the nonlinear A net -c c response across multiple irradiance levels.

Decoding genetic basis of nitrogen use efficiency in maize using AI-generated deep phenotypes. ↗

Improving nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is essential for sustainable agriculture, yet conventionally measured plant characteristics have limited value as NUE proxies. Here we show that artificial intelligence (AI) can uncover previously unrecognized phenotypic variation associated with NUE, revealing genetic variation that is largely missed by conventional phenotypes. We trained a convolutional neural network (CNN) on 25,080 maize images to learn features that distinguish how plants respond to low- and high-N conditions, achieving 96.7% accuracy. The learned features were defined as deep phenotypes. Compared with conventional phenotypes, deep phenotypes showed greater phenotypic variation and higher heritability, enabling the identification of 523 significant loci compared with 21 for conventional phenotypes. We next investigated candidate genes underlying these loci and used these findings to interpret the learned features. Lower CNN layers primarily reflected visual patterns overlapping with conventional phenotypes, whereas deeper layers encoded additional features associated with N-responsive genetic variation. To validate candidate genes identified by the AI framework, we functionally characterized Liguleless2 (LG2), a basic-leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor, and demonstrated that lg2 mutants exhibit enhanced root architecture and increased N uptake efficiency. Field trials of 200 hybrids across diverse N environments further supported the AI findings, with each beneficial allele increasing ear weight by an average of 18 g per plot under low-N conditions. These results show how integrating AI and biology can uncover biologically relevant variation underlying complex traits such as NUE and enhance the interpretability of AI models.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsCNNで植物画像からN応答に関連する「deep phenotypes」を抽出する手法が研究の中心であり、従来形質との比較や遺伝的妥当性検証も行っている。

abstractWe trained a convolutional neural network (CNN) on 25,080 maize images to learn features that distinguish how plants respond to low- and high-N conditions, achieving 96.7% accuracy.

Cabbage Height, Volume, and Distance Measurements Using LiDAR, RGB, and RGB-D Imaging ↗

Conventional methods of plant distance and volume measurements are limited by low efficiency, limited spatial coverage, and high measurement error. LiDAR and RGB-D imaging offer cost-effective, precise, and non-destructive techniques for plant distance and volume measurements. This study aimed to measure cabbage height, volume, and distance using LiDAR and RGB-D imaging. The sensors were mounted on a 1.6 kW electric field scouting platform (EFSP) for data collection. Point cloud (PCD) data were collected using LiDAR, whereas data processing, visualization, and measurements were done using commercial software and open-source programming scripts. A total of 20 cabbage plants were analyzed. LiDAR data processing included data frame screening, outlier removal, denoising, voxelization, and generation of 3D PCD density maps. Depth image processing included importing raw data and metadata shaping using intrinsic camera parameters, visualization, extraction of depth points, and pixel-level measurements of distances and volume. RGB image processing involved image conversion, segmentation, normalization, binary masking, mask cleaning, region extraction of cabbages, separation of ROI and preparation of contours, Delaunay triangulation and convex hull preparation, ROI overlay, bounding box preparation, sharing boundary between two boxes, conversion to pixel distances, and for visualization, plant height, volume measurements, and center to center distance measurement for measuring the plant distance. LiDAR demonstrated higher measurement accuracy for cabbage plant height, circumferential volume (geometric canopy volume), and plant distance, followed by RGB-D imaging, while RGB imagery showed comparatively lower performance under the study field conditions. Overall, LiDAR and RGB-D imaging provided reliable and non-destructive approaches for cabbage geometric characterization under field conditions, although accurately capturing complex plant geometry remains challenging. Positive and negative values of bias represent the over- and under-estimated results, respectively. Future studies should include larger and more diverse plant datasets exhibiting diversified size, shape, and geometric structure to further improve the robustness and general applicability of the proposed sensing approaches.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsLiDAR、RGB、RGB-Dを用いてキャベツの高さ・体積・株間距離を取得し、処理手順と測定精度を比較評価する手法研究であり、植物表現型取得が中心である。

abstractThis study aimed to measure cabbage height, volume, and distance using LiDAR and RGB-D imaging.

Near-infrared phenomic and genomic prediction for seed protein in winter legume white lupin (Lupinus albus L.): A utility comparison ↗

White lupin ( Lupinus albus L.) is a cool-season grain legume with seed crude protein of 33-47%, competitive with soybean ( Glycine max L.) meal. It also fixes nitrogen and mobilizes soil phosphorus. Because soybean is a summer crop, white lupin can occupy Southeastern winter fields as a complementary protein source. Breeding for seed protein is limited by the cost and throughput of reference phenotyping. To determine how each is best deployed, we compared the utility of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS)-based phenomic selection with genomic selection based on 246,847 SNPs from low-pass, whole genome sequencing in a panel of Auburn University breeding lines and USDA National Plant Germplasm System germplasm. A handheld NIR calibration against Dumas reference protein reached screening-grade accuracy (R 2 = 0.81). Under common cross-validation, phenomic predictive ability was 0.93 and genomic was 0.12. The low genomic value was consistent with moderate heritability (H 2 = 0.33) and strong genotype-by-year interaction. Beyond predictive ability, NIRS recovered superior accessions the strictest selection intensity, and 40 to 60 reference assays sufficed to calibrate the model. Handheld NIRS is a low-cost tool for protein calibration and early-generation screening, while genomic prediction remains suited to parental selection, together supporting a complementary strategy for legume breeding Plain Language Summary Soybean meal is the main protein source for livestock and fish farms in the United States. Because soybean is a summer crop, many Southeastern fields sit idle or grow low-value cover crops in winter. White lupin, a cool-season legume whose seeds are as protein-rich as soybean meal, makes a good complementary winter crop: it yields high-protein grain while serving as a cover crop that fixes nitrogen and frees up soil phosphorus for later crops. In our early-stage lupin breeding program, measuring seed protein by standard lab methods is slow and costly. We built a calibration that lets a handheld scanner estimate protein from light, and compared it with predicting protein from the plant’s DNA. The scanner gave accurate, low-cost protein screening from only about 40-60 lab tests, while DNA-based prediction remains suited to guiding parent selection. Used together, these tools offer breeders a practical path to develop high-protein white lupin. Core ideas Handheld NIRS provides screening-grade prediction of white lupin seed crude protein. Spectra carried more usable protein signal than markers by measuring seed chemistry directly. NIRS and genomic prediction serve different stages of a white lupin breeding program. About 40 to 60 reference assays sufficed to calibrate NIRS to near-full accuracy.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods携帯型NIRSによる種子タンパク質形質の推定・校正・精度検証が研究の中心であり、育種スクリーニングへの実質的応用も評価している。

abstractA handheld NIR calibration against Dumas reference protein reached screening-grade accuracy (R 2 = 0.81).

A multi-agent vision-language debate framework for zero-shot crop disease diagnosis ↗

Accurate crop disease diagnosis is critical for agricultural productivity and food security, yet existing deep learning systems often struggle to generalize across visually similar diseases and varying environmental conditions. Recent Vision-Language Models (VLMs) have demonstrated promising zero-shot reasoning capabilities; however, most agricultural diagnostic systems still rely on isolated single-model predictions without collaborative reasoning or consensus mechanisms. In this work, we propose VIDA+PANDA, a multi-agent Vision-Language framework for zero-shot crop disease diagnosis. The framework consists of two stages: VIDA, where multiple VLM agents independently analyze crop leaf images to establish baseline performance, and the Peer-Anchored Named Deliberation Architecture (PANDA), which introduces a structured multi-round debate among a selected group of high-performing and architecturally diverse agents. During deliberation, agents exchange reasoning, critique peer predictions, and revise decisions through evidence-grounded discussion, while an anti-sycophancy mechanism discourages unsupported consensus shifts. Final predictions are generated through performance-weighted consensus voting. Experiments are conducted on the CDDM benchmark using seven heterogeneous VLMs from four independent providers, including two open-source models, under a fully zero-shot setting. A non-participant GPT-5 model serves as an independent judge to assess the final diagnostic predictions. Beyond conventional accuracy, the framework introduces three semantic measures: Semantic Label Similarity (SLS), which measures how semantically close a predicted crop-disease pair is to the ground truth and captures partial correctness overlooked by exact-match evaluation; Reasoning Specificity (RS), which measures how concretely an agent’s explanation references visual evidence such as lesion color, shape, texture, or margins; and Inter-Agent Reasoning Convergence (IRC), which measures the extent to which agents rely on similar visual evidence, capturing epistemic alignment independently of label correctness. Experimental results show that collaborative multiagent deliberation improves individual diagnostic performance and semantic alignment, with the largest gains observed among weaker participating agents. The findings also reveal important relationships between predictive accuracy, persuasive influence, and consensus formation in VLM-based agricultural diagnosis.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods葉画像から植物病害状態を推定するマルチエージェント画像・言語フレームワークを開発し、ベンチマークで性能評価しており、病害表現型の取得・推定手法が中心である。

abstractwe propose VIDA+PANDA, a multi-agent Vision-Language framework for zero-shot crop disease diagnosis.

RADIX: a deep learning framework that maps root barriers across species and reveals genetic and environmental contributions ↗

Root anatomical barriers, including the suberized and lignified walls of the endodermis and exodermis, and cortical aerenchyma, regulate water and nutrient transport, gas exchange, and rhizosphere interaction. Their adaptive function places them as an important target for breeding environmentally resilient plant species. Quantifying these structures at high resolution is a manual bottleneck that limits experimental scale. We present RADIX (Root Anatomy Deep- learning Image segmentation across species and platforms), a framework that adapts a large self-supervised vision-transformer foundation encoder (DINOv3), pre-trained on billions of natural images, to root anatomy by fine-tuning its encoder with a dense-prediction-transformer decoder. Transferring these general-purpose vision encoders to a specialized biological domain with a high-quality annotated dataset is what allows RADIX to generalize across species and imaging platforms. We train and evaluate it on the first expert-annotated benchmark of root anatomical structures at scale, comprising 1,695 high-quality fluorescence images spanning 17 monocot and dicot species, six anatomical structures, and three imaging platforms. RADIX segments all six structures at inter-annotator-level accuracy and generalizes to unseen species, genotypes, growth conditions, and an imaging platform from an independent laboratory. A single unified model surpasses monocot- and dicot-specialist models without sacrificing in-group accuracy. Predicted masks yield aerenchyma and suberin/lignin measurements matching expert annotation at ∼1.2 s per image with a single GPU, reducing weeks of manual analysis to minutes. Applying RADIX across genotypes, microbial treatments, and growth systems, we show that these cell type features form a coordinated, multidimensional, and context-dependent system shaped by genetic and environmental factors.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods根の解剖学的構造を画像から自動抽出・定量する深層学習フレームワークを開発し、注釈付きベンチマークで検証しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractQuantifying these structures at high resolution is a manual bottleneck that limits experimental scale.

Analytically derived sphere correction enables transferable RGB-D fruit sizing across fruit shapes and depth-sensing principles. ↗

Abstract Depth cameras measure the distance to a fruit's surface, whereas converting its silhouette into physical dimensions requires the depth of its center; corrections for this offset have so far been empirical, and therefore bound to the crop, sensor, and dataset they were fitted on. This paper derives the correction analytically. For a spherical fruit, integrating the surface-depth distribution over the visible hemisphere yields a closed-form sphere correction whose coefficient follows from sampling geometry, together with a theoretical justification of the median mask depth as the representative statistic. Combined with deep instance segmentation on RGB-D imagery of hydroponic melons, the empirically optimal coefficient coincided with the derived value, and the pipeline reached R 2 of 0.966 for fruit length (MAE 1.43 mm), 0.959 for width (1.84 mm), and 0.861 for end-to-end fresh weight (MAPE 4.6%). The analytical form made the measurement transferable. Applied unchanged to cylindrical mini-cucumbers, the pipeline held mm-level accuracy (width MAE 0.52 mm; fresh weight R 2 0.955 after coe cient refitting), with the correction's negligibility predicted in advance by an R / Z corollary; across active-stereo and time-of-flight cameras, the optimal coefficients proved non-interchangeable, identifying the coefficient as a physical parameter that absorbs geometry, sensor physics, and fruit shape. A field system that fuses and cross-verifies the two sensors, with an error-propagation confidence gate and parameterized grading logic, reproduced 2-3% fresh-weight error and 90.9% confirmed-judgment grading accuracy over four validation sessions in a commercial greenhouse unseen during development. Throughout, geometric components transferred unchanged while learned and regression components required recalibration - a boundary the model predicts and the system itself monitors.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB-D画像と深度補正を用いて果実の寸法・重量を推定する手法を開発し、異なる果形・センサー・圃場で精度検証しており、植物表現型取得が中心である。

abstractThis paper derives the correction analytically.

PR-CNN: A Multiscale Attention Relation Network for Accurate Bean Leaf Disease Image Recognition ↗

Abstract Accurate recognition of plant leaf diseases from images is essential for intelligent agriculture and precision crop protection. However, reliable disease identification remains challenging because lesion regions often exhibit subtle visual differences, complex backgrounds, and large intraclass variations, especially when available disease samples are limited. To address these challenges, this study proposes PR-CNN, a deep learning framework that integrates convolutional neural networks, pyramid split attention, and a relation network for bean leaf disease image recognition. The convolutional backbone is first used to extract visual features from support and query images. Then, the pyramid split attention module enhances multiscale spatial and channel feature representation, enabling the model to focus on discriminative lesion regions while suppressing redundant background information. Finally, the relation network learns a nonlinear similarity metric between paired samples and generates relation scores for disease category prediction. Experimental results show that PR-CNN achieves an overall classification accuracy of 99.24% on the primary bean leaf disease dataset, outperforming representative models, including ResNet50, DenseNet, Inception v4, and EfficientNet B7, in terms of recognition accuracy and adaptability. In addition, PR-CNN was evaluated on four publicly available plant disease datasets, including CGIAR, Plant Diseases, LWDCD 2020, and Plant Pathology, achieving an average accuracy of 99.84%. These results demonstrate that PR-CNN can effectively improve image based plant disease recognition and provides a robust visual classification framework for intelligent crop disease diagnosis.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods豆葉画像から病徴・病害を認識する深層学習手法を開発し、複数データセットで性能検証しており、植物の病害状態の画像ベース計測が研究の中心である。

abstractthis study proposes PR-CNN, a deep learning framework that integrates convolutional neural networks, pyramid split attention, and a relation network for bean leaf disease image recognition.

Automated Video Tracking to Phenotype Plant Resistance to Aphid-Transmitted Yellow Dwarf Viruses in Grass Seed Crops ↗

Grass seed crops are susceptible to yellow dwarf viruses transmitted by aphids. The Willamette Valley in Oregon, United States, is the leading producer of cool-season grass seed crops globally, and industry reports have attributed seed yield loss and shortened stand longevity to aphid-transmitted yellow dwarf viruses. Genetic resources are needed for effective and sustainable management of this pest, specifically the Rhopalosiphum padi–PAV pathosystem, in grass seed production to reduce foliar insecticide applications and maintain optimum seed yield potential. High-throughput phenotyping methods are needed to screen grass seed cultivars to identify resistant traits for traditional breeding programs. An automated video tracking procedure was optimized to evaluate host plant resistance in cool-season grass seed crops to R. padi–PAV with live plants and viruliferous and nonviruliferous aphid populations. Feeding behavior recorded with automated video tracking was strongly correlated with “ground-truthed” observations by human observers. Partial resistance (antixenosis and antibiosis) and tolerance traits were detected in select perennial ryegrass and tall fescue cultivars evaluated with traditional phenotyping methods in a greenhouse setting and with high-throughput phenotyping using automated video tracking in the laboratory. Across grass cultivars, nonviruliferous aphids had greater fitness and preference for noninfected grass plants compared with viruliferous aphids. Automated video tracking can be used as a high-throughput phenotyping method for continued evaluation of host plant resistance in grasses grown for seed production, as well as to identify resistant genotypes in other grass crops susceptible to aphid–yellow dwarf virus virus–vector systems.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods自動動画追跡を用いてアブラムシ媒介ウイルスに対する植物抵抗性を高スループットに評価する手法を最適化・検証し、従来観察との相関および抵抗性形質の検出を示しており、表現型取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractHigh-throughput phenotyping methods are needed to screen grass seed cultivars to identify resistant traits for traditional breeding programs.

Lightweight Deep Learning Models Deployment for Corn Growth Stage Classification Using PhenoCam Images ↗

Integrating precision agriculture (PA, a data-driven agricultural management system) with deep learning (DL) models can effectively support various activities, including yield prediction, crop health monitoring, field task automation, and decision-making. Taking advantage of such data-driven methodologies typically requires desktops, high-performance computing systems, and cloud clusters for data analysis, but their portability limits in-field applications. However, a single board computer, such as Raspberry Pi, offers a compact, lightweight, cost-efficient, easy-to-use, and feature-rich portable computing device which is ideal for in-field decision-making in PA applications. One such in-field application is crop growth stage classification for better crop management. Therefore, in this study, eight corn growth stages were classified using PhenoCam (near-surface [proximal] remote sensing network camera)imagery collected from ten PhenoCam sites. Four lightweight DL models were developed, ELiteCrop0, ELiteCrop1, ELiteCrop4, and MobNetCropV2, and evaluated across five image vertical clipping levels(0 %–40 %) using a supercomputer. The optimized model was subsequently deployed on a Raspberry Pi5 for edge inference. Model training accounted for the majority of the total CPU time, exceeding 97 %, while the testing times ranged from 0.01 min to 0.12 min, enabling real-time applications. Among the models, ELiteCrop0 achieved the most balanced performance with a confusion-matrix diagonal ratio(CMDR) of 0.93, followed by ELiteCrop1 (CMDR = 0.92). Overall, model performance decreased with increasing vertical clipping; therefore, a moderate image clipping (0 %–10 %) was recommended for improved computational efficiency. Analysis with a supercomputer produced an intrasite (same train sites)accuracy of 0.90–0.93 (Raspberry Pi: 0.78–0.81) and an intersite (new test sites) accuracy of 0.48–0.50(Raspberry Pi: 0.41–0.43), indicating challenges with model generalization. Raspberry Pi successfully processed ≈ 1000 images/min under safe operating conditions (68◦C). Future work should focus on extending the multi-site dataset to improve cross-site performance. Hence, this study presents a scalable and cost-effective solution for real-time corn growth stage monitoring in PA.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシの生育段階という植物状態をPhenoCam画像から推定する深層学習モデルを開発・評価し、Raspberry Piへ展開して性能検証しているため、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractTherefore, in this study, eight corn growth stages were classified using PhenoCam (near-surface [proximal] remote sensing network camera)imagery collected from ten PhenoCam sites.

