Plant phenotyping methods.

RQ-PointNeXt: An End-to-End 3D Point Cloud Instance Segmentation Method for Field Cotton Boll Phenotyping →

Accurate point-cloud segmentation of cotton organs is essential for precise phenotypic characterization. However, reliable instance segmentation of cotton bolls in field-derived point clouds remains challenging because foliage occlusion, contact between adjacent bolls and incomplete reconstruction obscure instance boundaries. Here we present RQ-PointNeXt, an end-to-end framework that directly maps input point clouds to boll instance masks within a unified trainable network. Built on PointNeXt, it incorporates relative-elevation geometric channel attention in the shallow encoder to fuse global channel context with elevation and surface-normal cues. Its Query–mask branch integrates semantic guidance, center-seeded queries and a center-aware mask prior to suppress background responses, localize instances and constrain mask extent. Hungarian matching and multitask optimization establish one-to-one query–instance assignments, whereas query-based decoding produces instance masks without external geometric clustering. We evaluated the framework on 226 field-grown cotton plants containing 720 annotated boll instances reconstructed from UAV multi-view imagery using neural radiance fields. On the held-out test set, overall accuracy, mean class accuracy and mean intersection over union reached 0.8942, 0.8980 and 0.8076, respectively. AP25, AP50 and AP75 were 0.7359, 0.5585 and 0.2777, yielding an mAP25/50/75 of 0.5240. The framework provides instance-level outputs for boll counting and spatial analysis in high-throughput field phenotyping.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods綿花ボールの点群インスタンス分割を開発・評価し、計数や空間解析に利用可能な植物器官表現型を抽出する方法が中心である。

abstractHere we present RQ-PointNeXt, an end-to-end framework that directly maps input point clouds to boll instance masks within a unified trainable network.

FG-LCNet: A two-stage foreground-guided network for whole-tree litchi counting →

Accurate litchi counting from whole-tree images is essential for yield estimation, orchard management, and plant phenotyping, but remains challenging in real orchards because fruits occur in dense, heavily occluded clusters and vary markedly in scale, illumination, and appearance across ripening stages, particularly when green fruits resemble surrounding foliage. Existing methods have shown promise, but their robustness in complex orchard environments remains limited. To address these challenges, we propose FG-LCNet, a two-stage foreground-guided litchi counting framework. In the first stage, an enhanced fruit-cluster detector improves the localization of small and ambiguous clusters under complex canopy backgrounds. In the second stage, the detected foreground regions are fed into a density-regression network with hybrid attention, while a consistency-based training strategy is introduced to improve robustness to appearance and illumination variations. To support this study, a large-scale litchi counting dataset was established, consisting of 1,126 whole-tree images collected from five orchards and spanning three ripening stages, with approximately 120,000 fruit-level dot annotations and more than 20,000 cluster-level bounding boxes. FG-LCNet achieved the best overall counting performance, with an MAE of 7.44 and an RMSE of 11.01. It showed clear advantages in high-density fruit-cluster scenarios and cross-orchard validation, while maintaining competitive results across orchard-region and maturity-stage subsets. The framework further retained inference efficiency suitable for practical deployment. These results indicate that FG-LCNet provides an effective solution for robust litchi counting and offers potential for other clustered fruit-counting tasks.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods果実数という植物器官形質を whole-tree 画像から推定する二段階画像解析手法を開発し、データセット構築と交差果樹園検証まで行っており、表現型取得・抽出法が中心である。

abstractwe propose FG-LCNet, a two-stage foreground-guided litchi counting framework.

PAT: An Image Analysis Tool for Automated Scoring of Pollen in Alexander-Stained Anthers. →

Quantitative pollen viability analysis is a critical but labor-intensive step in plant reproductive biology. Existing deep-learning Segment Anything Models (SAM) fail to reliably segment viable pollen in Alexander-stained anthers. To address this, we fine-tuned an existing Cellpose-SAM model for pollen segmentation. We integrated it into PAT (Pollen Analysis Tool), a cross-platform desktop application. PAT features instance segmentation with interactive quality control, an in-app model retraining module, and publication-ready statistical outputs. We deployed PAT in an EMS suppressor screen of semi-sterile Arabidopsis smg7-6 mutants, enabling efficient candidate prioritization for whole-genome sequencing and mapping of the candidate mutation. This screen led to the identification of a point mutation in CAP-D2 (capd2-2), a Condensin I subunit, that rescues the smg7-6 meiotic phenotype. Notably, mutation in a Condensin II subunits (CAP-D3 and CAP-H2) does not confer rescue. Further characterization suggests the capd2-2 allele is hypomorphic, showing no defects in vegetative growth, chromocenter compaction, or transposable element silencing. Collectively, we demonstrate that accessible AI tools have the potential to bridge gaps in plant phenotyping and accelerate the pace of biological discovery.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods花粉生存性を画像から自動推定するセグメンテーション手法とソフトウェアPATの開発が研究の中心であり、植物表現型計測ツールとして明確に該当する。

titlePAT: An Image Analysis Tool for Automated Scoring of Pollen in Alexander-Stained Anthers

Improving pear fruit quality without yield loss through 3D point cloud-based estimation of reasonable fruit load →