Plant electrophysiological responses to drought and their association with live fuel moisture and flammability in Salvia rosmarinus . ↗

Live fuel moisture content is a key determinant of live fuel flammability, yet its destructive and discontinuous measurement limits high-temporal-resolution monitoring. This study evaluated whether leaf electrical potential can serve as a non-invasive proxy for LFMC and flammability-related traits under natural drought conditions. From February to July 2025, leaf and trunk electrical potentials were monitored weekly in Salvia rosmarinus individuals from a Mediterranean shrubland, while LFMC, essential oil yield, fatty-acid fraction, and laboratory-based flammability metrics-ignition time, combustion duration, and flame height-were assessed bi-weekly. Leaf electrical potential was strongly associated with LFMC (R 2 = 0.64, p < 0.001), decreasing as plants underwent seasonal drought-induced dehydration. Periods of high temperature and low rainfall reduced both LFMC and electrical potential, coinciding with shorter ignition times, which declined to approximately 20-30 s during the driest period. Based on the observed shifts in ignition time, combustion duration, and flame height, three empirical LFMC response zones were identified, with leaf electrical potential closely tracking transitions in plant hydration and flammability. These results suggest that plant electrophysiology may provide a promising non-invasive indicator of live fuel water status and seasonal flammability dynamics, with potential applications in wildfire risk monitoring when combined with conventional LFMC, meteorological, and remote-sensing approaches.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods葉の電気的電位をLFMC（水分状態）および可燃性関連形質の非破壊・連続的な指標として評価しており、植物状態の取得方法の検証が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study evaluated whether leaf electrical potential can serve as a non-invasive proxy for LFMC and flammability-related traits under natural drought conditions.

A Comparative Study of Convolutional Neural Network based Transfer Learning Models for Plant Disease Detection ↗

Background: Plant diseases significantly threaten global food security, reducing potential harvests and sometimes causing total crop failure. Traditional detection methods, which rely on manual inspection and laboratory testing, are time-consuming, costly and prone to human error. Methods: To address these challenges, this study applies transfer learning techniques using deep convolutional neural networks for accurate and efficient plant disease detection. A comparative analysis of nine pretrained models, VGG16, VGG19, ResNet50, ResNet101V2, MobileNetV2, InceptionV3, DenseNet121, InceptionResNetV2 and Xception was conducted on the PlantVillage dataset, focusing on apple, potato and peach leaf images. Result: Results show that DenseNet121 and ResNet101V2 achieved the highest accuracy, particularly for potato leaves with 98.5%, while MobileNetV2 also performed well with up to 99% accuracy for apple and peach leaves. The study demonstrates that transfer learning effectively enhances plant disease classification, enabling faster, more reliable and resource efficient detection for precision agriculture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物葉画像から病害状態を推定する深層学習手法を比較評価しており、病害表現型の取得・分類が研究の中心である。

abstractthis study applies transfer learning techniques using deep convolutional neural networks for accurate and efficient plant disease detection.

Apple Tree Distance and Volume Measurement Using LiDAR and RGB-D Imaging ↗

LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) and RGB-D camera imaging have emerged as essential tools in agricultural applications, particularly for plant size and distance measurements, enabling non-destructive, cost-effective, and precise estimation. The objective of this study was to measure the plant canopy dimensions and distance between apples using commercial LiDAR, and an RGB-D camera with a speed sprayer platform was used to determine whether LiDAR provides a higher measurement accuracy under field conditions. Data were collected in an apple orchard in Muju, Republic of Korea. Commercial 3D LiDAR, a terminal box, an RGB-D camera, a microcontroller, a power supply, and individual display monitors were integrated into a customized data acquisition (DAQ) box for LiDAR point cloud (PCD), RGB, and depth imagery data collection. Commercial software was used for data acquisition, data conversion (pcap to PCD), segmentation of regions of interest (ROI), and pre-processing of data. PCD processing and measurement consisted of data frame selection, data conversion, outlier removal, downsampling, denoising, ground point removal by filtering, voxelization, and density map generation using an open access programming language script. Depth image processing included importing raw data, shaping metadata using intrinsic camera parameters, visualizing depth images, extracting depth points, and measuring the plant canopy at the pixel level. RGB image analysis involved grayscale conversion, thresholding, segmentation of ROI, contour preparation, noise removal, and binary masking for eliminating the background. Estimated results were compared to measured results. LiDAR measurements showed the closest agreement with the measured results for plant height, canopy volume, plant spacing, and row distance, outperforming both RGB and depth imaging. Under field conditions, plant spacing and row distance were estimated with accuracies of 97.5% and 94.7%, respectively, exhibiting higher measurement accuracies than RGB and depth imagery data results. Despite some discrepancies due to complex plant geometry and dynamic data collection, the results support data collection strategies critical for precision horticulture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsLiDARとRGB-D画像を用いたリンゴ樹の樹冠寸法・体積・樹間距離・列間距離の取得と精度比較が研究の中心であり、植物表現型計測手法の開発・検証に該当する。

abstractThe objective of this study was to measure the plant canopy dimensions and distance between apples using commercial LiDAR, and an RGB-D camera with a speed sprayer platform was used to determine whether LiDAR provides a higher measurement accuracy under field conditions.

Individual-Tree Stem Volume Modeling Using Handheld LiDAR and UAV-SfM Photogrammetry in a Mediterranean Mixed Forest ↗

Integrating ground-based and aerial remote sensing for individual tree-level stem volume modeling remains underexplored in Mediterranean mixed forests, despite the growing need for cost-effective, automated forest inventory approaches. This study evaluated the combined use of Handheld Laser Scanning (HLS) and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)-based Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry for individual-tree stem volume modeling in a mixed stand in Castilla y León, Spain, dominated by Pinus halepensis, Pinus pinea, Quercus faginea, and Cupressus sempervirens. Two open-source HLS processing tools; the Forest Structural Complexity Tool (FSCT) and 3D Forest Inventory (3DFin), were compared for individual tree attribute extraction, with FSCT outperforming 3DFin across all species. Reference stem volumes were derived by applying species-specific Spanish National Forest Inventory (SNFI) allometric equations to FSCT-extracted diameter and height values. Random Forest models were then built using UAV-SfM crown metrics as predictors, testing two image overlap configurations: 80 × 80 F (80% front and side overlap) and 80 × 60 CF (80% front, 60% side, cross-flight). The 80 × 80 F configuration produced the best-performing model (R2 = 0.730), with 80 × 60 CF achieving comparable accuracy (R2 = 0.688), results confirmed by spatially independent leave-one-plot-out cross-validation (LOPO-CV R2 = 0.627 and 0.613, respectively). These results show that combining HLS and UAV-SfM through a predominantly open-source workflow offers a viable, reproducible approach to stem volume modeling in structurally complex Mediterranean mixed forests.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsHLSとUAV-SfMを用いて個体樹の直径・樹高から幹材積を推定する再現可能な計測・解析ワークフローを構築し、複数ツールと飛行条件を比較検証しているため、植物表現型取得が中心である。

abstractIntegrating ground-based and aerial remote sensing for individual tree-level stem volume modeling remains underexplored

Structured Multi-Kernel Heteroscedastic Gaussian Process for Crop Straw-to-Grain Ratio Prediction and Uncertainty Quantification ↗

Crop straw-to-grain ratio (SGR) estimation underpins regional straw resource assessment, yet national inventories rely on fixed coefficients that ignore structured variation across variety, environment, and phenotype. We introduce a Structured Multi-Kernel Heteroscedastic Gaussian Process (GP) framework that models SGR variation through three additive kernels heuristically motivated by the genotype–environment–phenotype (G+E+P) framework—capturing variety-associated variation, spatially structured variation, and environmental and management covariates—and employs an input-dependent noise model for prediction-specific uncertainty quantification. To prevent information leakage, target encoding and feature scaling are recomputed within each cross-validation fold. Evaluated via internal leave-one-out cross-validation on 80 rice samples (42 varieties, six Chinese provinces), the model achieves R2=0.541 with a prediction interval coverage probability of 0.95. Ablation identifies variety-associated variation as the largest contributor among the modeled factors (ΔR2=−0.024) and the multi-kernel design, by incorporating variety-specific information, substantially improves upon a covariate-only RBF GP (ΔR2=0.103). On point-prediction accuracy, Gradient Boosting achieves R2=0.58, slightly ahead of the Heteroscedastic GP (R2=0.54), underscoring that the primary advantage of the GP lies in its input-dependent uncertainty quantification. However, leave-one-county-out validation yields R2≈0 (with σ escalating to 24.4), confirming that the model does not yet generalize to unsampled counties; all reported performance is therefore internal to the nine sampled counties. The framework couples an agronomically motivated additive kernel structure with input-dependent uncertainty quantification, offering a path toward uncertainty-aware prediction from small field datasets.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods作物のわら・穀粒比という植物関連形質を対象に、不確実性定量化を備えた予測手法を開発・検証しており、単なるルーチン測定ではなく計算的な形質推定が中心である。

abstractWe introduce a Structured Multi-Kernel Heteroscedastic Gaussian Process (GP) framework that models SGR variation

Swin-BNN-RF: Hierarchical Attention-Based Probabilistic Framework for Mustard Leaf Disease Detection Using Swin Transformer Bayesian Neural Networks and Ensemble Learning ↗

Brassica juncea (Mustard) is one of the most economic seed vegetable crops of the world, playing a major role in the production of world edible oil and the agricultural economy. The third-largest producer is India, which had an area under cultivation of about 8.6 million hectares of Mustard in 2021 22, and annual revenue of over USD 5 billion in 2021 22. Nevertheless, the presence of diseases like Alternaria Leaf Spot, White Rust, Powdery Mildew, and Septoria Leaf Spot threatens yield and quality by up to an estimated 2070% loss every year, based on the severity of the disease, and thus economic losses are estimated at over USD 1.5 billion per year in India alone. Traditional diagnostic systems are based on a manual examination of an agronomist trained to look at the sample and make a judgment, which is time-consuming, subjective, and subject to human error. Current deep learning methods of automated disease detection, promising as they are, are prone to inaccuracies on complex disease patterns, poor uncertainty estimation that is essential in real-world implementation, and poor generalizability to different field conditions. In response to these drawbacks, Swin-BNN-RF, a hybrid framework that combines Swin Transformer as a hierarchical attention-based feature extractor, Bayesian Neural Network (BNN) with symmetrized posterior as a probabilistic learner, and a Random Forest (RF) as an ensemble classifier, is proposed in this study. The Swin Transformer also harnesses local and global spatial biases with its shifted window self-attention network, and it is able to extract better features on leaf images of high-resolution. The uncertainty estimates of the BNN component are trusted, and unambiguous predictions are highlighted to get the opinion of the human expert. Random Forest classifier uses the bagging and boosting ensemble methods to improve stability and the robustness of the classification. A large dataset was experimented with; it consisted of more than 10,000 samples per category of disease in four diseases. In the case of binary classification, the proposed model was 98.32% accurate, 98.52% precise, 98.70% recall, and 98.36% F1. On multi-class classification, it obtained 97.50, 97.82, 98.51, and 97.46 accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score, respectively, which showed consistent performance in comparison with state-of-the-art models such as EfficientNet, MobileNet, and Residual Networks. The contribution of each component is verified by the Ablation studies and statistical analysis of significance (p

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsマスタード葉の画像から病害状態を推定する深層学習フレームワークを開発・評価しており、植物病害表現型の取得・分類手法が中心である。

abstractSwin-BNN-RF, a hybrid framework that combines Swin Transformer as a hierarchical attention-based feature extractor, Bayesian Neural Network (BNN) with symmetrized posterior as a probabilistic learner, and a Random Forest (RF) as an ensemble classifier, is proposed in this study.

Integration of NIRS and GWAS identifies GhMYB86 as a potential regulator of cottonseed protein content with pleiotropic effects on fiber strength in upland cotton. ↗

Key messages High-accuracy NIRS models and GWAS identified a novel QTL qPO-A07-1. GhMYB86 was validated to enhance seed protein content and fiber strength, and a functional KASP marker was developed. Cottonseed is rich in protein and oil; improving its nutritional quality is vital for global food security. In this study, near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) models were developed for predicting cottonseed protein and oil content using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression, achieving validation R 2 of 0.969 (P -4 ). A novel stable quantitative trait locus (QTL), qPO-A07-1, was detected, within which GhMYB86 was prioritized as a candidate gene. This gene exhibited higher expression in high-protein-content varieties during ovule development. Heterologous overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana increased seed protein content by 2.61-3.34%, whereas expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae increased protein content by 25.81% and reduced triglyceride content by 30.72% in comparison with the control. These results demonstrate that GhMYB86 positively regulates protein content while negatively affecting oil content. A kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) marker targeting a promoter A/T polymorphism revealed that the AA allele was associated with higher-protein content, lower-oil content, and increased fiber strength across both mapping and validation populations. Furthermore, the protein content- and fiber strength-favorable allele has undergone positive selection during breeding. This study provides phenotyping tools, reliable genetic resources and a molecular marker for cottonseed nutritional quality breeding, laying a foundation for the improvement in cottonseed protein content and fiber strength.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods綿実のタンパク質・油含量を推定するNIRSモデルを開発・検証しており、植物形質取得法が研究の中心的貢献である。GWASや遺伝子検証も行うが、NIRSによる形質推定が明確な方法論的役割を持つ。

abstractHigh-accuracy NIRS models and GWAS identified a novel QTL qPO-A07-1.

MIRA: an open source and user-friendly software to automate counting and sizing of fungal spores ↗

Background The quantification of fungal spores constitutes a fundamental metric in phytopathology, serving as the primary variable for inoculum standardization and being used as a proxy for disease severity. Historically, spore quantification has relied on manual hemocytometry, which remains the most precise counting process to date, where chambers such as the Malassez slide are used to count a subsample of the inoculum. However, this method applied manually is highly labor-intensive, time-consuming, and can be prone to operator-dependent variability. To overcome these limitations, we introduce MIRA (Microscopy Image Recognition & Analysis), a novel open-source software integrating You Only Look Once (YOLO) deep learning algorithms. Featuring a user-friendly graphical interface, MIRA is adaptable to multiple camera systems and supports advanced object detection models, including YOLOv11 and YOLOv26. Results We demonstrate that MIRA can be used to accurately detect and count spores from several phytopathogenic fungi, automatically measure spore surface area, and to differentiate spores across different genera. In an exhaustive comparative analysis using Pyricularia oryzae spores as an example, MIRA was benchmarked against manual gold-standard counting slides (Malassez and Kova) and indirect spectrophotometric methods (SPARK). The P. oryzae model loaded via MIRA achieved a strong correlation (R = 0.96) with manual gold standards while reducing processing time by over 90% for high-concentration samples (10⁶ spores/mL). Beyond this benchmark, we also successfully tested specific YOLO models designed to recognize macro- and microconidia of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense , a model for Pseudocercospora fijiensis , and a single multiclass model capable of identifying six different rice pathogenic fungi. We provide comprehensive tutorials for operating the software and training custom detection models for free using Roboflow and Google Colab. MIRA is available both as open-source Python code and as standalone executables for Windows and Linux. Conclusions MIRA provides a rapid, accurate, and highly reproducible alternative to manual spore counting, effectively removing a major bottleneck in phytopathology workflows. By combining advanced YOLO-based deep learning with an accessible interface and comprehensive training resources, MIRA makes accessible automated image analysis for researchers without programming expertise. Moreover, MIRA drastically improves the efficiency of high-throughput disease phenotyping and can be adapted for a wide range of microscopic quantification tasks across various biological disciplines.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物病害に関わる胞子の画像検出・計数・サイズ測定ソフトウェアを開発し、手動計数法とのベンチマーク検証も行っている。病害フェノタイピングのための画像解析手法が中心である。

abstractwe introduce MIRA (Microscopy Image Recognition & Analysis), a novel open-source software integrating You Only Look Once (YOLO) deep learning algorithms.

ALSDet: a global context-enhanced network for detecting small-target diseases on apple leaves. ↗

Accurate detection of small-target diseases on apple leaves is of great importance for optimizing orchard management and facilitating precision agriculture. Small-target disease detection remains challenging due to insufficient features and complex backgrounds. This work proposes an effective detector for apple leaf small-target diseases called ALSDet. The global context module is integrated into Stage2 to Stage4 of the ResNet-50 backbone, yielding a refinement of the feature-extraction architecture. In the bottleneck blocks of the Stage2 and Stage3, dilated convolution is used in place of the normal 3×3 convolution to enlarge the receptive field for small targets and strengthen feature extraction. During the model training phase, a multi-scale training strategy combined with the online hard example mining method is adopted to focus on learning hard samples and enhance adaptability for various scale targets. According to the experimental results, ALSDet obtains a mean average precision (mAP) of 65.6% and an average recall (AR) of 71.2% on the dataset. The proposed model achieves the highest levels in both mAP and AR when compared to the popular object detection models, such as Cascade R-CNN, Faster R-CNN, GFL, Grid R-CNN, Libra R-CNN, FCOS, VFNet, RetinaNet, SSD, YOLOv7, and YOLOv8. For small-target diseases like rust and frog eye leaf spot, the average precision surpasses 87% with an intersection over union (IoU) threshold of 0.5. These results confirm that ALSDet achieves stable performance against existing methods, demonstrating its potential as a practical tool for intelligent orchard disease management.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリンゴ葉の病斑を画像から検出する深層学習モデルを開発・比較評価しており、植物の病害状態の取得・推定が研究の中心である。

abstractThis work proposes an effective detector for apple leaf small-target diseases called ALSDet.