Fruit quality is a critical determinant of economic returns in pear production, and maintaining an appropriate fruit load (FL) is essential for achieving high yield and quality. As a direct indicator of canopy photosynthetic capacity and assimilate supply, leaf number constitutes the key biological basis of reasonable FL determination under the leaf-to-fruit ratio concept. However, accurate and efficient estimation of leaf number in mature pear trees remains technically challenging, limiting its practical use in precision FL regulation. Here, we propose a data-driven framework for leaf number and reasonable FL estimation by integrating 3D point cloud-derived canopy structure with machine learning. A pipeline for extracting 3D architectural traits was developed and implemented in the software tool FTPCT, enabling rapid and standardized trait acquisition. Through correlation analysis, multicollinearity diagnosis, and variance inflation factor screening, five key traits strongly associated with leaf number were identified and incorporated into five machine learning models optimized using Bayesian optimization. Among them, the optimized random forest regression model achieved the highest and most stable performance, with R 2 of 0.85, RMSE of 239.74, and MAE of 149.26 for test dataset. SHAP analysis identified tree crown volume as the dominant contributor to leaf number estimation. Field validation demonstrated that FL regulation guided by the proposed framework significantly improved fruit weight and size without reducing yield compared with conventional practices. Notably, the proposed approach avoids explicit leaf-level reconstruction and relies on less canopy-scale traits, substantially reducing data requirements and computational cost, and thereby offering strong potential for rapid, field-deployable FL regulation in large-scale orchards.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods3D点群から樹冠構造形質を抽出し、葉数と適正着果量を推定する手法およびソフトウェアを開発・検証しており、植物表現型取得が中心である。

abstractA pipeline for extracting 3D architectural traits was developed and implemented in the software tool FTPCT, enabling rapid and standardized trait acquisition.

A Systematic Evaluation of Spectral-Peak-Relative Temporal Alignment for Satellite-Based Field-Level Wheat Grain Protein Prediction →

Abstract Satellite-based prediction of grain protein concentration (GPC) in wheat typically composites spectral observations over fixed calendar windows, implicitly assuming phenological synchrony across fields. We present a systematic evaluation of whether aligning multi-source remote sensing time series to field-specific, spectral-peak-relative windows improves field-level GPC prediction, for a quality trait whose physiology, senescence-linked nitrogen remobilization, contrasts with the season-integrating behavior of yield. Integrating Sentinel-2 imagery (31 vegetation indices, 10 spectral bands), ERA5-Land reanalysis, gSSURGO soil properties, and USGS 3DEP topography across 228 commercial winter wheat fields in western Kansas (2024–2025), we compared six temporal strategies (peakrelative vs. calendar × monthly, biweekly, growth-stage) using three ensemble tree models under nested cross-validation with Boruta feature selection. A single 30-day post-peak window (peak + [16,45] days) was the top-performing and most consistently selected window, chosen in 4 of 5 outer folds, reproducing prior accuracy under random cross-validation (R2 ≈ 0.28); though its advantage over the best calendar window was not statistically significant (paired bootstrap p = 0.08). Under leave-county spatial cross-validation, however, this skill did not transfer across counties (Sentinel-2–only R2 ≈ 0.01; per-county median R 2 = −0.23), indicating the satellite signal supports within-region interpolation but not spatial extrapolation to unseen counties; ablation shows that neither the spectral nor the static features transfer across counties on their own, and the residual crosscounty skill emerges only from their combination. A near-real-time application at ∼3 weeks before harvest retains most within-region skill at a modest accuracy cost. The results delineate where spectral-peak-relative alignment helps, concentrating a senescence-linked signal within region, and where it does not, providing an honest operational baseline for satellite-based grain-quality monitoring.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦の穀粒タンパク質濃度という植物形質を対象に、衛星時系列のスペクトルピーク相対アラインメントを開発・比較評価し、交差検証で性能と空間移 transfer 性を検証しているため、方法が中心的である。

abstractWe present a systematic evaluation of whether aligning multi-source remote sensing time series to field-specific, spectral-peak-relative windows improves field-level GPC prediction

Morphological characteristics and optimized protocols for in vitro germination and viability testing of Idesia polycarpa Maxim. Pollen. →

Idesia polycarpa Maxim. is a premier woody oil species in Guizhou Province, China, whose fruit yield and oil quality largely depend on effective pollination and fertilization. However, limited research on pollen viability and germination has hindered industrial progress. To address this gap, a comprehensive evaluation framework for elite I. polycarpa germplasm was developed, integrating micromorphological analysis, optimized staining protocols, and in vitro germination assay. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that I. polycarpa pollen, while genetically conserved at the genus level-characterized by prolate shapes, tricolporate apertures, and reticulate exine ornamentation-exhibits notable micromorphological variation among genotypes. Of the nine staining protocols tested (2,3,5-triphenyl tetrazolium chloride [TTC], carbol fuchsin, acetocarmine, methylene blue, Alexander, peroxidase, 2,5-diphenylmonotetrazolium bromide [MTT], I2-KI, and red ink), TTC and red ink were the most effective, offering clear chromatic distinction between viable and non-viable pollen. Through orthogonal experimental designs, genotype-specific optimal media for in vitro germination were identified: 0.40 g/L H3BO3, 0.01 g/L KNO3, 0.02 g/L Ca(NO3)2·4H2O, and 0.20 g/L KH2PO4 for STZ-6; and 0.20 g/L H3BO3, 0.02 g/L KNO3, 0.02 g/L Ca(NO3)2·4H2O, and 0.10 g/L KH2PO4 for STZ-9. Regression analysis confirmed a highly significant positive correlation (P < 0.01) between in vitro germination rates and the staining results from both TTC and red ink across various concentrations. Notably, 5% TTC and 30% red ink exhibited the highest coefficients of determination. A hierarchical evaluation strategy is thus proposed: the 5% TTC method is recommended for precise laboratory quantification due to its stability, while the 30% red ink method, due to its ease of use, is suited for rapid field-based screening. This study provides valuable insights into the morphological characteristics of I. polycarpa pollen and establishes a standardized evaluation framework, supporting germplasm innovation and optimizing pollination management.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods花粉の生存性・発芽という植物の生殖形質を対象に、染色法とin vitro発芽法を最適化・検証し、標準化した評価フレームワークを開発しているため、方法論が中心である。