UAV-Based Thermal Inversion for Canopy Temperature Retrieval and Precision Irrigation. ↗

Accurate assessment of crop water status is critical for precision irrigation and sustainable water management in agriculture. This study develops a UAV-based thermal infrared inversion framework for high-resolution canopy temperature retrieval and irrigation decision support in tea plantations. The proposed approach integrates multi-frame image mosaicking, threshold-based canopy extraction, and a gray-temperature calibration model to generate spatially continuous canopy temperature maps. Crop water stress was quantified using the Crop Water Stress Index (CWSI), and its reliability was further evaluated by analyzing its relationship with stomatal conductance. The framework further estimates soil moisture status and irrigation requirements based on a threshold-based irrigation strategy. The results show that the linear gray-temperature calibration model achieved a maximum absolute error of less than 0.3 °C and that the calculated CWSI and estimated irrigation requirement were strongly correlated with measured stomatal conductance, with R 2 up to 0.91. The proposed method provides a practical technical workflow from UAV thermal imagery acquisition to canopy temperature retrieval and quantitative irrigation decision-making, demonstrating its potential for precision irrigation management in tea plantations.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV熱画像から茶園の樹冠温度と水ストレスを推定する取得・抽出・較正手法を開発し、気孔コンダクタンスとの関係で検証しており、植物状態の計測が中心である。

abstractThis study develops a UAV-based thermal infrared inversion framework for high-resolution canopy temperature retrieval and irrigation decision support in tea plantations.

UAV-Based Classification of Crop Phenological Stages Using Deep Learning ↗

This study investigates the automatic classification of crop phenological stages from low-altitude UAV RGB imagery. The dataset included 11,489 images of five crops: sunflower, rapeseed, soybean, wheat, and barley. The images were annotated using the Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt und Chemische Industrie (BBCH) scale, with labels corresponding to either single stages or stage ranges to reflect heterogeneous field conditions and transitional crop states. A pretrained ResNet18 model was adapted to the task using transfer learning. Training was conducted in two stages: first, the classification head was optimized while the backbone remained frozen; second, the entire network was fine-tuned. The model achieved strong internal test accuracy across all crops, with 100% test accuracy for rapeseed and barley, more than 99% for the remaining crops, and a mean accuracy of 99.73% under the studied survey conditions. The results also compare favorably with previously reported studies on UAV-based phenological classification. Overall, the findings support the potential of low-altitude UAV imagery and deep learning for localized phenological assessment of selected field zones in precision agriculture, while broader deployment requires validation across independent fields, seasons, regions, and survey conditions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像と深層学習により作物の生育・フェノロジー段階を自動推定する方法が研究の中心であり、植物状態の抽出性能も評価している。

abstractThis study investigates the automatic classification of crop phenological stages from low-altitude UAV RGB imagery.

Cucumber3DGaussians: Plant architecture analysis using semantic-aware Gaussian splatting ↗

Monitoring continuous agricultural canopies is fundamentally limited by the geometric constraints and computational bottlenecks of traditional 3D reconstruction. This study presents a 3D volumetric phenotyping pipeline integrating semantic mask generation with 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) to quantify greenhouse cucumber canopy architecture. To drive component-specific optimization, we evaluated custom-trained convolutional networks (YOLO11) against a zero-shot foundation model (SAM3), determining that SAM3 provided the necessary boundary precision for accurate spatial isolation. The optimized 3DGS model outperformed implicit NeRF baselines, preserving fine-scale morphological details at real-time rendering speeds ( ≈ 48 FPS). To enable actionable measurement, a uniform voxelization protocol was applied to the point cloud, successfully neutralizing algorithmic densification bias. This technical framework yielded highly accurate physical geometry, achieving a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of ≤ 0.59 cm against in situ leaf measurements. Transitioning to agronomic interpretation, the pipeline was deployed to quantify complex canopy architecture. It mathematically mapped structural congestion zones and provided a temporal validation of a standard pruning intervention, explicitly capturing the geometric increase in lower-canopy porosity and the upward translation of biomass. This framework provides a robust, scale-accurate tool for monitoring plant architecture and guiding dynamic canopy management.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物キャノピーの3D形状を取得・定量化する画像ベースの表現型解析パイプラインを開発し、実測葉寸法で精度検証しているため、方法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study presents a 3D volumetric phenotyping pipeline integrating semantic mask generation with 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) to quantify greenhouse cucumber canopy architecture.

Trait-Specific Contributions of UAV Multispectral, RGB and Structural Features to Soybean SPAD and Plant Height Phenotyping ↗

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery can support plot-scale crop phenotyping, but spectral, RGB and structural predictors may contribute differently to different traits. We compared six predefined feature groups for predicting soybean SPAD and plant height (PH) in a 1.3 ha field experiment in Sanya, China. The field contained 6197 soybean planting plots, of which 234 had paired SPAD and PH measurements. Multispectral bands, vegetation indices (VIs), RGB descriptors and digital surface model (DSM) metrics were extracted from DJI Mavic 3 Multispectral imagery. Six regression algorithms were evaluated using random fivefold cross-validation, spatial block cross-validation and nested spatial cross-validation. Under random cross-validation, ExtraTrees with multispectral bands, VIs and RGB descriptors produced the numerically highest SPAD performance (R2 = 0.589; RMSE = 6.66), while BayesianRidge with multispectral bands, VIs and DSM metrics produced the highest PH performance (R2 = 0.760; RMSE = 7.14 cm). Nested spatial cross-validation yielded R2 = 0.473 and RMSE = 7.56 for SPAD and R2 = 0.690 and RMSE = 8.13 cm for PH. G4 was selected in four of the five outer folds for SPAD, although the selected algorithm varied, and G5 was selected in all five outer folds for PH. VIs improved prediction of both traits relative to the original bands. Adding RGB descriptors produced only a small and model-dependent improvement for SPAD, whereas adding DSM metrics produced a larger and more consistent improvement for PH. The complete feature set did not outperform G4 for SPAD or G5 for PH. The retained models were applied to all 6197 plots to map SPAD, PH and their field relative combinations. Because all of the validations used one field and one UAV acquisition date, the results describe performance within this experiment and do not establish transferability to other sites, years or growth stages.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVマルチスペクトル・RGB・構造特徴からSPADと草丈を推定する特徴抽出および回帰手法を、複数の空間交差検証で比較・評価しており、植物表現型取得が研究の中心である。

titleTrait-Specific Contributions of UAV Multispectral, RGB and Structural Features to Soybean SPAD and Plant Height Phenotyping

ShuffleNetV2-hSimKD: A Lightweight Network for Plant Disease Detection ↗

Early and accurate plant disease detection is essential for reducing crop losses and supporting sustainable agricultural management. Although deep learning-based approaches have achieved strong performance in plant disease analysis, many existing models require substantial computational resources, which limits their use in resource-constrained agricultural environments. This study proposes ShuffleNetV2-hSimKD, a lightweight integration framework for plant disease detection. It adopts ShuffleNetV2 as the backbone and incorporates the parameter-free SimAM attention mechanism to enhance disease-related feature representation without introducing additional learnable parameters. In addition, the standard ReLU activation function is replaced with h-swish to improve nonlinear feature extraction and preserve informative feature responses. A hybrid knowledge distillation strategy is further employed to transfer both output-level and feature-level knowledge from a high-capacity teacher model to the lightweight student network during training. Unlike previous studies that apply these techniques in isolation, ShuffleNetV2-hSimKD synergistically integrates parameter-free SimAM, h-swish optimization, and hybrid KD to overcome the representation limitations of lightweight backbones in subtle disease symptom detection. The proposed framework was evaluated on a balanced subset of the PlantVillage dataset, in which leaf images were categorized as healthy or diseased. ShuffleNetV2-hSimKD achieved an accuracy of 90.41% with only 1.4M parameters and 151M FLOPs. Compared with representative lightweight Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), the proposed model achieved improved accuracy and recall while maintaining low computational complexity. These results demonstrate that ShuffleNetV2-hSimKD provides an effective balance between detection performance and computational efficiency, highlighting its potential as a lightweight candidate for plant disease detection in resource-constrained agricultural scenarios.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物の葉画像から健全・罹病状態を推定する軽量深層学習モデルを開発し、精度と計算効率を評価しており、病害表現型の取得・推定法が中心である。

abstractThis study proposes ShuffleNetV2-hSimKD, a lightweight integration framework for plant disease detection.

From architectural complexity to minimalist optimization: refining microscopic tea disease detection via Opti-YOLOv11n. ↗

Introduction The precise detection of microscopic tea leaf diseases is a prerequisite for sustainable precision agriculture. While recent deep learning advancements often favor architectural complexity, this "complexity bias" frequently introduces computational redundancy-a "complexity tax"-that destabilizes gradient flow and fails to resolve critical resolution bottlenecks for micro-lesion identification. Methods We propose Opti-YOLOv11n, a minimalist optimization paradigm prioritizing physical input fidelity and stabilized gradient dynamics. Utilizing a dataset of six pathological categories, our framework employs high-resolution scaling (832×832) combined with a momentum-based SGD optimizer and a cosine annealing schedule to reconstruct essential spatial textures. Results Opti-YOLOv11n achieved a peak Precision of 98.87% and a Recall of 95.97%, while reducing the parameter count to 2.35 M-a 9.2% decrease relative to the baseline-and maintaining a real-time inference speed of 104.7 FPS on edge-simulated hardware. Discussion Statistical verification via 5-fold cross-validation confirms superior generalization stability. These results substantiate that strategic structural pruning and physical input scaling provide a more robust technical benchmark for autonomous plant protection than the adoption of excessive architectural depth.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods茶葉病害の微小病斑を画像から検出する深層学習手法を開発し、精度・計算量・推論速度・交差検証で技術評価しているため、植物病害フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractWe propose Opti-YOLOv11n, a minimalist optimization paradigm prioritizing physical input fidelity and stabilized gradient dynamics.

Canopy height from drone photogrammetry better predicts aboveground biomass than vegetation greenness indices in a semi-arid savanna ↗

Semi-arid rangelands support livelihoods and key ecosystem services, yet sustainable management depends on accurate and scalable monitoring of herbaceous aboveground biomass (AGB). Field-based measurements are spatially limited, while satellite-derived vegetation indices often perform poorly in complex savanna systems such as the Kalahari. Using unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, we evaluate the ability of fine-scale canopy height and spectral reflectance metrics to predict herbaceous biomass across a grazing intensity gradient. Canopy height consistently predicted AGB across all grazing levels, whereas normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) effects were weak and grazing-dependent. The UAV-derived canopy height showed strong relationships with total herbaceous AGB, explaining up to 72% of observed variation, whereas vegetation greenness measured using NDVI showed limited predictive power. In contrast, predicting biomass of foraging importance proved challenging, with UAV-derived structural and spectral metrics explaining only a small proportion of variation. Together, these findings highlight the value of UAV-derived structural measurements over traditional spectral indices for fine-scale rangeland monitoring in semi-arid systems, while underscoring the limitations of current UAV-based spectral and structural metrics for assessing forage value across species and sites.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV SfMフォトグラメトリから植物群落の canopy height を抽出し、地上部バイオマス予測性能を評価しており、植物形質取得法の技術的適用・検証が中心である。

abstractUsing unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, we evaluate the ability of fine-scale canopy height and spectral reflectance metrics to predict herbaceous biomass across a grazing intensity gradient.

Canopy height from drone photogrammetry better predicts aboveground biomass than vegetation greenness indices in a semi-arid savanna ↗

Semi-arid rangelands support livelihoods and key ecosystem services, yet sustainable management depends on accurate and scalable monitoring of herbaceous aboveground biomass (AGB). Field-based measurements are spatially limited, while satellite-derived vegetation indices often perform poorly in complex savanna systems such as the Kalahari. Using unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, we evaluate the ability of fine-scale canopy height and spectral reflectance metrics to predict herbaceous biomass across a grazing intensity gradient. Canopy height consistently predicted AGB across all grazing levels, whereas normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) effects were weak and grazing-dependent. The UAV-derived canopy height showed strong relationships with total herbaceous AGB, explaining up to 72% of observed variation, whereas vegetation greenness measured using NDVI showed limited predictive power. In contrast, predicting biomass of foraging importance proved challenging, with UAV-derived structural and spectral metrics explaining only a small proportion of variation. Together, these findings highlight the value of UAV-derived structural measurements over traditional spectral indices for fine-scale rangeland monitoring in semi-arid systems, while underscoring the limitations of current UAV-based spectral and structural metrics for assessing forage value across species and sites.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV-SfMによるキャノピー高とスペクトル指標から植物群落のバイオマスを推定し、手法の予測性能を比較評価しており、植物形質取得が研究の中心です。

abstractUsing unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, we evaluate the ability of fine-scale canopy height and spectral reflectance metrics to predict herbaceous biomass across a grazing intensity gradient.

Multispectral imaging-based detection of Acidovorax citrulli: from colony identification to infested seed discrimination ↗

Abstract Bacterial fruit blotch (BFB) caused by Acidovorax citrulli , is a destructive seed-transmitted disease that seriously threatens global cucurbit production. To address the need for detecting A. citrulli -infested seeds, this study developed a colony identification model and a seed infestation detection model based on multispectral imaging. The combined nMahalanobis and nCDA colony identification models achieved a high recall of 0.999 and a low false-positive rate of 0.149 when tested on samples. For infested melon seed detection, we evaluated and compared the classification performance of seven machine learning models. The results showed that LDA, logistic regression, and MLP exhibited stable performance on artificially infested seed samples. Furthermore, multi-cultivar modeling improved model generalizability and demonstrated the feasibility of using multispectral imaging to identify naturally infested seeds. When a qPCR Ct threshold of 37 was used to define seed infestation status, the logistic regression model achieved a validation accuracy of 0.82. Overall, these findings demonstrate the potential of multispectral imaging for colony identification and seed infestation detection, providing a new technical approach and a scientific basis for seed health testing of bacterial fruit blotch in cucurbit crops.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsマルチスペクトル画像と機械学習により、感染種子という植物器官の状態を検出する手法を開発・比較・検証しており、表現型取得が研究の中心である。

abstractthis study developed a colony identification model and a seed infestation detection model based on multispectral imaging.

Canopy height from drone photogrammetry better predicts aboveground biomass than vegetation greenness indices in a semi-arid savanna ↗

Semi-arid rangelands support livelihoods and key ecosystem services, yet sustainable management depends on accurate and scalable monitoring of herbaceous aboveground biomass (AGB). Field-based measurements are spatially limited, while satellite-derived vegetation indices often perform poorly in complex savanna systems such as the Kalahari. Using unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, we evaluate the ability of fine-scale canopy height and spectral reflectance metrics to predict herbaceous biomass across a grazing intensity gradient. Canopy height consistently predicted AGB across all grazing levels, whereas normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) effects were weak and grazing-dependent. The UAV-derived canopy height showed strong relationships with total herbaceous AGB, explaining up to 72% of observed variation, whereas vegetation greenness measured using NDVI showed limited predictive power. In contrast, predicting biomass of foraging importance proved challenging, with UAV-derived structural and spectral metrics explaining only a small proportion of variation. Together, these findings highlight the value of UAV-derived structural measurements over traditional spectral indices for fine-scale rangeland monitoring in semi-arid systems, while underscoring the limitations of current UAV-based spectral and structural metrics for assessing forage value across species and sites.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV-SfMによるキャノピー高とスペクトル指標を用いた植物バイオマス推定を比較・評価しており、植物形質の取得・推定手法が研究の中心である。

abstractUsing unoccupied aerial vehicle (UAV) structure-from-motion (SfM) photogrammetry, we evaluate the ability of fine-scale canopy height and spectral reflectance metrics to predict herbaceous biomass across a grazing intensity gradient.

Percent Tolerance to Phosphorus Deficiency (PTPD) as a Potential Metric for Genotypic Screening in Soybean ( Glycine max L.). ↗

Phosphorus (P) deficiency severely limits soybean ( Glycine max L.) productivity. This study proposed a three-stage screening framework to identify reliable traits and P-efficient genotypes. In Experiment I, percent tolerance to phosphorus deficiency (PTPD) was calculated for ten growth parameters across 98 genotypes under P-deficient and control conditions. Principal component analysis and comprehensive evaluation identified six key indicators in Experiment I, which were subsequently refined to five indicators through further analysis: SPAD at V3 and R1, photosynthetic rate at R1, shoot dry weight at R8, and seed number per plant at R8. Experiment II re-evaluated these traits using 12 contrasting genotypes under three P levels, identifying CN 15 as the most P-efficient and SN 22 as the most P-inefficient. Experiment III further revealed that CN 15 maintained superior PSII performance and exhibited a 26.2% increase in grain P-utilization efficiency under 0 µM KH 2 PO 4 treatment. This integrated framework offers a preliminary reference for screening P-efficient soybean genotypes under controlled conditions, pending field evaluation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリン欠乏耐性を評価するPTPDと三段階の形質選抜フレームワーク自体を提案・検証しており、単なる生物学的処理試験ではなく、植物形質に基づく遺伝子型スクリーニング手法が中心である。

abstractThis study proposed a three-stage screening framework to identify reliable traits and P-efficient genotypes.

A hybrid PROSAIL inversion framework for winter wheat LCC using hyperspectral data and transfer learning. ↗

Leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) is a key indicator for assessing the photosynthetic capacity and nutritional status of winter wheat. Among traditional LCC estimation methods, empirical models lack a physical basis and have poor generalisability, while physical models are widely applicable but suffer from ill-posed inversion problems. Hybrid inversion methods, which integrate radiation transfer models such as PROSAIL with machine learning, offer both the interpretability of physical models and the efficiency of machine learning; however, they are still affected by the domain shift between simulated and measured data, which limits their generalisation performance. Transfer Component Analysis (TCA), a domain adaption method, can effectively alleviate this problem. In this study, hyperspectral and LCC data were collected in the field, and simulated data were generated using the PROSAIL model; a sensitivity analysis was conducted to identify LCC-sensitive bands. A genetic algorithm was applied to the measured data for band selection and, together with the results of the sensitivity analysis, yielded an optimal set of 30 characteristic bands for subsequent modelling. Three datasets were constructed: measured data only, a direct mixture of measured and simulated data, and a TCA-fused mixture of measured and simulated data. Four models-gradient boosting regression (GBR), random forest (RF), support vector regression (SVR) and deep neural network (DNN)-were developed for each dataset. The results show that: (1) the LCC-sensitive bands are concentrated in the 450-660 nm and 680-720 nm ranges; (2) the model built on the TCA-fused data (R² = 0.722, RMSE = 6.792) outperformed those built on the measured-only data (R² = 0.682, RMSE = 7.259) and the directly mixed data (R² = 0.616, RMSE = 7.976); (3) for the TCA-fused data, the four models differed considerably in accuracy, with SVR performing best (R² = 0.723, RMSE = 5.363), followed by RF (R² = 0.630, RMSE = 6.201) and GBR (R² = 0.575, RMSE = 6.650), whereas the DNN performed worst (R² = 0.388, RMSE = 7.947), probably owing to the limited sample size.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods冬小麦の葉緑素含量という植物形質を、ハイパースペクトルデータとPROSAIL・機械学習・転移学習で推定する手法を開発・比較しており、形質取得とモデル性能評価が研究の中心である。

abstractHybrid inversion methods, which integrate radiation transfer models such as PROSAIL with machine learning, offer both the interpretability of physical models and the efficiency of machine learning

RGB image segmentation for quantitative bud flushing assessment in Norway spruce ↗

Bud flushing timing is a crucial attribute for forest geneticists and physiologists studying adaptive variation in tree species. In clonal populations such as Norway spruce seed orchards, accurate assessment of bud flushing is essential, as this attribute strongly influences survival and fitness. However, traditional bud-flushing assessment relies on visual scoring scales that are inherently subjective and susceptible to observer bias, leading to inconsistencies when multiple technicians collect data. To address these limitations, we introduce a novel quantitative phenotype derived from segmented RGB images for quantifying bud flushing that objectively measures the ratio of light-green current-year needles to the total visible needle area of each grafted ramet. By extracting and summarizing digital image data for each ramet, this approach provides a standardized and reproducible assessment of bud flushing phenology. We evaluated clonally replicated ramets in two sites across two seasons and compared this image-derived flushing ratio with conventional visual scoring and color indices. Using mixed models, we quantified genetic control and cross-orchard stability of clonal performance. The image-derived flushing ratio tracked visual-score progression but showed higher broad-sense heritability (0.54–0.70) than visual scoring (0.45–0.65) and canopy color indices (0.20–0.51). Although site means differed strongly, clonal ranking remained stable between orchards for the image-derived flushing ratio and for visual scoring, whereas color indices showed lower stability and greater uncertainty. Overall, these results support the image-derived flushing ratio as a structure-based phenotype that improves the precision and cross-site transferability of genetic evaluation of bud flushing in Norway spruce seed orchards.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB画像のセグメンテーションから bud flushing の定量形質を開発し、従来の視覚評価や色指数と比較検証しており、植物表現型取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe introduce a novel quantitative phenotype derived from segmented RGB images for quantifying bud flushing

Physics-Informed Transfer Learning Reduces Simulation to Reality Gaps for Winter Wheat Traits Retrieval from Hyperspectral Observations ↗

Accurate retrieval of crop structural and physiological traits from remote sensing data remains challenging due to limited field observations and poor cross-platform generalization of data-driven models. This study develops a physics-informed transfer learning framework to quantify the contributions of improving simulated data fidelity and increasing model complexity to retrieving winter wheat leaf area index (LAI) and canopy chlorophyll content (CCC) from hyperspectral observations. Two PROSAIL-D datasets with default and physically optimized leaf angle distributions were generated to represent different levels of simulation fidelity. Four dual-branch deep learning architectures (CNN, CNN–SE, CNN–Transformer, and CNN–SE–Transformer) integrating spectral bands and vegetation indices were pretrained on simulated datasets and transferred to real observations using progressive fine-tuning. Model performance was assessed using ground-based and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) hyperspectral datasets, and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis was applied to interpret feature contributions. Results demonstrated that transfer learning substantially improved cross-domain generalization, while enhancing simulation fidelity provided greater performance gains than increasing network complexity. The CNN–Transformer model pretrained on physically optimized simulations achieved the highest accuracy and robustness for both LAI and CCC retrieval. At ground and UAV scales, it achieved LAI estimation accuracies of R2 = 0.55 (RMSE = 0.63) and R2 = 0.53 (RMSE = 0.62), respectively. For CCC estimation, the model obtained R2 = 0.59 at both scales, with RMSE values of 36.12 μg cm⁻2 and 37.56 μg cm⁻2 for ground and UAV observations, respectively. SHAP analysis indicated that physically optimized simulations shifted model attention toward physiologically relevant vegetation indices, whereas default simulations induced stronger dependence on unstable visible wavelengths. Physically informed simulation design combined with transfer learning effectively reduces simulation to reality discrepancies, whereas increasing deep model complexity alone provides limited improvement. The proposed framework offers an accurate, interpretable, and scalable solution for cross-platform crop trait retrieval from hyperspectral observations.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsハイパースペクトル観測から冬コムギのLAIと群落クロロフィル含量を推定する物理情報付き転移学習フレームワークを開発し、地上およびUAVデータで性能評価しており、植物形質取得・推定手法が中心である。

abstractThis study develops a physics-informed transfer learning framework to quantify the contributions of improving simulated data fidelity and increasing model complexity to retrieving winter wheat leaf area index (LAI) and canopy chlorophyll content (CCC) from hyperspectral observations.

Mapping Neighborhood Spatial Structure in Traditional Home Gardens Using UAV-Derived 3D Canopy Models ↗

Understanding the spatial structure of tree communities is fundamental for evaluating ecological interactions and management dynamics in agroforestry systems. However, the structural complexity and small spatial scale of traditional agroecosystems often limit the use of conventional remote sensing approaches. Recent advances in drone-based photogrammetry offer new opportunities to reconstruct the three-dimensional structure of vegetation at high spatial resolution and to quantify tree-level structural attributes. In this study, we applied aerial photogrammetry from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to characterize the spatial structure of agroforestry systems in traditional home gardens (THGs) in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico. The immediate neighborhood structure of the tree community of 20 THGs distributed along a south–north precipitation gradient was analyzed using two focal species as anchor references: Spondias purpurea and Annona muricata. High-resolution orthomosaics and three-dimensional point cloud models were generated to estimate structural attributes, including tree height, crown area, crown surface area, and canopy volume, which were combined with field measurements of diameter at breast height. Spatial indices describing aggregation, dominance, and neighborhood diversity were calculated to evaluate tree spatial organization and potential interaction patterns. The UAV-derived structural metrics revealed significant differences in canopy architecture across regions and between focal species. Regardless of the focal species, trees in the southern region exhibited greater height, crown diameter, and canopy volume than those in the northern region. Moreover, the spatial arrangement of tree communities also differed depending on which focal species was considered as the anchor, suggesting contrasting strategies of canopy dominance and spatial coexistence. Finally, our results validate the use of drone-based photogrammetry as an effective approach for capturing fine-scale spatial structure in complex agroforestry systems. By enabling detailed three-dimensional reconstruction of tree canopies, UAV remote sensing offers an affordable, simple approach to investigate neighborhood interactions, management effects, and structural dynamics in traditional agroecosystems that are difficult to assess using conventional field- or satellite-based methods.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV空撮フォトグラメトリと3D点群から樹高・樹冠面積・樹冠表面積・林冠体積を推定し、その有効性も検証しており、植物形質取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractHigh-resolution orthomosaics and three-dimensional point cloud models were generated to estimate structural attributes, including tree height, crown area, crown surface area, and canopy volume

Association of morphological markers of flower buds and anthers with the pollen developmental stage in Vicia faba L. ( Fabaceae ). ↗

The precise identification of microspore and pollen at the optimal developmental stages to be induced towards embryogenesis (vacuolated microspores and young pollen) is essential for induction of in vitro androgenesis in plants. Such identification is not always easy, and it is especially difficult in recalcitrant species such as Vicia faba . The present study evaluates the relationship between floral bud and anther morphometric parameters, and microspore/pollen developmental stages in V. faba using various methods including fluorescent staining, differential interference contrast microscopy, and morphometry. We measured flower bud and anther length and width, grouping them at different intervals, and performed a detailed microscopical and anatomical analysis of buds, anthers and microspores/pollen at different stages. Our results demonstrated that flower buds in V. faba exhibit complex and irregular morphologies, with considerable variation in both sepal length and shape. Furthermore, the determination of microspore and pollen developmental stages in this species is constrained by pronounced developmental asynchrony and strong genotype dependence. Although anther length measurements correlate closely with microspore and pollen developmental stages, their practical use can be challenging. Therefore, measuring flower bud length, while excluding sepals, remains the most practical criterion for routine applications. Combining this refined morphometric approach with microscopic validation appears to be the most effective strategy for improving the identification of flower buds containing microspores or pollen at developmental stages suitable for androgenesis induction in this recalcitrant legume species.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods花蕾・葯の形態計測と顕微鏡検証を用いて、微小胞子・花粉の発達段階を推定する実用的な植物フェノタイピング手法を評価しており、方法開発・検証が中心である。

abstractThe present study evaluates the relationship between floral bud and anther morphometric parameters, and microspore/pollen developmental stages in V. faba using various methods including fluorescent staining, differential interference contrast microscopy, and morphometry.

Early identification of glufosinate-resistant soybeans using plant image analysis ↗

The use of glufosinate-resistant GM soybean has expanded, raising concerns about resistant weed development and unintended transgene flow. To support monitoring for timely management, we propose an early, non-destructive identification method using spectral images acquired from whole soybean plants after glufosinate treatment. We evaluated the potential of spectral imaging, using RGB, infrared (IR) thermal, and chlorophyll fluorescence (CF) sensors, for early detection of glufosinate resistance in soybean. In the dose-response test, the key spectral indices including NDI, temperature difference, F v /F m , and NPQ distinguished between resistant and susceptible soybeans within 4 to 24 hours after treatment (HAT). IR thermal and CF imaging showed higher sensitivity in identifying resistance than RGB imaging by detecting spectral responses associated with physiological changes before visual symptoms appeared. Validation test with a single dose treatment of glufosinate reconfirmed that image analysis by both the naked eye and machine learning (ML) can discriminate between resistant and susceptible soybeans in a single day after glufosinate treatment. ML-based classification using IR thermal index achieved 100% accuracy as early as 6 HAT and the classification by the naked eye using IR thermal images showed 96.6% accuracy at 24 HAT. These results suggest that plant imaging enables early and non-destructive identification of herbicide-resistant individuals by detecting early spectral changes to herbicide treatment. These findings support its use as a potential alternative to conventional diagnostic methods for detecting individuals containing transgenes in herbicide-resistant GM soybean cultivation for future applications in herbicide-resistant weed monitoring.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsスペクトル画像（RGB、熱赤外、クロロフィル蛍光）と機械学習を用いて、薬剤処理後の植物の生理応答から耐性を早期識別する方法を開発・検証しており、植物表現型の取得が中心である。

abstractwe propose an early, non-destructive identification method using spectral images acquired from whole soybean plants after glufosinate treatment.

Development and Validation of a MobileNetV2 Convolutional Neural Network for Automated Diagnosis of Tomato Fungal Diseases in Northern Nigeria ↗

Accurate, field-deployable diagnostic tools are needed to close the diagnostic gap that limits fungicide targeting among smallholder tomato farmers in Northern Nigeria. This study developed and validated a lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) for automated diagnosis of five major tomato fungal diseases plus three additional common conditions, trained on field-collected leaf images from Kano and Kaduna States. A MobileNetV2 architecture pre-trained on ImageNet was fine-tuned via transfer learning on more than 10,000 images across ten disease and health classes, using farm-level dataset splitting to prevent data leakage and five-fold cross-validation for model selection.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトマト葉画像から病害・健全状態を直接推定するCNNを開発し、データ分割と交差検証で技術検証しており、植物状態の取得・推定手法が中心である。

abstractThis study developed and validated a lightweight convolutional neural network (CNN) for automated diagnosis of five major tomato fungal diseases plus three additional common conditions

An intelligent edge AI framework for real-time plant disease detection using deep learning under complex field environments ↗

Purpose Conventional plant disease detection is time-consuming and prone to human error. The purpose of this study is to propose an edge artificial intelligence (AI)-based deep learning framework for plant disease detection under real-field conditions. The model integrates convolutional neural networks (CNNs) with a Sliding Window Mean Absolute Deviation (SWMAD) preprocessing technique to address illumination variability and complex background conditions. Design/methodology/approach A dual-layer CNN model is developed for plant disease classification using HSV segmentation, flood-fill segmentation and SWMAD preprocessing to handle real-field variations. The model is trained on PlantVillage and real farm images and deployed via TensorFlow Lite for real-time offline detection. TensorFlow Lite is used to enable efficient on-device inference for deployment in resource-constrained environments. Findings Benchmark experiments conducted on the PlantVillage dataset achieved a classification accuracy of 99.91% under controlled conditions. On the hybrid dataset comprising PlantVillage and real-field images, the optimized CNN framework achieved a validation accuracy of 95.01% following extensive evaluation of optimizers, layer architectures and worker configurations. The integration of the proposed SWMAD preprocessing technique into the finalized architecture further improved the validation accuracy to 97.38%, demonstrating enhanced robustness and classification performance under practical agricultural conditions in the final deployed model. Originality/value The originality of this study lies in several novel contributions. First, we introduce an SWMAD-based preprocessing technique, which enhances local statistical variations in leaf images by capturing pixel-level deviations from neighborhood intensity means. Unlike, conventional preprocessing methods, SWMAD is specifically designed to handle real-field challenges such as illumination variation, noise and complex backgrounds. The improvement in validation accuracy demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed approach in capturing more discriminative features compared to existing techniques, thereby improving overall model robustness and reliability in practical agricultural environments.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物病害という植物状態を画像から推定する深層学習・前処理・エッジ展開手法が研究の中心であり、実環境での検証も行っているため。

abstractThe purpose of this study is to propose an edge artificial intelligence (AI)-based deep learning framework for plant disease detection under real-field conditions.

Deep Learning Techniques for Crop Health Monitoring and Disease Detection ↗

This paper explores how deep learning methods can be used to monitor the health of crops and identify diseases, particularly for the apple crop. As the need for food security and sustainable farming methods increases, there is a strong demand for early detection of crop diseases. We have used a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), based on the model of VGG16 architecture, since the model is known to be effective in image classification. The dataset contained 7771 training images for to enhance machines deep learning regarding plant diseases. Following that, validation image collection of 1747 images divided into four health conditions of the apple crops. In addition, the model was evaluated using 196 new images as a final test. To enhance the model capacity for recognizing diseases of real leaves rather than just memorize exact training pictures, data augmentation was used with ImageDataGenerator of TensorFlow. This means the training images were zoomed, rotated, and shifted to enable the machine detects more variations. Ten epochs of training were performed to measure the model accuracy. The results indicated that the model obtained significant improvement in training and validation accuracy from 56.43% to 78.12% and 92.94 to 96.93%, respectively. Most impressively, the final test dataset, which contained completely new images, scored an accuracy rate of 98%. The results indicate that in the architecture field the application of deep learning methodologies is effective, suggesting that automated detection of diseases by using sophisticated image analysis manages crop diseases identification efficiently. Combination of these methods successfully creates avenues for novel research to built real-time systems of crop disease monitoring, which help farmers increase their productions and farm their lands sustainably.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリンゴ葉画像から健康状態・病害を推定するCNN画像解析手法が研究の中心であり、学習・検証・新規画像での評価も実施しているため、植物病害表現型の手法研究として含める。

abstractThis paper explores how deep learning methods can be used to monitor the health of crops and identify diseases, particularly for the apple crop.

Effect of a Smartphone-Based Diagnostic Application on Tomato Farmer Disease Identification Accuracy: A Controlled Field Evaluation in Northern Nigeria ↗

Smallholder tomato farmers in Northern Nigeria correctly identify major fungal diseases only about 41% of the time using unaided visual inspection, contributing to fungicide misapplication and avoidable yield loss. This study evaluated the field impact of SmartfarmerApp, a smartphone-based diagnostic application built on a validated convolutional neural network, on farmer disease identification accuracy. A pre-test/post-test controlled design allocated 240 tomato farmers across eight Local Government Areas in Kano and Kaduna States to an intervention group (n = 120, received the application) or a control group (n = 120, continued with conventional information sources), using computer-generated random allocation stratified by location and gender.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトマトの病害状態を画像・視覚観察から判定するスマートフォン診断アプリを対象に、現場での識別精度を対照評価しており、植物病害フェノタイピング手法の応用・検証が中心である。

abstractThis study evaluated the field impact of SmartfarmerApp, a smartphone-based diagnostic application built on a validated convolutional neural network, on farmer disease identification accuracy.