abstracta comprehensive evaluation framework for elite I. polycarpa germplasm was developed, integrating micromorphological analysis, optimized staining protocols, and in vitro germination assay.

From field to sky: measurement and modeling of transgenic switchgrass pollen dispersal in the atmosphere →

Accurate tracking and measurement of pollen dispersal in the atmosphere are essential for assessing cross-pollination risks, particularly in the case of genetically engineered (GE) crops. We conducted a series of unique release-recapture field studies with GE switchgrass in Oliver Springs, TN, USA. Two hundred transgenic switchgrass plants (Panicum virgatum L. "Performer") were planted at the center of a clear-cut field, with one block of 100 plants expressing orange fluorescent protein (OFP) under a switchgrass ubiquitin promoter (PvUBI1) and another block of 100 plants expressing OFP driven by a maize pollen-specific promoter (Zm13). Pollen was sampled from the atmosphere using fixed (ground-based) and mobile (drone-based) sampling devices at different distances from the source field, with Lagrangian stochastic dispersal simulations run for sampling periods using high-resolution wind measurements. The pollen emission rate was estimated by combining simulated and measured pollen concentrations, and strong diurnal trends were observed. Diurnal emission rate trends were positively correlated with wind speed, temperature, and vapor pressure deficit, while negatively correlated with relative humidity. In low-wind meandering conditions, incorporating changing wind direction into the dispersal modeling improved pollen emission rate estimation and model-measurement comparisons. This study assesses the effectiveness of high- and low-volume pollen samplers in relation to source strength up to 1 km from the source, enhancing understanding of pollen measurement techniques. Additionally, it is a proof-of-concept for drone-based pollen sampling and GMO pollen tracking using fluorescence measurements. Results from our experiments have significant implications for cross-pollination risk assessment, prediction, and management of airborne allergens.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods固定・ドローン搭載サンプラー、蛍光測定、風況モデルを組み合わせて植物由来の花粉放出率を推定し、花粉測定技術を評価することが中心であるため、植物の生殖状態・放出特性に関するフェノタイピング手法として採用。

abstractPollen was sampled from the atmosphere using fixed (ground-based) and mobile (drone-based) sampling devices

What you plant may not be what you bought: morphological and genetic discordance in specialty Coffea arabica L. cultivars from Ecuador. →

The genetic identity of coffee cultivars is fundamental to the specialty coffee sector, where premium prices are paid under the assumption that the purchased planting material corresponds to the declared variety. However, many producing countries lack the certification infrastructure necessary to guarantee this identity in their informal seed systems, exposing producers to undetected varietal non-conformity. In this study, we examine a case from a specialty coffee ( Coffea arabica L.) farm in southern Ecuador where seeds labeled as Sidra (USD 100/kg) and Gesha (USD 500/kg) were purchased without genetic or phytosanitary certification. Using a combination of SSR-based DNA fingerprinting and quantitative morphological characterization, including plant architecture, leaf functional traits, and fruit characteristics, we documented varietal identity and assessed the discriminant capacity of morphological traits across the four resulting morphotypes. Using eleven microsatellite markers for SSR fingerprinting, we found that two of the four morphotypes did not match their declared commercial identity. One plant sold as Sidra was identified as compatible with Batian, a composite variety of Kenyan origin that is genetically unrelated to Ethiopian landraces. The plants acquired as Gesha corresponded to a pure Ethiopian landrace that is genetically similar to, but not identical to, the Panamanian Geisha reference accession T.02722. Only two morphotypes were confirmed as Sidra. Furthermore, the placement of Sidra within the Core Ethiopia genetic group is consistent with prior population-level analyses and with its likely status as a selected Ethiopian landrace rather than a variety of hybrid origin. Morphological linear discriminant analysis achieved 82.4% overall classification accuracy under leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV), with internode length dominating the first discriminant function (LD1 = 66.6%). These results demonstrate that varietal nonconformity in the specialty coffee seed sector can extend to the inadvertent introduction of genetically unrelated material and underscore the urgent need for accessible seed certification.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsコーヒー品種識別のための形態形質測定と判別分析が研究の中心であり、形態形質の識別性能をLOOCVで検証しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法の適用・検証に該当する。

abstractquantitative morphological characterization, including plant architecture, leaf functional traits, and fruit characteristics

A Deep Learning Model for Chili Pepper Fruit Shape Classification Using DenseNet-121 and CBAM. →

Traditional manual grading of fresh chili peppers suffers from inconsistent quality control and low efficiency. To meet the demand for accurate fruit shape recognition during the post-harvest stage, this study proposes an intelligent recognition method based on an improved DenseNet-121 network. This approach facilitates the application of machine vision in agricultural sorting equipment. DenseNet-121 serves as the backbone network. The Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM) is introduced to enhance feature focus on fruit shapes. A regularization strategy (Dropout = 0.3, weight decay = 1 × 10 -4 ) and a cross-entropy loss function with label smoothing (LS = 0.1) are integrated to optimize decision boundaries. These configurations prevent the model from overfitting to hard training labels and yield a robust classification architecture. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model achieves a precision of 90.09%, a recall of 89.60%, an F1-score (the harmonic mean of precision and recall) of 89.53%, and an overall accuracy of 89.74%. The model contains 7.09 M parameters and requires a single-frame inference time of 7.35 ms. Comprehensive evaluations indicate that the proposed model achieves an optimal balance among environmental noise robustness, prediction accuracy, and computational efficiency. Consequently, by maintaining high fine-grained classification accuracy alongside a low memory footprint and rapid inference speed, the model demonstrates strong potential for real-time deployment on resource-constrained edge devices within actual agricultural optical sorting equipment.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsチリペッパー果実の形状という植物器官形質を画像から分類する深層学習手法の開発・評価が中心であり、単なる品質測定ではない。

abstractExperimental results demonstrate that the proposed model achieves a precision of 90.09%, a recall of 89.60%, an F1-score (the harmonic mean of precision and recall) of 89.53%, and an overall accuracy of 89.74%.

CitrusGS: 3D Gaussian splatting for sparse-view CT reconstruction and precise morphological phenotyping of citrus fruit →

Computed tomography enables non-destructive phenotyping of fruit internal structure but traditionally requires hundreds of projections, limiting throughput. Under sparse-view conditions, conventional and learning-based methods both suffer from streaking artifacts and regional distortions that degrade trait quantification. This study present CitrusGS, an integrated framework that achieves high-fidelity 3D reconstruction and precise morphological phenotyping of citrus fruit from only 15 projections using radiative 3D Gaussian splatting. Our method employs sparse-point initialization, optimized loss composite, and dual-stage pruning to suppress artifacts while preserving anatomically critical details with significantly higer convergence efficiency. In the citrus fruit datasets, CitrusGS achieves 29.78 dB PSNR and 0.870 SSIM, outperforming corresponding baseline method by 1.58 dB and 0.067 in SSIM, and enables automated extraction of ten external and internal phenotypic traits with R 2 larger than 0.944. Moreover, the framework shows initial zero-shot transferability across pathological citrus samples and additional horticultural specimens without retraining. By reconciling acquisition efficiency with anatomical fidelity using low-cost X-ray hardware, CitrusGS provides a promising framework for high-throughput, non-destructive phenotyping in breeding and grading applications.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods柑橘果実の疎視野CT再構成法を開発・検証し、内部・外部形質を自動抽出するフェノタイピングが中心である。

abstractThis study present CitrusGS, an integrated framework that achieves high-fidelity 3D reconstruction and precise morphological phenotyping of citrus fruit from only 15 projections using radiative 3D Gaussian splatting.

BerryBox: An affordable computer vision system for postharvest phenotyping of cranberry and other small fruits →

Abstract Fruit size, shape, color, and percent fruit rot are important quality traits for breeding cranberry ( Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.). Image analysis can be used to measure these traits, but affordable hardware for standardized image capture and integrated user‐friendly software pipelines are lacking. Additionally, no image‐based method exists to estimate percent fruit rot, an otherwise tediously and subjectively measured trait. We created the BerryBox, a simple and inexpensive lightbox, camera mount, and accompanying software pipeline to standardize the capture and analysis of postharvest fruit images. Trained deep neural network models were highly accurate for segmenting sound fruit (F1 score: 99.4%) and detecting rotten fruit (F1 score: 98.5%). We applied the BerryBox to images of cranberries harvested across 3 years from a 156‐clone breeding population. Narrow‐sense heritability estimates of image‐based fruit color, shape, size, and percent fruit rot ranged from 0.37 to 0.95. Random subsampling showed that 25–30 berries per genotype were sufficient to describe the variation in the full dataset. We demonstrated the utility of BerryBox traits in a small‐scale genetic linkage mapping analysis, detecting significant marker–trait associations that coincided with those of traditionally measured traits. The BerryBox software was able to accurately segment fruit from images of blueberries without model retraining, showing its applicability to other similarly shaped fruits. The software pipeline and BerryBox materials and assembly instructions are publicly available for others to adopt for low‐cost image‐based phenotyping.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsクランベリー等の果実形質と腐敗率を画像から抽出する低コスト撮像装置・ソフトウェアパイプラインを開発し、精度検証と他果実への適用性評価を行った、中心的な植物フェノタイピング手法研究である。

abstractWe created the BerryBox, a simple and inexpensive lightbox, camera mount, and accompanying software pipeline to standardize the capture and analysis of postharvest fruit images.