A data-driven approach to automate embolism detection in leaves ↗

1 Summary Embolism, the formation of air bubbles in the plant water transport system, is a mechanistic driver of plant death. The Optical Vulnerability Technique (OVT) is an imaging method for non-invasive quantification of embolism (including P50, a common metric for drought vulnerability), which can also provide detailed spatial and temporal information. Its major cost lies in the post-processing of thousands of images. Here we designed, tested, trained, and make publicly available a neural network model to automate post-processing of OVT images. Using a dataset of 65 leaves from Senecio pterophorous , we compared our model predictions to results obtained via traditional post-processing by an expert. Our model resolved P50 to within 0.027 MPa of the expert-processed data with training taking 30 minutes to 2.5 hours and model-runtime in the order of seconds to minutes, demonstrating its promise for increasing the efficiency and throughput of P50 calculation. The model’s performance in replicating the pixels that constitute embolism events was lower (mean event-frame IoU of 0.38). We invite the community to utilise our model but emphasise that it does not replace the expert-processing pipeline and that care must be taken when considering applying this and similar approaches to OVT data.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods葉の塞栓を画像から定量化するOVTの後処理を自動化するニューラルネットワークを開発・検証しており、植物生理状態の表現型取得が研究の中心である。

abstractHere we designed, tested, trained, and make publicly available a neural network model to automate post-processing of OVT images.

Non-Destructive Watermelon Ripeness Assessment Using Deep Learning and Field-Based RGB Imagin ↗

Accurate, non-destructive assessment of watermelon ripeness remains a significant challenge in horticultural production, particularly under field conditions where traditional visual and tactile evaluation methods are subjective and often inconsistent. Although mechanical, acoustic, and spectroscopic techniques have demonstrated promising performance, their reliance on controlled laboratory environments limits their practical applicability in real-world agricultural settings. This study presents a field-deployable, AI-assisted computer vision system designed for objective, real-time classification of watermelon ripeness. The proposed prototype combines controlled illumination with RGB imaging and convolutional neural networks trained on thousands of annotated outdoor images collected over multiple growing seasons. A phased development strategy—encompassing proof-of-concept modelling, field integration, and multi-season validation—supports robustness against variable lighting conditions and environmental influences. The anticipated outcome is a reliable, non-destructive decision-support tool for growers, capable of identifying ripe fruit for manual harvesting while providing a technological foundation for future autonomous harvesting and precision agriculture applications.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsスイカ果実の成熟度という植物器官の状態を、RGB画像とCNNで非破壊推定する手法を開発し、圃場統合と複数季節の検証まで行うため、フェノタイピング手法が中心です。

abstractThis study presents a field-deployable, AI-assisted computer vision system designed for objective, real-time classification of watermelon ripeness.

Deep learning enables edge deployment for citrus leaf disease recognition in natural orchard scenes. ↗

Background Accurate and efficient detection of citrus leaf diseases is important for orchard monitoring, early intervention, and intelligent disease management. However, practical application in natural orchard environments remains challenging because of complex backgrounds, large variation in symptom scale, strong interclass similarity, and limited edge computing resources. Methods In this study, a lightweight object detection model, SKM-YOLOv11, was developed based on YOLOv11n for citrus leaf disease recognition in natural scenes. A self-built dataset was constructed from public images and field images, containing 6414 images across six classes. StarNet-S050 was introduced as the backbone, C3k2-Star was designed to enhance feature fusion across scales, and a lightweight shared detection head, MNS-Head, was constructed to reduce prediction redundancy. Results Compared with YOLOv11n, SKM-YOLOv11 increased Precision, Recall, and mAP @0.5 by 2.92, 1.47, and 0.95 percentage points, respectively. Meanwhile, FLOPs, parameter count, and model size were reduced by 31.7%, 32.7%, and 34.55%, respectively. Edge deployment on Jetson Orin NX Super achieved an inference speed of 72.45 frames per second. Conclusion The proposed model has strong potential for real-time citrus disease screening on resource-constrained devices and provides a feasible solution for edge-based intelligent disease management in natural orchards.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods柑橘葉の病害状態を画像から認識する軽量物体検出モデルを開発し、データセット、精度比較、エッジ実装性能まで評価しており、植物表現型（病害状態）の取得・推定手法が中心である。

abstracta lightweight object detection model, SKM-YOLOv11, was developed based on YOLOv11n for citrus leaf disease recognition in natural scenes.

Dynamic Prediction of Maize Tasseling Stage Based on UAV LiDAR Time-Series Plant Height Growth Curves: A Framework Coupling UAV-CHM-POI ↗

Accurate identification and effective prediction of the maize tasseling stage are of great significance for guiding precision field management and ensuring stable crop yields. Conventional manual observation methods suffer from high labor intensity, poor timeliness, and strong subjectivity. In this study, based on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) remote sensing platform, LiDAR point cloud data and RGB imagery were simultaneously acquired to construct digital surface models (DSMs) and digital terrain models (DTMs). Multi-dimensional statistical features were extracted to establish a high-precision plant height estimation method applicable to the entire growth cycle of maize. On this basis, the Logistic growth curve function was introduced to fit the dynamic changes in plant height, enabling the identification and early prediction of the maize tasseling stage based on the plant height growth curve. The research results indicate the following: (1) For maize plant height estimation, the LiDAR sensor outperforms RGB. The optimal accuracy is achieved by combining the 99th percentile of DSM with the minimum DTM, yielding a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.17 m. (2) Based on the high-accuracy plant height time series, the point of inflection (POI) achieves the highest accuracy in tasseling stage identification, with an RMSE of 2.586 d under the reconstructed time series. (3) Prediction accuracy of the tasseling stage improves with increasing plant height threshold, and optimal performance is observed when the threshold is ≥1.6 m with a growth rate between 0.11 and 0.13. This study establishes a technical framework of "time-series perception-dynamic simulation-feature identification-early prediction", providing a scientific basis for automated monitoring and precision management of the maize tasseling stage. It holds significant theoretical and practical value for the advancement of smart agriculture and crop phenotyping research.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV LiDAR/RGBによる草丈推定と時系列成長曲線から、トウモロコシの抽だい期を識別・予測する技術フレームワークが研究の中心であり、植物形質取得と検証を伴うため採用。

abstractMulti-dimensional statistical features were extracted to establish a high-precision plant height estimation method applicable to the entire growth cycle of maize.

Deep Learning-Based Phenotypic Analysis of Soybean Diseases and Assessment of Phylogenetic Signal ↗

Soybean diseases caused by fungal, bacterial, and viral pathogens represent a major constraint to global agricultural productivity. Although molecular phylogenetic analyses have advanced the understanding of pathogen evolution, the extent to which disease phenotypes reflect evolutionary relationships remains poorly understood. In this study, we developed an integrative framework combining deep learning-based phenotypic analysis with phylogenetic inference to investigate the relationship between soybean disease symptoms and pathogen evolution. An EfficientNet-B0 convolutional neural network (CNN) was trained to classify 10 soybean disease classes comprising 703 leaf images and achieved a mean cross-validation accuracy of 98.72 ± 1.17%, a weighted F1-score of 98.74 ± 1.16%, and a macro F1-score of 98.47 ± 1.74%. Evaluation on a held-out test set generated through image-level partitioning yielded an accuracy of 96.19%, a weighted F1-score of 96.28%, and a macro F1-score of 95.86%. Latent feature embeddings revealed a structured phenotypic space with clear separation among most disease classes and enabled quantitative analyses of phenotypic similarity. To provide biological context, taxonomy-derived distance matrices and sequence-based phylogenetic analyses of the fungal subset using 28S rRNA sequences were compared with CNN-derived phenotypic representations. A Mantel test identified a moderate and statistically significant association between phenotypic and phylogenetic distances (Spearman r = 0.3393, p = 0.0050), indicating that pathogen evolutionary history contributes to disease phenotype while explaining only part of the observed phenotypic variation. Overall, the results demonstrate that deep learning effectively captures biologically meaningful phenotypic information while highlighting that disease symptoms arise from the combined influence of pathogen evolution, host responses, and environmental conditions. This study provides an integrative framework for combining image-based phenotyping with phylogenetic analysis to support biologically informed interpretation of plant disease phenotypes.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods深層学習による画像ベースのダイズ病徴分類・表現型空間抽出が研究の中心であり、植物病害状態を直接推定する手法を開発・評価している。

abstractwe developed an integrative framework combining deep learning-based phenotypic analysis with phylogenetic inference

Improved YOLOv8n-seg for instance segmentation of mango fruits and peduncles in natural orchard environments ↗

To improve the instance segmentation accuracy of mango fruits and peduncles in complex mountainous orchard scenes and provide visual decision support for robotic harvesting, this study proposes a model-driven perception and picking-point localization method. Specifically, an RGB-D mango dataset was constructed under natural orchard conditions, covering strong illumination, shadows, backlighting, fruit overlap, branch and leaf occlusion, and peduncle crossing. An improved lightweight instance segmentation model named SHS-YOLOv8n-seg was then developed based on YOLOv8n-seg. StarNet_s1 was introduced as the backbone to enhance feature extraction under complex backgrounds. Furthermore, a high-frequency and spatial perception feature pyramid network was adopted to strengthen multi-scale feature fusion and improve the representation of slender peduncles. The SPPF module was used to expand the receptive field, and the parameter-free SimAM attention mechanism was introduced to enhance target responses while suppressing background interference. In the single-run comparison, the proposed model achieved Precision, Recall, mAP@50, and mAP@50:95 values of 89.62%, 88.17%, 90.19%, and 67.94%, respectively. Compared with the baseline YOLOv8n-seg model, these values increased by 2.42, 2.90, 2.75, and 2.57 percentage points, respectively. Moreover, fruit–peduncle matching, geometric constraints, RGB-D depth information, and PCA-based local direction estimation were combined to infer the picking point and recover its 3D coordinates from the segmentation masks. In the evaluation of 57 RGB-D images, the picking point position accuracy reached 98.2%, while the local peduncle direction accuracy reached 91.2%. Overall, the proposed method can accurately segment mango fruits and peduncles in complex natural environments and convert the segmentation results into picking point positions, 3D coordinates, and local direction information, thereby providing theoretical and technical support for intelligent mango harvesting robots.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsマンゴー果実・果梗の画像セグメンテーションと3D形状情報の抽出手法を開発・評価しており、単なる収穫対象の位置検出を超えて、再利用可能な植物器官の形態情報を取得する方法が中心である。

abstractfruit–peduncle matching, geometric constraints, RGB-D depth information, and PCA-based local direction estimation were combined to infer the picking point and recover its 3D coordinates from the segmentation masks

Depth4PH: a vision foundation model-based framework for plant height estimation in agricultural scenes ↗

Plant height is a key 3D phenotypic trait for assessing crop growth, biomass accumulation, and lodging resistance. To overcome the practical limitations of conventional plant height measurement methods, this study proposes a novel vision foundation model-based framework named Depth for Plant Height (Depth4PH) for plant height estimation in agricultural scenes using low-cost monocular RGB imaging. As part of our contributions, a synthetic–real coupled multimodal dataset was constructed by integrating Blender virtual agricultural scenes (Blender VAS) with real field images. Building upon the existing Depth Anything V2 foundation model, we developed a novel module called Transfer-based Agricultural Metric Depth Anything V2 (TAM-Depth V2) for absolute metric depth estimation through parameter-efficient fine-tuning, depth decoder reconstruction, and joint loss optimization. Furthermore, we designed a novel multi-source prompt-based segmentation framework, MSP-SAM2, to generate positive and negative prompts for zero-shot crop instance segmentation. Finally, a new inverse physical plant height estimation algorithm, RANSAC-Per, was introduced to estimate plant height by combining truncated percentile statistics with local RANSAC micro-plane fitting, thereby reducing the effects of depth noise and field microtopographic variation. The result showed that TAM-Depth V2 achieved stable absolute depth estimation, with an RMSE of 0.1162 m and an AbsRel of 4.25%. Compared to the original box-prompted SAM 2, MSP-SAM2 achieved a 4.4% improvement in mIoU, reaching 91.6% and a recall of 93.2%. On a 350-plant multi-crop test set, Depth4PH achieved R 2 = 0.948, RMSE = 12.23 cm, and MAE = 8.82 cm, and MAPE =10.15%, with crop-specific RMSEs ranging from 3.99 cm (cucumber) to 20.73 cm (maize), significantly outperforming the traditional Global-MinMax baseline (which had an RMSE of 22.62 cm). These results indicate that Depth4PH provides a promising foundational pathway for high-throughput crop phenotyping. With future optimization for edge deployment, it holds significant potential to support high-throughput monitoring in precision agriculture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物高の画像取得・深度推定・セグメンテーション・高さ抽出アルゴリズムを一体化した植物表現型計測フレームワークの開発と検証が中心であり、データセット構築と性能評価も含む。

abstractthis study proposes a novel vision foundation model-based framework named Depth for Plant Height (Depth4PH) for plant height estimation in agricultural scenes using low-cost monocular RGB imaging.

RT-ZSDR: A real-time zero-shot segmentation and dense reconstruction framework for plant phenotyping robot ↗

Annotation scarcity, poor model generalization and lagged data processing remain key bottlenecks hindering the practical deployment of phenotyping robots. To address these issues, we developed a novel phenotyping robot capable of online 3D reconstruction and zero-shot segmentation directly on the edge. Diverging from conventional semantic SLAM, our core contribution is RT-ZSDR, a framework featuring two key methodological novelties. First, we introduce the ForeCut pipeline for target extraction, which innovatively fuses DINO features with 3D geometric spatial information, leveraging multi-view semantic-spatial consistency to achieve annotation-free, zero-shot dense segmentation and reconstruction. Second, we designed a hardware-coupled loop closure strategy utilizing the robotic arm's kinematic feedback as prior constraints to significantly improve loop closure recall. Supported by edge computing Jetson Orin NX, the tracking and segmentation process takes approximately 0.24 s per frame after an initialization period of 1.82 s. RT-ZSDR's phenotypic measurements demonstrated strong correlations with reference baseline in both laboratory settings (n=90, PlantEye measurements as reference baseline; R 2 =0.990, 0.939, 0.725, and 0.861 for plant height, projected leaf area, surface area, and volume) and practical greenhouse environments (n=48, manual measurements as reference baseline; R 2 =0.965, 0.862 for plant height and stem diameter). Additionally, evaluated against COLMAP benchmarks (n=24), the system achieved a mean 3D reconstruction F1-score of 0.816.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物フェノタイピングロボット向けに、ゼロショット分割・3D再構成・エッジ処理を開発し、植物形質を基準測定およびベンチマークと比較検証しており、取得・抽出手法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe developed a novel phenotyping robot capable of online 3D reconstruction and zero-shot segmentation directly on the edge.

HagPF: Hierarchical-annotation-guided phenotypic framework for stem instance segmentation and length measurement in plant point clouds ↗

As a critical structural component that connects almost all other types of plant organs, the stem system not only supports the weight of the total plant, but also serves as a vital channel for nutriment transportation. Accurate phenotypic measurement of stem instances is of practical significance for assessing crop growth dynamics and predicting yield. To address current 3D phenotyping challenges of crops such as the difficulty in separating stem segments from the stem system and the low accuracy in stem length measurement, we propose a Hierarchical-annotation-guided Phenotypic Framework (HagPF) for Stem Instance Segmentation and Length Measurement in plant point clouds. Specifically, a hierarchical leaf-stem organ instance annotation strategy is devised to effectively train a PSegNet network for leaf and stem instance segmentation. The segmentation is then followed by a shape-adaptive measurement algorithm to automatically measure the length of stem segments that are morphologically diverse in space. On a 3D dataset comprising four crop species, the proposed framework achieved an Intersection over Union (IoU) of 95.45% for organ semantic segmentation and a Mean Weighted Coverage (mWCov) of 87.87% for instance segmentation (both stem and leaf). Regarding to the stem length measurement, the method obtained an average Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 1.044 cm and a relative error of 11.907%, outperforming 7 mainstream methods. The relevant dataset and source code can be found at: https://github.com/Jinx00/stem-length-measurement .

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物点群から茎のインスタンスを分割し、茎長を自動測定する3D表現型解析フレームワークの開発・比較検証が中心である。

abstractwe propose a Hierarchical-annotation-guided Phenotypic Framework (HagPF) for Stem Instance Segmentation and Length Measurement in plant point clouds.