A Phenology-Aligned Temporal Framework Improves Satellite-Based Field-Level Wheat Grain Protein Prediction →

Abstract Satellite-based prediction of grain protein concentration (GPC) in wheat typically relies on spectral observations composited over fixed calendar windows, implicitly assuming phenological synchrony across fields. This study tests whether aligning multi-source remote sensing time series to field-specific phenology-based windows improves field-level GPC prediction. We integrated Sentinel-2 multispectral imagery (32 vegetation indices, 10 spectral bands), ERA5-Land meteorological reanalysis, gSSURGO soil properties, and USGS 3DEP topographic data, and systematically compared six temporal strategies, the factorial combination of two normalization approaches (peak-relative vs.\calendar) and three resolutions (monthly, biweekly, growth stages), across 228 commercial winter wheat fields in western Kansas (2024--2025). Three ensemble tree models (Random Forest, XGBoost, LightGBM) were trained under nested cross-validation with Boruta feature selection. Peak-relative monthly normalization achieved the highest accuracy (\((R^2 = 0.304 \pm 0.051)\), RMSE \((= 1.11)\)%), explaining an additional 5.1% of variance compared with the best calendar strategy (\((R^2 = 0.253)\)). A single 30-day post-peak window (M\((+)\)1, \((\sim)\)15--45 days after maximum canopy greenness) carried more predictive information than any broader aggregation. SHAP analysis identified topsoil organic matter, SWIR-based senescence indices (NBR2, MIRBI), and grain-filling temperature as the most influential predictors. Three-class quality classification reached 47--49% accuracy (versus 33.3% by chance), indicating practical utility for early grain segregation. While demonstrated for wheat GPC, the framework is transferable to other crop traits with temporally concentrated satellite signals, particularly those tied to specific developmental stages. The results highlight phenological alignment as a generalizable strategy for trait prediction from Earth observation data.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods衛星リモートセンシング時系列を用いた小麦粒タンパク質濃度予測のため、フェノロジー整列と複数の時間集約戦略を体系的に比較・検証しており、植物形質推定手法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study tests whether aligning multi-source remote sensing time series to field-specific phenology-based windows improves field-level GPC prediction.

Rapid Classification and Deep Learning-Based Development Estimation of the Seeds of Helianthus annuus . →

Manually counting sunflower seeds on capitula is labor-intensive, requiring approximately one person-hour per head, and can be inconsistent for densely packed heads. Existing phenotyping approaches often depend on laboratory-based equipment, limiting their accessibility. In this study, we developed a benchtop image-based pipeline for rapid, non-destructive estimation of developed and aborted seeds on intact dried sunflower heads. A dataset of 1093 sunflower capitula was imaged under fixed indoor lighting, and individual seeds were annotated as developed or aborted. A YOLOv8m one-stage object detector was trained and evaluated using a counting-focused protocol, in which a single confidence threshold was selected on the validation set and then applied unchanged to an independent test set of 109 images. The baseline model was compared with recent YOLO variants and different augmentation strategies. On the test set, the model achieved a mean absolute count error of 61.3 seeds per image, a mean relative error of 12.0%, and an mAP50 of 0.18 at the locked confidence threshold of 0.15. Only 13.8% of test images had relative errors below 2%. Larger YOLO models and augmentation variants did not improve performance. These findings show that the proposed system provides approximate, non-destructive seed-count estimation under controlled imaging conditions, while highlighting the need for improved localization in dense regions and domain adaptation for fresh heads or field conditions. The annotated dataset and trained model weights are made available to support reproducible research.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsヒマワリ頭花の発達・不稔種子数という植物形質を、画像取得とYOLOによる推定パイプラインで定量化する手法を開発・評価しており、方法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe developed a benchtop image-based pipeline for rapid, non-destructive estimation of developed and aborted seeds on intact dried sunflower heads.

Quantifying wheat spike morphology by high resolution 3D surface scanning →

An understanding of spike shape will be of great benefit for improving wheat yields. Traditional manual measurements of spike traits are slow and prone to human error, preventing large-scale phenotyping. Employing imaging techniques will allow researchers to measure multiple morphometric parameters simultaneously. While 2D imaging provides a rapid screening method, 3D imaging offer a more comprehensive understanding of spike shape, revealing complex external structures. This study addresses the challenge of developing a high-resolution 3D surface-scanning pipeline to accurately quantify wheat spike morphology across diverse genotypes. Using a 3D surface-scanner, sharp point clouds of individual spikes were reconstructed and automatically aligned and analysed to extract key morphological features including spike length, volume, and cross-sectional area profile. New shape descriptors based on cross-sectional area profiles, local extremes, statistical curve fitting, segmentation of spikes into zones of aborted spikelets, base and apical segments as well as the extraction of spike/spikelets branching and endpoints of components were introduced to capture detailed structural variation between genotypes. Correlations between the 3D-derived traits and traditional metrics such as spike weight, spikelet number and seed weight confirmed the biological relevance of the extracted parameters. The method distinguished morphological differences among twelve wheat genotypes, revealing distinct shape types such as long, short, compact, and awned spikes. By combining precise 3D imaging with computational analysis, this approach provides a non-destructive framework for spike phenotyping. These findings demonstrate that 3D surface-scanning can deliver accurate and reproducible measurements of wheat spike architecture, offering new opportunities for linking morphology with genetics and yield potential in modern breeding programs.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦穂の形態を3D画像取得と計算解析で定量化するパイプラインを開発し、形状記述子の抽出と遺伝子型間での検証を行う、植物フェノタイピング手法の中心的研究である。

abstractThis study addresses the challenge of developing a high-resolution 3D surface-scanning pipeline to accurately quantify wheat spike morphology across diverse genotypes.