An integrated YOLOv11-based framework for wheat spike phenotyping segmentation and grain yield estimation ↗

Spike count and spatial arrangement are among the strongest determinants of grain yield in wheat, yet reliable spike-level phenotyping under field conditions remains challenging. Field-acquired images are often affected by occlusion, heterogeneous illumination, and dense canopy overlap. In addition to these visual complexities, the effort required to generate large-scale instance-level annotations makes it difficult to build the extensive labeled datasets typically needed for robust segmentation models. This paper addresses both problems. The core methodological contribution is a semi-automated iterative annotation workflow: a YOLOv11x-seg model trained on a small manually annotated set is applied to unlabeled field images, and its predictions, after post-processing to remove duplicated, fragmented, and merged detections, are incorporated back into training. To prevent augmentation from distorting the training distribution, we introduce a distribution-aware augmentation strategy guided by Fréchet Inception Distance (FID), which retains only those augmented samples that remain within an acceptable distance from the original data distribution. Together, these components allowed us to build an effective training set from 3,899 high-resolution RGB images (4000 × 3000 pixels) of durum wheat collected at the CREA Research Centre for Cereal and Industrial Crops, with substantially reduced manual annotation effort. On the independent test set(242 images), the final YOLOv11x-seg model (M5 model) achieved a mask-level precision of 86.73%, recall of 83.02%, F1-score of 84.83%, mAP@50 of 89.42%, and mAP@50:95 of 60.51%. Spike masks were used to derive image-based traits including spike count, spike density, canopy coverage, spike area, spatial distribution, and vegetation indices. Their relationships with measured grain yield were explored through statistical analysis and machine-learning-based yield estimation.Both statistical and machine-learning analyses demonstrated that image-derived spike traits provided meaningful information for grain yield estimation, with canopy coverage showing the strongest positive association with yield. Using repeated nested cross-validation with out-of-fold (OOF) predictions, XGBoost achieved the highest yield estimation performance ( R OOF 2 = 0.312 , RMSE = 106.61 g/plot), supporting the potential of near-image phenotyping for late-stage yield estimation in wheat. These results show that semi-automated iterative annotation can enable practical wheat spike segmentation and image-based phenotyping under realistic open-field conditions. While grain yield estimation should be interpreted within the context of the experimental setting, the proposed framework highlights the value of image-derived spike traits for late-stage phenotyping and yield assessment in breeding experiments rather than for early-season yield forecasting.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods半自動アノテーション、YOLOv11x-segによる小麦穂の画像セグメンテーション、分布認識型データ拡張、形質抽出と検証が中心的な方法論的貢献である。

abstractThe core methodological contribution is a semi-automated iterative annotation workflow

Non-destructive detection of dry matter content based on Vis-NIR spectroscopy and wavelength selection. ↗

A rapid and non-destructive method for predicting dry matter (DM) content in leeks was developed using visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy, coupled with what we believe to be a novel wavelength selection algorithm. Reflectance spectra (397.7-1716.7 nm) were acquired from 288 leek samples collected from three production areas in Nantong, China, and DM content was determined by oven-drying. The full-spectrum partial least squares (PLS) model yielded moderate prediction accuracy, with R P2 of 0.7963 and RMSE P of 1.14%. To improve performance, the iterative ranking-based variable elimination PLS (IRIVE-PLS) algorithm was proposed, which integrates multiple importance metrics to iteratively eliminate uninformative wavelengths. The algorithm autonomously identified the red-edge region (680-780 nm) as the most informative spectral feature, enriching its proportion from 9.5% in the full spectrum to 10.6% in the selected set. The IRIVE-PLS model achieved excellent prediction performance, yielding R P2 of 0.9683 and RMSE P of 0.45%, significantly outperforming conventional wavelength selection methods. The proposed approach provides an accurate, interpretable, and non-destructive alternative for leek quality assessment, with strong potential for online sorting applications in the vegetable industry.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsVis-NIR分光と新規波長選択アルゴリズムを用いて、リーキの乾物含量という植物形質を非破壊推定する手法の開発・性能評価が中心である。

abstractA rapid and non-destructive method for predicting dry matter (DM) content in leeks was developed using visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy, coupled with what we believe to be a novel wavelength selection algorithm.

Phenotyping maize stay green traits via in situ leaf hyperspectral reflectance sensing ↗

Advancements in stay-green phenotyping are increasingly utilizing hyperspectral sensing technology to assess crop response under extreme environmental conditions. Yet, the effectiveness of different spectral features in explaining stay green remains to be fully elucidated. This includes identifying which bands and spectral indices are more effective in capturing the genotypic differences in stay-green traits. The main objective of this study was to evaluate hyperspectral leaf reflectance as a means to estimate stay-green visual scores (SGVS) as an indicator of drought tolerance and to further understand whether chlorophyll absorption-band spectral indices can differentiate SGVS classifications during post-flowering stages of maize. The experiment was conducted over two growing seasons in Germany, comprising 18 maize genotypes under two contrasting water availability conditions. We measured leaf hyperspectral reflectance using a spectroradiometer in the second, fourth, and sixth week after flowering, along with stay-green traits measurements. We employed raw spectral reflectance, hyperspectral vegetation indices (VIs) in combination with random forest (RF) and ANN models to predict SGVS. Results showed that drought stress significantly affected stay-green-related traits and led to a 43.5% decrease in grain yield in the inbred lines. The grain dry yield (GDY) was positively correlated with stay-green visual scores (SGVS), with higher SGVS associated with higher GDY. Stay-green traits were correlated with various VIs, with the best correlation observed for the Chl_NDI (r = 0.91). Stay-green groups were successfully classified using the selected VIs, with the water-absorption band VIs performing better than the chlorophyll-absorption band VIs and other VIs. Similarly, for predicting the SGVS, the water absorption band indices (R² = 0.79 ± 0.04 and RMSE = 0.12 ± 0.01) outperformed the chlorophyll absorption band indices when using RF. Leave-one-out-location/year cross-validation revealed pronounced variation in model transferability driven by environmental and temporal domain shifts. RF consistently outperformed ANN, showing greater robustness to inter-site heterogeneity and interannual variability, whereas performance degraded most in spectrally distinct environments or atypical seasons. Interestingly, RDIS_3b (1280, 1250, 1180 nm), NDIS_2b (2190, 1510 nm), and NDWI2 (860, 1241 nm) were identified as the most critical predictors in the RF models, across merged and separated datasets. These findings demonstrate the potential of spectral signatures, particularly water-absorption band spectral indices, for quantitative phenotyping of stay-green as a proxy for drought tolerance in maize breeding programs; however, multisite, multiyear calibration is needed to enhance generalizability.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシのstay-green形質を対象に、葉のハイパースペクトル反射を用いた形質推定・分類モデルを評価し、交差検証で転移性と頑健性も検証しているため、センサー型表現型計測手法が中心である。

abstractThe main objective of this study was to evaluate hyperspectral leaf reflectance as a means to estimate stay-green visual scores (SGVS)

Hyperspectral–machine learning framework enables early and non-destructive prediction of plant resistance to pest ↗

The brown planthopper ( Nilaparvata lugens ) is one of the most destructive pests of rice and poses a threat to yield stability and food security. Although host-plant resistance is the most sustainable strategy for BPH management, conventional resistance phenotyping remains labor-intensive, destructive, and poorly suited for large-scale breeding. Here, we combined hyperspectral reflectance profiling of 50 rice varieties with an interpretable machine learning framework to enable non-destructive prediction of resistance phenotypes. Using post-infestation spectral profiles, we established classification models that captured resistance states shaped by constitutive traits and inducible defense responses. Among 13 evaluated algorithms, a radial basis function support vector machine achieved the best performance on full-spectrum data within the sampled variety panel, with an average accuracy of 0.939 ± 0.015 and a maximum of 0.972. Predictive wavelengths were concentrated in the green, red-edge, and near-infrared regions, corresponding to variation in pigment regulation, canopy structure, and water status. Spectral and network analyses showed that resistant genotypes exhibited more complex but less stable spectral co-occurrence networks, consistent with physiological trade-offs associated with defense. We also tested whether resistance could be predicted before pest infestation. Pre-infestation spectra retained significant predictive power, with accuracies of 0.572 ± 0.021 for five-class classification and 0.667 ± 0.021 for binary classification, indicating that constitutive defense-associated physiological states are optically detectable before visible damage occurs. Together, our results show that hyperspectral reflectance encodes both inducible responses after infestation and constitutive defense baselines present beforehand. This work establishes a scalable, non-invasive phenotyping strategy for early resistance screening within evaluated germplasm panels, while future validation across independent and variety-level held-out populations will be required before broader deployment.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネの害虫抵抗性という植物状態を、ハイパースペクトル計測と機械学習で非破壊推定する方法を開発・評価しており、表現型取得が研究の中心である。

abstractwe combined hyperspectral reflectance profiling of 50 rice varieties with an interpretable machine learning framework to enable non-destructive prediction of resistance phenotypes.

Cotton seedling detection based on super-resolution reconstruction from UAV remote sensing imagery ↗

Accurate and efficient acquisition of seedling density and growth information is of great significance for guiding modern agricultural field management. Although drone imagery has been widely used in seedling monitoring, the inherent trade-off between operational efficiency and image resolution limits the effectiveness of remote sensing-based seedling detection. To address this challenge, this study proposes an integrated analytical method combining super-resolution reconstruction and object detection. The approach first employs the Real-ESRGAN model to enhance low-resolution image quality, then utilizes the YOLOv12 model to accurately localize cotton seedlings, and finally generates visualizations of seedling density and growth uniformity. Experimental results demonstrate that super-resolution reconstruction enhances the detection algorithm's capability for small targets, increasing the object detection precision by 3.3%. With the incorporation of super-resolution reconstruction, the seedling counting accuracy reaches 92.08%, representing a 46.15% improvement over the method without super-resolution, thereby effectively enhancing the algorithm's counting capability. Furthermore, this method achieves image detail equivalent to that obtained at 7.5 meters flight altitude while operating at 30 meters, reducing data acquisition time to 1/16 of the original requirement. In practical applications, the visualized results of seedling density and growth uniformity provide precise decision-making support for thinning, replanting, and differentiated field management. The proposed method is not only applicable to cotton but can also be extended to staple crops such as corn, wheat, and rice, with additional potential applications in forestry and ecological monitoring.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像の超解像化と物体検出により、ワタ苗の密度・生育均一性を定量化する手法が研究の中心であり、性能評価も行っているため。

abstractThe approach first employs the Real-ESRGAN model to enhance low-resolution image quality, then utilizes the YOLOv12 model to accurately localize cotton seedlings, and finally generates visualizations of seedling density and growth uniformity.

A multi-sensor stabilized phenotyping platform for accurate wheat canopy sensing in unstructured field environments ↗

To address the challenges of insufficient sensor stability and poor consistency among multi-source data during crop phenotyping in unstructured field environments, this study develops a hardware-software co-optimization framework for wheat canopy sensing based on a four-wheel-drive, high-clearance phenotyping platform. A multi-sensor stabilization device integrated with an ESO-LQR control strategy suppresses pitch disturbances during motion. A ROS-based hierarchical framework coordinates LiDAR, cameras, and inertial sensors, while spatial calibration and timestamp-based software synchronization ensure spatiotemporal consistency. A tightly coupled LiDAR-IMU SLAM algorithm enables centimeter-level 3D reconstruction of farmland. To mitigate terrain effects, a two-stage ground point extraction method integrating verticality and spatial distribution features improves canopy height estimation. Field experiments demonstrate stable platform operation at 1.5 m s⁻¹ while maintain high efficiency and data quality, with a coverage efficiency of 95.2%, retained-point ratio of 85.3%, and an MTF of 0.35 for image clarity. Phenotypic evaluation shows strong agreement between predicted wheat plant height and manual measurements, with R² values of 0.898 and 0.729 and RMSE values of 1.30 cm and 1.64 cm at the jointing and grain-filling stages, respectively. Moreover, at the jointing stage, both the 2D green area index (GAI) and the 3D point-cloud-based canopy coverage exhibit strong consistency with ImageJ-derived results (R² = 0.873 and 0.910). These findings demonstrate that the proposed approach enables stable and efficient acquisition of crop phenotypic information in complex field environments, providing a solid technical foundation for digital field monitoring, data-driven crop management, and intelligent agricultural systems.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦キャノピーの表現型取得を目的としたマルチセンサープラットフォーム、データ同期・3D再構成・キャノピー高さ推定を開発し、手動測定やImageJとの一致性を検証しているため、方法が研究の中心である。

abstractthis study develops a hardware-software co-optimization framework for wheat canopy sensing based on a four-wheel-drive, high-clearance phenotyping platform.

Development and Validation of Minitron III: A System for Continuous Monitoring of Crop Gas Exchange in Controlled Environments ↗

Optimizing environmental inputs for indoor crop production by conducting a traditional endpoint growth analysis requires significant time and resources. The most common scientific approach to assessing crop response involves the accumulation of dry mass at the end of a cropping cycle. A growth dynamics analysis also results in the accurate estimation of the crop response to the growth environment through periodic destructive sampling. Measuring crop gas exchange in the same environment in which it is grown offers a powerful alternative to accelerating the environmental optimization process, especially for vegetative crops. This work introduces Minitron III, a third-generation technology advancement capable of continuous gas-exchange monitoring from seed to harvest for small specialty crop stands. For proof of concept, 24 ‘Rouxai’ red oakleaf lettuce plants were grown from seed to harvest over a 25-day cropping cycle. Instantaneous differences in the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and water vapor (H 2 O V ) mole fraction between sample/reference lines flowing through/around cuvette/growth space were measured using a differential infrared gas analyzer, allowing determination of net photosynthesis based on a 0.41-m 2 cropping area. Crop stand net photosynthesis was detectable 7 days after sowing seeds, increasing gradually from 0.13 to 0.60 µmol·m −2 ·s −1 over the following week. The crop net photosynthesis rate increased robustly on a daily basis from 15 days after sowing seeds. While the net photosynthesis rate at the beginning of the photoperiod was 0.68 µmol·m −2 ·s −1 on day 15, it increased to 7.7 µmol·m −2 ·s −1 by day 25 after sowing seeds. Crop dark respiration was detectable from 17 days after sowing seeds and ranged from −0.3 to −0.9 µmol·m −2 ·s −1 . Minitron III has potential for rapid optimization of multiple environmental inputs for indoor production of specialty crops based on the near-real-time crop response to environmental inputs.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods作物のガス交換を連続測定して光合成・暗呼吸を推定するシステム自体の開発と概念実証が中心であり、植物生理状態のフェノタイピング手法に該当する。

titleDevelopment and Validation of Minitron III: A System for Continuous Monitoring of Crop Gas Exchange in Controlled Environments

Development of web-based YCPM-UAV interface for early yield prediction of canola crop using UAV multi-sensor data ↗

• Development of yellow color index (YCI) for yield estimation at flowering stage • Development of web-based interface (YCPM-UAV) for canola yield prediction using UAVs • Global application capability for UAVs datasets to predict canola yield using YCPM-UAV • Multi-sensor and multi-spectrum data fusion to find most suited indices for canola • Multiple and stepwise regression analysis for selection of most influencing VIs Canola ( Brassica napus L.) is a globally significant oilseed crop, yet accurate yield estimation remains challenging due to the complex and unique nature of the crop, especially at the flowering stage. Traditional field-based yield estimation methods are labor-intensive, time-consuming, and destructive, necessitating innovative approaches for early and non-destructive yield prediction. The main objective of the study is to develop a novel web-based platform, YCPM-UAV (Yellow Color Prediction Model using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles), for early and accurate canola yield estimation using high-resolution multi-sensor datasets acquired through low-altitude UAVs (LA-UAVs). To achieve this objective, a comprehensive two-year field study (2022-2024) was conducted across ten farmers’ fields in different geographical locations. Multisensor data (RGB, multispectral, and thermal) were acquired using UAVs at seven growth stages. Several vegetation indices (VIs), yellow color-based indices, and a thermal index were calculated. Linear, multiple, and stepwise regression analyses were performed to evaluate relationships of remote sensing indices with ground-truth yield data collected from 1200 sampling points. Multiple and stepwise regression analyses indicated that the newly developed Yellow Color Index (YCI) exhibited the strongest correlation with actual canola yield at the flowering stage across both years (Year 1: R 2 = 0.84, RMSE = 39.30 g m⁻²; Year 2: R² = 0.88, RMSE = 31.57 g m⁻²). Based on proposed predictive modeling, the YCPM-UAV web interface was developed, featuring automated data processing and spatial analysis with a testing accuracy of 88%. The YCPM-UAV platform provides farmers, researchers, and policymakers with a timely, user-friendly, and actionable decision-support tool for canola yield estimation at the field scale, contributing to improved crop management and food security. Future studies should incorporate additional canola varieties, irrigated and non-irrigated fields, and deep learning algorithms to further improve model robustness.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVマルチセンサー画像からカノーラ収量を推定する指標・回帰モデル・Webプラットフォームを開発し、複数年データで検証しており、植物形質取得・推定が中心である。

titleDevelopment of web-based YCPM-UAV interface for early yield prediction of canola crop using UAV multi-sensor data

Early detection of plant pathogens in the asymptomatic phase: A scoping review of hyperspectral imaging combined with machine learning ↗

• First PRISMA-ScR mapping of 79 HSI-ML asymptomatic detection studies (42 species, 74 pathogens) • Controlled-to-field accuracy gap quantified: 91.4% vs. 86.3% (5.1 pp, p = 0.0163 ) • 56.8% of studies omit temporal sampling documentation (CV = 139%) • SWIR underutilization (11.8%) reflects economic, not scientific, barriers • DBVS proposed as standardized temporal metric for cross-study comparability Plant disease management requires non-invasive detection methods capable of identifying infections before visible symptom manifestation, thereby enabling timely intervention. Hyperspectral imaging combined with machine learning and deep learning (HSI-ML) achieves 90.2% classification accuracy in controlled environments for asymptomatic plant detection; however, systematic characterization of methodological practices across this rapidly expanding field remains absent. This PRISMA-ScR compliant scoping review mapped 79 peer-reviewed studies (2010–2025) encompassing 42 plant species and 74 pathogenic agents using a Population-Concept-Context framework. Visible-near-infrared (VNIR) systems dominated deployment (61.8%, n = 49 ), while short-wave infrared (SWIR) systems remained substantially underutilized (11.8%, n = 9 ) due primarily to economic rather than scientific constraints. Among 67 unique algorithms identified, machine learning methods accounted for 30.7% (SVM, random forests, and PLS-DA predominant), whereas deep learning represented 28.4% (2D-CNN, 3D-CNN, and hybrid architectures). Critical methodological gaps emerged: 56.8% of studies omitted temporal sampling documentation (detection latency range: 1–56 days post-inoculation; coefficient of variation = 139%). Platform-stratified analysis revealed controlled environments achieved 91.4% ± 6.6% classification accuracy ( n = 48 ) versus 86.3% ± 9.1% for field/UAV deployments ( n = 26 ), representing a significant 5.1 percentage-point performance decrease ( p = 0.0163 ). Detection accuracy exhibited a weak negative correlation with detection timing ( ρ = − 0.33 , p = 0.067 ), though this association did not reach conventional statistical significance. Methodological heterogeneity—rather than algorithmic limitations—constitutes the primary barrier to field operationalization. Adoption of Days Before Visible Symptoms (DBVS) as a standardized temporal metric could resolve an estimated 40–50% of cross-study variance currently attributed to inconsistent asymptomatic-phase definitions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物病害の無症状感染をHSIと機械学習で検出する手法群を対象に、79研究の方法、精度、時間指標、標準化課題を体系的に評価したレビューであり、フェノタイピング手法が中心です。

titleEarly detection of plant pathogens in the asymptomatic phase: A scoping review of hyperspectral imaging combined with machine learning

Methodological framework of automatic field-based plot extraction and maize emergence counting using UAV imagery and deep learning ↗

Accurate plant population estimation is critical for crop monitoring, yield prediction, and field management in precision agriculture. However, challenges such as complex backgrounds, overlapping plants, and the need for large-scale coverage make seedling counting from UAV imagery difficult. In this study, we propose a novel automated pipeline for maize seedling counting based on high-resolution UAV orthomosaic images. The pipeline begins with an automatic field-based plot extraction method that isolates individual planting regions without the need for manual intervention. A lightweight object detection model, YOLOv8n-CA, is then employed, incorporating Coordinate Attention to enhance feature localization while maintaining fast inference. To further accelerate the process, we introduce the ‘In-Range Sliding’ strategy, which limits inference to only planting regions, reducing computational overhead. Extensive experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach, achieving a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.587 and a coefficient of determination ( R 2 ) of 94.19 % at the plot level. Additionally, our system enables spatial feature extraction such as seedling spacing, supporting more refined agronomic analysis. This work provides an efficient and scalable solution for plant counting, offering valuable insights for large-scale, rapid post-processing agricultural monitoring.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像と深層学習によるトウモロコシ幼苗の計数・圃場区画抽出パイプラインを開発し、計数精度を検証しているため、植物表現型取得法が中心である。

abstractwe propose a novel automated pipeline for maize seedling counting based on high-resolution UAV orthomosaic images.