Wheat spike and spikelet detection and counting from high-resolution digital imagery using YOLO with Oriented Bounding Boxes. →

In-season estimation of wheat grain yield potential is critical for crop management and advancing breeding efforts. Spike and spikelet counts serve as key indicators directly linked to yield potential, yet their assessment still relies on manual counting which is both labor-intensive and error-prone. High-resolution digital (RGB) imagery combined with deep learning-based object detection methods has substantially advanced automatic wheat spike detection and counting. However, precise spikelet-level phenotyping remains largely underexplored. This study evaluates two recent YOLO variants, YOLOv11 and YOLOv12, for wheat spike and spikelet detection and counting using oriented bounding boxes (OBB), and introduces a new large-scale benchmark dataset comprising 48,521 spike and 60,404 spikelet instances with OBB annotations. For spike detection, the pre-trained YOLOv11 achieved superior accuracy (mAP@0.5 = 95.8%, Pearson r = 0.993) with shorter training and inference times compared to YOLOv12. For spikelet detection, the non-pretrained YOLOv11 demonstrated higher accuracy (mAP@0.5 = 99.0%), while counting performance was comparable across models. These results establish OBB-based YOLO detection as a robust and scalable approach for AI-driven wheat phenotyping.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦の穂・小穂という収量関連形質の画像ベース検出・計数手法を比較評価し、大規模ベンチマークデータセットも構築しているため、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThis study evaluates two recent YOLO variants, YOLOv11 and YOLOv12, for wheat spike and spikelet detection and counting using oriented bounding boxes (OBB), and introduces a new large-scale benchmark dataset comprising 48,521 spike and 60,404 spikelet instances with OBB annotations.

Deep learning-driven automatic counting of petal number in cut chrysanthemum inflorescence. →

The number of petals in an inflorescence is an important phenotypic indicator for quality evaluation and cultivar identification of cut chrysanthemums ( Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.). Current manual measurement methods are time-consuming, error-prone, and poorly suited to the complex geometry of chrysanthemum flowers, which limits their utility for large-scale phenotyping and breeding programs. Although image-based phenotyping has advanced rapidly, automated and reliable methods for petal counting in densely packed or partially obscured inflorescences remain underdeveloped. Here, we developed a deep learning-based framework for automatic extraction of petal number in cut chrysanthemums. Images from multiple varieties were collected to construct a representative dataset, and petal density maps were generated through manual annotation with Gaussian kernel function. We employed a Congested Scene Recognition Network (CSRNet) enhanced with a Squeeze-and-Excitation (SE) channel attention mechanism (SE-CSRNet) for petal density estimation. Spearman correlation analysis revealed strong agreement between visible and actual petal counts (Spearman’s r=0.953, p<0.0001). Compared with the original CSRNet, SE-CSRNet reduced mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean squared error (RMSE) by 5.2% and 7.4%, respectively. Further optimization using regression fitting revealed that random forest achieved the best performance (MAE = 4.24, RMSE = 5.06, R 2 = 0.967), indicating reliable stability and satisfactory generalization under the conditions evaluated in this work. Application of the optimized model to two cut chrysanthemum varieties confirmed its practicality by successfully detecting reductions in petal number under high-temperature stress. Our results demonstrate that integrating dataset construction, deep learning–based density estimation, and machine learning optimization enables efficient and accurate prediction of petal number in cut chrysanthemums.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods花弁数という植物形質を画像から自動抽出する深層学習手法を開発し、データセット構築、性能比較、検証、実用適用まで行っており、表現型取得手法が研究の中心である。

abstractHere, we developed a deep learning-based framework for automatic extraction of petal number in cut chrysanthemums.

Toward accurate prediction of apple firmness and brix across countries, seasons and cultivars with hyperspectral imaging. →

Traditional apple maturity assessment methods are destructive and time- and labour-intensive, yielding only population-level approximations. Hyperspectral imaging provides a non-destructive alternative to assess individual fruit, but progress has been constrained by the lack of large, diverse datasets that support robust model generalisation. This study presents a multi-cultivar, multi-season, multi-country hyperspectral apple dataset to enable generalisable prediction of soluble solids content (Brix) and firmness. Using this dataset, we adopt an iterative modelling framework to evaluate deep learning architectures, image resolutions, cultivar encoding, seasonal effects, and feature-specific models. Wavelength and spatial region importance were also analysed. The best predictive performance was achieved using Vision Transformer (ViT) models trained on edge-cropped 40 × 40 pixel images with explicit cultivar encoding, with Brix and firmness modelled independently. Although seasonal specificity was observed, models trained across all three seasons achieved the strongest overall performance. A 50% reduction in spectral wavebands did not compromise prediction accuracy. Key wavelength ranges contributing to Brix and firmness prediction were identified across the visible-near-infrared spectrum. Spatial regions were unimportant for Brix prediction but showed relevance for firmness. The optimised ViT model achieved firmness prediction performance comparable to previous studies (RMSE = 0.76 kgf, R[Formula: see text] = 0.63), while Brix prediction accuracy was lower (RMSE = 0.91 [Formula: see text]Brix, R[Formula: see text] = 0.75), likely reflecting increased biological and environmental variability captured in the dataset. Overall, this work demonstrates that hyperspectral imaging combined with deep learning and large, diverse datasets enables robust, non-destructive prediction of apple quality attributes across production conditions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリンゴ果実の硬度とBrixという植物器官形質を、ハイパースペクトル画像と深層学習で非破壊推定するデータセット・モデル・汎化性能評価が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study presents a multi-cultivar, multi-season, multi-country hyperspectral apple dataset to enable generalisable prediction of soluble solids content (Brix) and firmness.

High-throughput phenotyping of wheat ear surface area and ear density in the field →

Ear density ( ) and ear surface area in cereals are important traits for adaptation to low inputs and climate change. Here we propose a high-throughput field phenotyping method to estimate these traits using nadir and 45° RGB images acquired by the Phenomobile ground robot. First, the YOLOv5 ear detection algorithm is applied to nadir RGB images to estimate . Second, an ear segmentation algorithm is applied to nadir and 45° RGB images to compute the ear gap fraction at different viewing angles. The Beer-Lambert law is then inverted to compute the ear area index (EAI) from the observed ear gap fraction. is finally derived as the ratio between EAI and . We applied the methodology to a panel of 10 commercial bread wheat varieties how both traits vary across 12 environments. The relative error obtained for awnless varieties is 12% (56 ears m -2 ) for and 18% (1.3 cm 2 ) for . For awned varieties, ground-truth observations of were shown to be biased due to an overestimation of awns contribution, leading to an error of 41% (3.6 cm 2 ). was strongly correlated with grain dry mass per ear at harvest ( r 2 = 0.80 across genotypes and environments, r 2 per genotype ranged between 0.80 and 0.95) and was strongly correlated with grain yield ( r 2 = 0.83). These results indicate that both EAI and can be interesting non-destructive proxies for yield and grain dry mass per ear.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB画像と地上ロボット、物体検出・セグメンテーション・Beer–Lambert法を組み合わせ、コムギ穂の密度と表面積を推定・検証する手法が研究の中心であるため。

abstractHere we propose a high-throughput field phenotyping method to estimate these traits using nadir and 45° RGB images acquired by the Phenomobile ground robot.

PhenoSnap: An AI-Powered Web Application for Automated Specialty Crop Trait Extraction →

Manual quantification of specialty crop traits, such as flowers and fruits, is often labor-intensive, time-consuming, and inconsistent, limiting scalability and precision. We present PhenoSnap, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered web application that provides an intuitive and efficient interface for automated specialty crop trait extraction from images. PhenoSnap bridges the gap between advanced computer vision technologies and practical agricultural applications by eliminating the need for programming expertise. This ready-to-use solution can enable growers, breeders, and Extension faculty to accelerate field work and enhance decision-making related to strawberry and tomato yield estimation for breeding selections and strawberry runner management. Written by Santhi Daggubati, Xu Wang, Xue Zhou, Shubham Singh, and Jessica Chitwood-Brown, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, June 2026.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods画像から花・果実などの植物形質を自動抽出するAIウェブアプリケーションの開発・提供が中心であり、植物フェノタイピング手法およびソフトウェアとして適格。

abstractWe present PhenoSnap, an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered web application that provides an intuitive and efficient interface for automated specialty crop trait extraction from images.

Contrastive multi-view representation learning for multi-camera plant phenotyping: A cotton field study →

Attempts to deploy computer vision in agricultural tasks often suffer from a shortage of annotated data. One strategy to alleviate the impact of limited data is Self-Supervised Learning (SSL), which involves pre-training a model on a pretext task that utilizes automatically generated annotations. The primary objective of this study is to leverage a multi-camera view dataset of cotton boll images for contrastive learning in order to enable phenotyping tasks with minimal data annotation. This dataset was collected in the field using six camera views. The efficacy of two contrastive learning frameworks (SimCLR and MoCo) in producing representations when positive examples originate from different cameras was investigated, and a comprehensive study of how the camera positions affect performance was conducted. After self-supervised pre-training, linear evaluation and semi-supervised learning experiments were performed on boll detection and plot status downstream tasks. In general, using multiple camera views with SimCLR and MoCo improves cotton boll detection mean average precision by 14% compared to vanilla SimCLR and MoCo. Through careful investigation using synthetic data, it was determined that relative camera poses with an intermediate amount of overlap seem more likely to perform well. Neither MoCo nor SimCLR was consistently superior to the other in this context. The representations embed meaningful features about the cotton plants, such as overall boll density, but also less meaningful ones, such as lighting variations. This technique could potentially accelerate the development of phenotyping algorithms based on data collected from field robots. • A contrastive learning method based on comparing multi-camera views was developed. • The method was tested with images of cotton bolls from a ground robot. • The method outperformed baseline contrastive learning approaches.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsマルチカメラ画像とコントラスト学習による植物表現学習・フェノタイピング手法の開発と評価が中心であり、綿花のボール検出性能を検証している。

abstractThe primary objective of this study is to leverage a multi-camera view dataset of cotton boll images for contrastive learning in order to enable phenotyping tasks with minimal data annotation.