CEG-YOLO: A lightweight edge-optimized framework for in-field rice panicle counting ↗

Rice panicle number per unit area is a key determinant of yield, but manual counting remains time-consuming and labor-intensive. This study proposes CEG-YOLO, a lightweight deep learning model for in-field rice panicle detection and counting using consumer-grade RGB imaging devices. The model introduces three improvements to YOLOv11s to address specific challenges in field scenarios: C2f-Fast replaces standard convolutions with depthwise convolutions to reduce computational cost for edge deployment; SPPF-ECA integrates an attention mechanism to suppress complex background interference; and GhostConv reduces feature redundancy to improve detection of dense panicles. A dataset of 5,175 images was collected from four rice cultivars planted at three densities using an iPhone 12. The proposed model achieved 93.9% average precision (AP) on the test set, outperforming YOLOv11s which achieved 89.1%, while reducing parameters to 7.8 million and floating-point operations (FLOPs) to 16.5 billion. Robustness evaluation yielded coefficients of determination (R²) values of 0.91 to 0.94 for lighting, 0.89 to 0.94 for planting density, and 0.90 to 0.94 for cultivar. A cross-year field test using an NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX edge device on 120 quadrats in 2025 achieved R² of 0.91, root mean square error (RMSE) of 4.0, and mean absolute error (MAE) of 3.3 at 20 frames per second, confirming practical deployability. This study demonstrates that smartphone-based proximal phenotyping with an optimized deep learning model can provide accurate, low-cost rice panicle counting for breeding and production applications.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ穂数という植物形質をRGB画像から推定する深層学習モデルを開発し、精度・頑健性・実地展開性能を検証しており、フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study proposes CEG-YOLO, a lightweight deep learning model for in-field rice panicle detection and counting using consumer-grade RGB imaging devices.

GREENTRIBE: A modular multi-sensor high-throughput plant phenotyping framework for indoor facilities ↗

Indoor high-throughput plant phenotyping (HTPP) platforms require flexible, interoperable architectures to support reproducible trait acquisition across changing controlled-environment experiments. This paper presents GREENTRIBE, a modular multi-sensor indoor HTPP framework that integrates sensing, robotic coordination, data communication, semantic data management, and crop modelling within a unified phenotyping pipeline. Rather than treating these elements as independent modules, GREENTRIBE connects distributed sensor acquisition, robot-assisted operation, lightweight message exchange, ontology-based data organization, and process-based model assimilation through a layered architecture implemented with CAN, ROS 2, MQTT, OpenSILEX, and STICS. The platform combines a multiscale sensing network with a sensor-independent communication protocol, enabling heterogeneous imaging, environmental, and plant-monitoring devices to be configured within indoor experimental designs. To support traceable and reusable workflows, GREENTRIBE implements an ontology-driven data management layer aligned with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) metadata standards. The architecture further links computer vision and artificial intelligence pipelines with the STICS crop model, allowing multimodal observations to be transformed into biologically interpretable phenotypic information under explicit genotype, environment, and management contexts. Platform validation demonstrated reliable communication, efficient multimodal data handling, and standardized metadata management across the sensing-to-information pipeline. Under the configured acquisition schedule, GREENTRIBE achieved a maximum full data cycle of approximately 200 ms, no measurable losses up to the CAN master, high metadata completeness, and support for 1704 scheduled daily acquisition events from seven devices. Overall, GREENTRIBE provides a modular and interoperable indoor phenotyping framework for reproducible experiments and standardized multimodal phenotypic data generation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物フェノタイピングのための多センサーHTPP基盤を中心に開発・統合し、通信性能、データ処理、メタデータ管理を検証しているため。

abstractThis paper presents GREENTRIBE, a modular multi-sensor indoor HTPP framework that integrates sensing, robotic coordination, data communication, semantic data management, and crop modelling within a unified phenotyping pipeline.

Genomic selection and genome-wide association studies using UAV-derived plant height and aboveground biomass of maize ↗

Plant height (PH) and aboveground biomass (AGB) are critical agronomic traits that determine the yield potential of maize ( Zea mays L . ). However, the application of genomic selection (GS) and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in maize breeding is often hindered by the limitations of phenotypic data collection, which is typically characterized by low throughput and inadequate accuracy. To address this challenge, we employed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with LiDAR and RGB cameras for high-throughput assessment of pH and AGB in a panel of 817 maize hybrids derived from 364 inbred lines over two growing seasons. Our results demonstrated that the integration of UAV-derived LiDAR point clouds with crop surface models (CSMs) enabled robust estimation of pH across multiple years ( R 2 > 0.90). Furthermore, a three-dimensional AGB estimation model was developed using UAV-derived PH and canopy coverage (CC), achieving high estimation accuracy ( R 2 > 0.83). Subsequently, the UAV-derived PH and AGB were utilized for GS and GWAS analyses. Replicated 10-fold cross-validation showed that the mean predictability was 0.504 for PH and 0.402 for AGB across eight commonly used GS models. Moreover, of the 66,066 potential crosses derived from the 364 inbred lines, the top 200 crosses selected for AGB showed up to twice the AGB of the bottom 200 crosses. Field validation demonstrated that the mean ear weight (EW) in the AGB top group was 39.0% higher than that in the bottom group. A total of 16 and 11 significant SNPs were identified by at least two GWAS methods for PH and AGB, respectively. Based on these SNPs, 81 candidate genes were functionally annotated, six of which were simultaneously associated with both traits. The candidate gene association analysis suggested that variations in the promoter region of ZmFLA9 may affect both traits. Overall, our study highlights the potential of UAV-based high-throughput phenotyping to accelerate maize genomic breeding by enabling rapid, precise, and large-scale trait assessment.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVのLiDAR・RGBデータから草丈と地上部バイオマスを推定する高スループット表現型測定モデルを開発・検証しており、フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心です。

abstractwe employed an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) equipped with LiDAR and RGB cameras for high-throughput assessment of pH and AGB

Precisely tracking and counting of field rice seedlings based on UAV platform with DMNP-YOLO and Improved-Bytetrack ↗

Accurate and non-destructive counting of rice seedlings is crucial for yield estimation and precision agriculture, yet remains challenging in UAV videos due to dense distribution and strong temporal appearance similarity. This study proposes an efficient tracking-based rice seedling counting framework that integrates an improved Yolov11n detector with a robust multi-object tracking strategy to achieve reliable video level counting. The proposed detector, termed DMNP-YOLO, enhances feature representation, localization robustness, and computational efficiency through Dynamic Snake Convolution, a multi-scale feature attention module, Shape-IoU combined with Normalized Wasserstein Distance, and BatchNorm scaling factor based structured channel pruning, resulting in reductions of 40.5% in Params and 15.2% in GFLOPs while achieving a precision of 0.901 and an mAP@0.5 of 0.921. Building upon accurate frame-level detections, a trajectory based counting mechanism is realized by embedding an Anchor–Angle–Distance association strategy into ByteTrack, which explicitly enforces geometric and temporal consistency across frames, significantly improving tracking stability in dense seedling scenes. As a result, Multi-Object Tracking Accuracy is increased by 5.3 percentage points, identity switches are reduced by 33.3%, and counting accuracy is improved by 3.7 percentage points. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed tracking-based counting framework achieves a mean absolute error of 16.47, a mean absolute percentage error of 6.48%, and an R² of 0.95969. Field scale validation further confirms its practical applicability, achieving an overall rice seedling counting accuracy of 93.4% and demonstrating strong robustness in real world agricultural environments.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像と検出・追跡アルゴリズムにより圃場のイネ幼苗数を推定する手法を開発し、精度検証と実圃場検証を行っており、植物表現型の取得方法が研究の中心である。

titlePrecisely tracking and counting of field rice seedlings based on UAV platform with DMNP-YOLO and Improved-Bytetrack

Field-scale crop growth stage mapping using multispectral images and deep hierarchical segmentation ↗

Accurate, field-scale mapping of crop growth stages is critical for supply-sensitive vegetable production, where timely harvests require detailed phenological information. Consecutive growth stages often involve rapid and subtle morphological changes and are influenced by challenging open-field conditions, which frequently result in misclassification when stages are treated as independent, discrete categories. To address this issue, CropMap is proposed as a growth-stage mapping framework that integrates Hierarchical Semantic Segmentation Networks (HSSN) with multispectral unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) imagery. CropMap incorporates the structured biological progression of crop development into the learning objective through tree-based label constraints, allowing the model to recognize phenological continuity and reduce confusion between adjacent stages. The framework is evaluated on the publicly available National Information Society Agency of Korea (NIA) field crop growth-stage dataset, a large-scale, multi-institutional UAV dataset containing 337,665 multispectral patches across six hierarchically related growth stages of Chinese cabbage and radish, curated by the NIA. CropMap achieves a test-set mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 0.5382, representing a 5% relative improvement over the best-performing transformer baseline (SegFormer; mIoU = 0.5124). Performance varies across classes: background separation is strong (IoU = 0.9128) and the rosette stage is well distinguished (IoU = 0.6354), while the leaf expansion stage remains the primary challenge (IoU = 0.3541), reflecting the inherent difficulty of mapping this spectrally and morphologically transitional class. These findings indicate that hierarchy-aware learning reduces inter-stage confusion for most phenological classes, but transitional growth stages remain a significant limitation for field-scale deployment. The framework provides a foundation for stage-resolved crop monitoring to support harvest timing and supply forecasting in high-value vegetable systems.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods作物の生育段階という植物状態を、マルチスペクトルUAV画像と階層型セマンティックセグメンテーションで推定する手法が研究の中心であり、公開データセット上で性能評価も行っている。

abstractCropMap is proposed as a growth-stage mapping framework that integrates Hierarchical Semantic Segmentation Networks (HSSN) with multispectral unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) imagery.

High-Throughput Panicle Counting of Wild Rice Accessions for Germplasm Evaluation: An AI-Driven UAV Phenotyping Framework ↗

Wild rice (Oryza spp.) harbors abundant genetic variation and represents an important germplasm resource for improving yield-related traits in cultivated rice. Panicle number is a key phenotypic trait for evaluating tillering capacity and yield potential in wild rice. However, existing approaches for acquiring panicle-number phenotypes remain limited by low efficiency, high dependence on manual operation, and cumbersome matching between plant targets and accession identifiers. In this study, we proposed an AI-driven UAV phenotyping framework for high-throughput panicle counting of wild rice accessions for germplasm evaluation. The framework integrates field plant localization, accession identifier binding, flight route planning, plant-by-plant video acquisition, spatiotemporal registration, video slicing, and panicle detection and tracking, enabling structured panicle-number outputs indexed by accession identifier. To address the small scale, loose structure, morphological variation, and wind-induced swaying of wild rice panicles in UAV imagery, a wild rice panicle detection model was constructed, and WRPD-Tracker was developed for cross-frame identity association and non-redundant counting. The wild rice panicle detection model achieved an AP@50 of 91.56%, representing a 6.16-percentage-point improvement over the DEIM baseline, with 3.70 M parameters and 6.55 G FLOPs, while WRPD-Tracker achieved a HOTA of 65.1% and a MOTA of 79.0%, representing a 5.8-percentage-point improvement in HOTA over the baseline tracker. At the final counting level, UAV-based counts were highly consistent with manual ground counts, with an R² of 0.992 and an MAE of 0.37 panicles. This framework enables batch acquisition of panicle-number phenotypes in wild rice and provides quantitative support for germplasm evaluation, panicle-number trait comparison, and subsequent yield-related phenotypic studies.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像とAIによるイネ穂数の取得・追跡・計数手法を開発し、手動計数と技術検証しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心です。

abstractwe proposed an AI-driven UAV phenotyping framework for high-throughput panicle counting of wild rice accessions for germplasm evaluation.

Cover crop biomass estimation using UAV-based multispectral feature fusion and machine learning ↗

Cover crops offer essential agroecosystem benefits, including reduced soil erosion, weed suppression, and improved soil health. Aboveground biomass (AGB) is a key indicator of these benefits; however, field-based quantification is often limited, which hinders effective cover crop management decisions. This study integrated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based multispectral imagery with machine learning (ML) models to estimate AGB in cover crops across two water-limited regions of Texas. Ground-truth and imagery data were collected over three years (2023–2025) for winter rye ( Secale cereale L.) in Lamesa and two years (2023–2024) for winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) in Chillicothe under varying irrigation regimes. Five ML algorithms, random forest, support vector regression, extreme gradient boosting, partial least squares regression (PLSR), and artificial neural network (ANN), were evaluated across four individual and eleven feature fusion datasets. The ANN model consistently achieved the highest predictive accuracy, particularly when vegetation indices were combined with structural features (R² = 0.87, RMSE = 9.08 g m - ²), while PLSR showed the weakest performance. Grouped validation (leave-one-year-out, leave-one-species-out, and leave-one-treatment-out) revealed reduced model performance compared to random (70/30) splitting of pooled data, yet the ANN maintained moderate predictive ability, indicating reasonable generalizability across years, species, and management conditions. Shapley additive explanations (SHAP) revealed key predictors in the ANN model, including plant height, chlorophyll vegetation index, chlorophyll sensitive index, blue band reflectance, modified chlorophyll absorption in reflectance index, dissimilarity, correlation, and enhanced green vegetation index. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of UAV-ML integration for accurate AGB estimation and highlight the potential for scalable, data-driven cover crop monitoring in water-limited environments and beyond.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVマルチスペクトル画像と機械学習を統合し、植物の地上部バイオマスを推定する手法を開発・比較検証しており、表現型取得が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study integrated unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based multispectral imagery with machine learning (ML) models to estimate AGB in cover crops across two water-limited regions of Texas.

A deep learning-based VMSNet for high-precision point cloud segmentation and ripe tomato diameter phenotyping in greenhouses ↗

Ripe tomato fruit display diverse 3D morphologies driven by genetics, environment, and management, yet these differences remain hard to quantify in the absence of precise point-cloud segmentation tools. This paper proposes the VMSNet to accurately segment tomato fruits and extract phenotypic traits based on the segmentation results, including horizontal and vertical diameters. Point clouds are obtained through depth cameras. After preprocessing and labeling the fruits, a dataset is established using global enhancement and local enhancement. On the base framework of PointNet++, the downsampling method was replaced, a multi-scale attention module (MS_A) was integrated, the combination scheduling strategy was optimized, and VMSNet was constructed. Following segmentation, the fruit growth direction is estimated by density-weighted method, and principal component analysis (PCA) is used to establish a rotation plane. By rotating according to the slicing angle, the fruit point cloud is completed and fitted into an ellipsoid. Random Sample Consensus (RANSAC) is used to smooth the outliers. The OBB is applied to extract the horizontal and vertical diameters, which are compared with measurement to verify the algorithm’s accuracy. The results indicate that the accuracy of VMSNet in segmenting ripe tomato fruits is 97.96%. The correlation coefficients R 2 between the calculated and measured values of the horizontal and vertical diameters reached 0.89 and 0.86, respectively. This proposed proposal provides robust point cloud segmentation and completion for phenotypic analysis for other same species greenhouse crop.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods深度学習による点群分割とトマト果実径の抽出手法を開発し、実測値との比較で精度検証しており、植物表現型取得が研究の中心である。

abstractThis paper proposes the VMSNet to accurately segment tomato fruits and extract phenotypic traits based on the segmentation results, including horizontal and vertical diameters.

Spatio-spectro-temporal characterisation and correction of dark current in a snapshot hyperspectral sensor ↗

Low-cost uncooled snapshot hyperspectral sensors mounted on UAV platforms offer new opportunities for field-scale remote sensing high-throughput phenotyping, but their reliability is constrained by sensor-intrinsic artefacts, particularly dark current. In this study, we present the first spatio-spectro-temporal characterisation and correction of dark current in the Senop HSC-2 dual-CMOS Fabry-Perot snapshot hyperspectral camera. Six controlled dark experiments (∼6,100 image cubes) revealed that dark current in the sensor is highly structured and reproducible, exhibiting CMOS-specific baseline offsets, monotonic temporal drift, pixel-wise dark signal non-uniformity (DSNU) with wavelength-dependent structure, and persistent hot pixels, and exposure-dependent baseline shifts that do not scale linearly with integration time. These results confirm that conventional single-frame dark subtraction is insufficient for quantitative analysis in uncooled snapshot hyperspectral sensors. Building on this characterisation, a modular correction framework was developed to stabilise the dark signal across spatial, spectral, and temporal domains. Across laboratory datasets, the framework reduced temporal drift by 70-85%, DSNU variance by approximately 37.5%, and suppressed >99.9% of persistent hot pixels, substantially improving radiometric stability. Corrected data exhibited simultaneous spatial uniformity, temporal stability, and spectral integrity, enabling downstream radiometric processing without introducing spectral distortion. Application of Senop HSC-2 to UAV-acquired wheat canopy imagery demonstrated effective transfer to field conditions, improving spectral continuity and robustness of vegetation indices after dark current correction. These results establish a transferable calibration approach for affordable snapshot hyperspectral sensors and demonstrate that rigorous dark current correction is essential for achieving quantitative radiometric performance in UAV-based phenotyping and precision agriculture applications without active thermal control, extending calibration principles traditionally applied in satellite hyperspectral systems to low-cost UAV snapshot sensors.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVハイパースペクトルセンサの暗電流を空間・スペクトル・時間的に補正する手法の開発と検証が中心であり、圃場のコムギ群落画像への適用も行っているため、植物フェノタイピング手法として採用する。

abstractIn this study, we present the first spatio-spectro-temporal characterisation and correction of dark current in the Senop HSC-2 dual-CMOS Fabry-Perot snapshot hyperspectral camera.

Rapid forage yield and growth rate measurement using a remotely controlled LiDAR sensor in perennial ryegrass field plots ↗

Biomass is a key trait in pasture plant breeding and agronomy, but measuring Dry Matter Yield or Fresh Weight across large numbers of samples is labour intensive and costly. Efficient biomass assessment systems must balance accuracy, speed, and cost, while ideally enabling non-destructive measurements. We developed a rapid, real-time, non-destructive, and remotely controlled LiDAR-based platform to estimate biomass in grass monocultures by measuring sward height at high spatial resolution. The system operates under ambient light conditions at a ground speed of 2.7 km per hour. It was evaluated in small-plot perennial ryegrass trials at two field sites in New Zealand, across two seasons at site A and one season at site B. At site A, correlations between LiDAR-derived height and fresh weight ranged from 0.33 to 0.74 across individual measurement cycles, with an overall multilevel R² of 0.72. At site B, the multilevel correlation increased to R² = 0.88. Weekly LiDAR scans at site B were used to estimate plot-level growth rates for 60 plots, demonstrating improved temporal resolution. Statistically significant differences in growth rate within regrowth cycles were detected among plots. The platform reliably differentiates perennial ryegrass plots based on biomass and offers higher temporal resolution than traditional methods.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsLiDARプラットフォームを開発し、草高から牧草バイオマスと成長率を非破壊推定・検証しており、植物形質取得手法が研究の中心です。

abstractWe developed a rapid, real-time, non-destructive, and remotely controlled LiDAR-based platform to estimate biomass in grass monocultures by measuring sward height at high spatial resolution.

A double-sigmoid approach for high-throughput phenotyping of winter wheat growth dynamics ↗

Multi-temporal data from unoccupied aerial systems (UAS) offer insights into growth parameters for winter wheat breeding decisions. Weekly UAS data were collected during the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons from dryland and irrigated nurseries at Bushland, Texas, within the Texas A&M Uniform Variety Trials. Canopy cover (CC) was extracted from orthomosaic images and modeled using a double-sigmoid function with a second-order derivative that captured genotypic variation in canopy growth and senescence with high coefficients of determination (R² > 0.99) and low root mean square error (RMSE) values ranging from 1.73 to 4.06. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed highly significant genotypic effects (p<0.001) for yield, heading, and Green Leaf Area Duration (LAD) in all environments except 2020 dryland, where no significant differences among genotypes were detected. Extracted parameters showed positive correlations with agronomic traits, particularly under rainfed and stress-prone conditions. The end decrease stage (EDS) was correlated with grain yield (r=0.56 in 2019 dryland, and r=0.53 in 2020 irrigated, p<0.001), and the start decrease stage (SDS) was highly correlated with yield (r=0.53 in 2020 irrigated, p<0.001). The maximum decrease rate date (MDRD) was positively correlated with yield in 2019 dryland (r=0.55, p<0.001), while LAD had a correlation of r=0.56 in 2019 dryland and r=0.58 in 2020 irrigated (p<0.001). These findings demonstrate that double-sigmoid model provides a powerful, non-invasive framework for quantifying canopy development, senescence timing, and stress responses. By distinguishing genetics from environmental influences on canopy dynamics, this approach enhances selection accuracy and accelerates the development of stress-resilient winter wheat cultivars.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAS画像からキャノピー被覆を抽出し、二重シグモイドモデルで生育・老化動態を定量化する手法が研究の中心であり、精度評価と遺伝型・農業形質との検証も行っている。

titleA double-sigmoid approach for high-throughput phenotyping of winter wheat growth dynamics

Estimation of cotton plant moisture content using UAV multimodal data and machine learning ↗

Accurate monitoring of cotton plant moisture content (PMC) is crucial for guiding irrigation practices. To address the limited capacity of single-source remote sensing data to characterize the water status of cotton plants, as well as the lack of quantitative reference values for suitable PMC levels at different growth stages, this study constructed a cotton PMC estimation model based on multimodal UAV remote sensing data. Furthermore, the suitable reference levels of PMC at different growth stages were investigated according to the response relationship between PMC and yield at each growth stage. Five soil moisture gradients were established, and at each growth stage, fresh and dry weights of cotton shoots were measured to calculate the PMC. A UAV platform equipped with multiple sensors was used to collect visible-light (RGB), multispectral (MS), and thermal infrared (TIR) images of the cotton canopy. Three feature selection methods were employed to identify moisture-sensitive parameters: Pearson correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA) for dimensionality reduction, and recursive feature elimination (RFE). Using the selected parameters, four machine learning algorithms, AdaBoost, random forest (RF), CatBoost, and k-nearest neighbors (KNN), were applied to construct and validate PMC estimation models. The suitable PMC levels at different growth stages were identified based on the response relationship between measured PMC and yield under different water gradients. The results showed that the RFE feature selection method identified eight water-sensitive parameters, and the CatBoost model integrating multimodal data performed best, with R² and RMSE reaching 0.807 and 0.033%, respectively, on the test set, providing a reliable method for high-resolution spatial mapping of field-scale PMC. On this basis, the response of yield to PMC was analyzed, revealing that when PMC was maintained at 83.8%, 85.9%, 79.3%, 78.0%, and 67.7% at the bud, initial flowering, peak flowering, peak boll-setting, and boll opening stages, respectively, the theoretical maximum yield of 6579–6667 kg/hm² could be achieved. This study realized high-precision remote sensing monitoring of PMC and further explored the appropriate moisture content thresholds for different growth stages, providing a quantitative reference for precision water regulation in cotton fields.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVのマルチモーダル画像と機械学習により、綿植物の水分含量を推定・検証する手法が研究の中心であり、植物状態の高解像度マッピングにも応用している。

abstractthis study constructed a cotton PMC estimation model based on multimodal UAV remote sensing data

IoT and Edge-AI Enabled Autonomous Agri-Robot for Precision Irrigation and Early Plant Disease Diagnosis Using Attention-Guided Lightweight CNN and Fuzzy Logic Control ↗

This paper presents an IoT and edge-AI enabled autonomous agricultural robot that performs early plant disease diagnosis and precision irrigation on a single mobile platform. Unlike earlier automated farming systems that rely on visible-spectrum (RGB) imagery and simple threshold-based watering, the proposed system fuses RGB and nearinfrared (NIR) imagery to compute the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), enabling detection of physiological plant stress several days before visible lesions appear. Leaf images are classified using a lightweight attention-guided convolutional neural network that combines a MobileNetV3 backbone with a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM), allowing the network to focus on lesion-relevant channels and spatial regions while remaining compact enough for real-time inference on an ESP32-S3 edge controller. Irrigation and pesticide-spray decisions are no longer governed by a rigid binary threshold; instead, a Mamdani-type fuzzy inference engine fuses soil moisture, ambient temperature, and the NDVI-derived stress index to compute a proportional, continuously variable actuation signal, reducing both water wastage and false triggering. The robot streams sensor readings, classification results, and actuation logs to a cloud dashboard over Wi-Fi/MQTT so that farmers can monitor crop health and irrigation status remotely and receive real-time alerts. Experimental evaluation on a prototype platform shows that the proposed attention-guided model improves disease-classification accuracy over a baseline CNN, the NDVI-assisted pipeline detects stress earlier than colour-only analysis, and the fuzzy irrigation controller reduces water consumption relative to the binary threshold scheme while maintaining optimal soil-moisture levels. The results indicate that combining multispectral sensing, attention-based lightweight deep learning, and fuzzy control on a single autonomous platform is a practical and scalable route towards sustainable, resource-efficient precision agriculture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB/NIR画像からNDVIによる植物ストレスを推定し、葉画像から病徴を分類する取得・解析手法をロボット上で開発・評価しており、植物表現型の測定が中心である。

abstractthe proposed system fuses RGB and nearinfrared (NIR) imagery to compute the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), enabling detection of physiological plant stress several days before visible lesions appear.

Using hyperspectral reflectance to explore the responses of rice canopy chlorophyll fluorescence to water stress ↗

【Objective】Chlorophyll fluorescence is a physiological indicator reflecting crop photosynthesis and water stress. Non-destructively monitoring the changes in chlorophyll fluorescence under water stress is critical for improving irrigation management. This paper explores the applicability of canopy hyperspectral reflectance for elucidating the response of rice canopy chlorophyll fluorescence to water stress.【Method】The experiment was conducted in pots and the measurements were taken during the booting stage of rice. Three water treatments were set, including continuous flooding irrigation (CK), mild drought (MS) and severe drought (HS). Canopy hyperspectral reflectance and chlorophyll fluorescence were synchronously measured using a high-throughput phenotyping platform, from which we analysed the responses of chlorophyll fluorescence traits to soil water change. Prediction models were developed to estimate chlorophyll fluorescence traits using partial least squares regression (PLSR) and backpropagation neural network (BPNN), based on characteristic spectral bands.【Result】①The chlorophyll fluorescence traits Fv/Fm, Y(II), qL and Y(NPQ) varied with water stress, with significant changes observed 3-4 days after cessation of irrigation, and detectable variation identified up to day 6 after terminating irrigation. On day 6 after irrigation cessation, the HS treatment reduced Fv/Fm, Y(II) and qL by 41.3%, 46.9% and 53.1%, respectively, whereas increased Y(NPQ) by 117.5% compared with CK. ②Savitzky-Golay smoothing and multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) preprocessing effectively reduced the scattering effects on canopy hyperspectral data induced by structural variation. The characteristic spectral bands selected from the hyperspectral data were mainly distributed in the blue (400-500 nm), red and near-infrared regions. ③Compared with PLSR, the BPNN was more effective in capturing the nonlinear relationships between hyperspectral data and chlorophyll fluorescence traits. The BPNN was most accurate for estimating Y(NPQ) and qL, with the associated R2 values being 0.867 and 0.845, respectively, and less accurate for estimating Fv/Fm.【Conclusion】Canopy hyperspectral data can be used to estimate rice chlorophyll fluorescence traits. This approach provides a rapid, cost-effective, and non-destructive method for monitoring crop physiological responses to water stress.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネのクロロフィル蛍光という生理形質を、キャノピー分光反射から推定するセンサー計測・予測モデルを開発し、精度評価しており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractCanopy hyperspectral reflectance and chlorophyll fluorescence were synchronously measured using a high-throughput phenotyping platform

Diurnal cross-temporal features from UAV multispectral and thermal imagery enhance foxtail millet yield prediction accuracy under different irrigation regimes ↗

Accurate prediction of foxtail millet yield is essential for effective field management and high-throughput breeding. Despite advances in UAV-based yield prediction for major crops, existing studies predominantly rely on single-temporal features (SFs) extracted at noon, overlooking significant diurnal dynamic signals that characterize crop responses to water stress. To address this research gap, we propose a novel approach utilizing diurnal cross-temporal features (CFs) derived from UAV-based multispectral and thermal imagery to enhance yield prediction accuracy under different irrigation regimes. During the flowering and grain-filling stages, UAV images were acquired across eight time slots (T1–T8) within a single day to capture the complete diurnal trajectory of canopy physiological responses. SFs were extracted at each time slot, and CFs were derived through summation, averaging, and range operations across multiple slots. A systematic four-step workflow was developed to determine the optimal UAV flight frequency and timing by balancing prediction accuracy with operational costs. Three ensemble learning algorithms (Random Forest (RF), Adaptive Boosting (AdaBoost), and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost)) were evaluated using multiple feature sets incorporating SFs, CFs, and their integration. Results demonstrated that CFs more comprehensively captured dynamic crop responses to water stress than SFs. Canopy features from afternoon combinations generally exhibited stronger yield correlations than morning combinations. The [T5, T8] combination was identified as optimal, providing a practical balance between prediction accuracy and operational cost. Model comparison revealed that RF exhibited greater robustness across different water treatments, whereas AdaBoost achieved higher accuracy on the test set. Feature importance analysis confirmed the dominance of CFs, with ∑VSWI ranking first across both models and growth stages. This study provides a systematic framework for utilizing diurnal dynamic signals in crop yield prediction, offering new methodological insights for precision agriculture and high-throughput phenotyping of foxtail millet and other dryland crops.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVマルチスペクトル・熱画像から作物特徴量を抽出し、収量という植物形質を推定する手法と、撮影頻度・時刻を最適化するワークフローが研究の中心であるため。

abstractwe propose a novel approach utilizing diurnal cross-temporal features (CFs) derived from UAV-based multispectral and thermal imagery to enhance yield prediction accuracy

A comparative study of baseline convolutional neural network and ResNet50 for image-based tomato leaf disease classification ↗

Image-based techniques are widely used in plant disease classification to support agricultural productivity and facilitate early detection. This study presents a comparative analysis between a baseline convolutional neural network (CNN) and a ResNet50-based transfer learning model for tomato leaf disease classification. A publicly available dataset containing five categories—tomato bacterial spot, tomato late blight, tomato septoria leaf spot, tomato yellow leaf curl virus, and healthy leaves—was used in the experiments. Model performance was evaluated using several standard classification metrics, with emphasis on overall accuracy. The baseline CNN achieved an accuracy of 97.0%, whereas the ResNet50 model reached 99.6%. The results demonstrate that the ResNet50 model produces more stable and reliable predictions, particularly when distinguishing between visually similar disease classes. These findings confirm that transfer learning can effectively improve classification performance in plant disease recognition tasks.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトマト葉の病徴を画像から分類するCNN/ResNet50手法を比較評価しており、植物病害状態の取得・推定が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study presents a comparative analysis between a baseline convolutional neural network (CNN) and a ResNet50-based transfer learning model for tomato leaf disease classification.

Gaussian mixture integration of CNN and transformer models for forest biomass estimation: A multi-sensor fusion approach with uncertainty quantification ↗

Accurate estimation of forest aboveground biomass (AGB) is critical for carbon accounting, ecosystem monitoring, and climate change mitigation. While remote sensing offers broad spatial coverage, standard deterministic models often struggle to capture the complex relationship between spectral information and structural forest attributes, and they frequently lack reliable quantification of uncertainty. This study presents a novel probabilistic framework that integrates convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and transformer architectures for AGB estimation using a multi-sensor fusion of Sentinel-1/2 imagery. The framework employs a customized, adaptive version of the Swin Transformer-reconfigured specifically for regression tasks and streamlined to a single-stage architecture-and implements a Gaussian Mixture Modeling (GMM) approach to ensemble model outputs. This framework enables the decomposition of predictive uncertainty into epistemic (model-related) and aleatoric (data-inherent) components. Evaluated across heterogeneous forest regions in Montana and Idaho, the CNN-transformer integration achieved superior performance, with R 2 =0.83, RMSE=19.16 Mg/ha, and MAE=13.37 Mg/ha, outperforming standalone CNNs (R 2 =0.81) and vision transformers (R 2 =0.80). Transfer learning and fine-tuning experiments demonstrated high model robustness, improving prediction accuracy in independent test regions by 39% in RMSE. Spatially explicit analysis revealed that while CNNs provide stable local feature extraction, the Swin Transformer’s self-attention mechanism significantly mitigates errors on topographically complex slopes by leveraging non-local spectral cues to compensate for shadowing and geometric distortions. The results highlight that an ensemble approach leveraging the complementary strengths of CNNs and customized transformers provides the transparency and precision required for operational carbon monitoring and high-resolution, trustworthy biomass mapping.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods森林の地上部バイオマスという植物群落形質を、マルチセンサー画像とCNN・Transformer・GMMで推定する手法を開発し、比較評価と独立地域での検証を行っており、形質推定法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study presents a novel probabilistic framework that integrates convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and transformer architectures for AGB estimation using a multi-sensor fusion of Sentinel-1/2 imagery.

Identification of Unsound Soybean Seeds Based on Hyperspectral Imaging and a Dual‐Channel Residual‐Squeeze‐and‐Excitation Network With Gramian Angular Field Fusion ↗