Remote sensing data and machine learning models estimate sorghum grain yield in a plant breeding program →

P henotyping remains a critical bottleneck in sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) breeding programs, limiting rates of genetic gain due to labor-intensive yield estimation methods. To address this concern, this study investigates the potential of integrating remote sensing data with machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models to improve sorghum grain yield predictions. Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)-based imagery was collected across multiple field trials, extracting standard vegetation indices, canopy height features, and panicle traits using a YOLOv11-based object detection model, "YOLO-SORG." Six ML models-including ridge regression (RR), elastic net (EN), LASSO regression (LR), support vector regression (SVR), random forest (RF), and XGBoost (XGB)-were trained to predict plot-level yield using three distinct feature sets: panicle traits, canopy traits, and a combination of both. Results indicate that models relying solely or partially on canopy-derived features provided the most consistent and accurate yield estimates (R 2 ≈ 0.74-0.76), whereas models relying solely on panicle traits performed poorly (R 2 ≈ 0.28-0.42), indicating nadir-derived panicle metrics were potentially being indirectly captured with the canopy traits. Traditional regression models outperformed tree-based ensemble methods in variance partitioning and repeatability ( R ≈ 0.59-0.60), making them more suitable for many breeding applications. These findings highlight the promise of UAS-driven ML pipelines for non-destructive yield prediction but underscore potential limitations of nadir imagery for capturing panicle morphology and use in a robust yield prediction model. Future research should explore the inclusion of multi-temporal imaging, refined feature extraction approaches, and use of oblique, non-nadir imagery to enhance predictive accuracy in sorghum breeding programs.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAS画像からキャノピー高、穂形質、植生指数を抽出し、機械学習でソルガムのプロット収量を推定するパイプラインが研究の中心であり、形質取得・推定手法の評価も行っている。

abstractthis study investigates the potential of integrating remote sensing data with machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) models to improve sorghum grain yield predictions.

Image-based high-throughput phenotyping enables genetic analyses of pod morphological traits in mungbean ( Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek) →

Mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek) is a vital source of digestible proteins and is well-suited for the plant-based protein industry. In this study, we analyzed pod morphological traits in the Iowa Mungbean Diversity (IMD) panel of 372 genotypes (2022-2023) using image-analysis-based phenotyping on 2,418 pod images. Pod morphological traits were extracted using deep learning image analysis, achieving excellent agreement with manual measurements (r > 0.96 for pod length (PL) and seed-per-pod (SPP)). Four complementary genome-wide association studies models identified 65 significant SNPs (-log10(P) ≥ 5.56) associated with pod curvature, length, width, and SPP traits. A significant SNP (5_35265704) on chromosome 4 was linked to pod dimensional traits, length, width, and curvature. A candidate gene, Virad04G0076900, located 15.6 kb from this SNP, is part of the GH3 gene family and has an Arabidopsis ortholog (AT4G27260) known for influencing organ elongation, pod, and seed development. Another SNP, 5_210437 on chromosome 6, has been found to be significantly associated with both PL and SPP. A candidate gene, Virad06G0002400 (36.5 kb from this SNP), encodes a potassium transporter and shares homology with the Arabidopsis gene HAK5 (AT4G13420), known to influence pod growth. Image-based measurements achieved genomic prediction accuracies ranging from 0.61 to 0.85 across various traits, demonstrating comparable accuracy to manual methods for linear traits and up to 22% improvement for complex shape traits. These results highlight the potential of deep learning-assisted phenomics integrated with genomic tools to accelerate selection for improved pod architecture in mungbean breeding programs across the Midwestern United States and globally.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods深層学習による画像解析でマメ pod の形態形質を抽出し、手動測定との一致度を検証しており、画像ベース表現型取得が研究の中心です。

abstractusing image-analysis-based phenotyping on 2,418 pod images

Genetic analysis of wheat ear architecture in F2 hybrid of tetraploid wheats Triticum aethiopicum and T. carthlicum and its computer phenotyping →

A comprehensive description of plant phenotypes of certain taxa is an important task when describing genera and species, as well as when setting their natural taxonomies. The development of modern technologies of effective phenotyping makes it possible to obtain a large amount of data with a quantitative and/or qualitative description of various traits in plants, mainly based on the analysis of their digital images. The study compared the results of the F2 hybrids assessment - visually and using machine learning methods - of two endemic tetraploid (2n = 4x = 28) wheat species which are Ethiopian wheat (Triticum aethiopicum Jakubz.) and Kartalian or Dika wheat (T. carthlicum Nevski). In the latter case, it is proposed to use the method of a mixture of Gaussian (normal) distributions in plant morphometry in order to identify groups that differ in character values. Most taxonomically important (species-specific) traits are controlled oligogenically and have a clear phenotypic manifestation, so hybridological analysis was an indispensable and basic type of analysis for subsequent detailed phenotyping of wheat spikes using machine-learning methods. According to a number of criteria, the estimates of patterns of inheritance obtained by different methods coincide. Based on the conducted research, we can state that the trait "tetraaristatum" (the presence of awns on both flower and spike glumes) is species-specific (taxonomically important) for T. carthlicum and it can be effectively used for taxonomic purposes both in carrying out hybridological analysis and in experiments using machine learning. Such a species-specific character is the "character (type) of awnedness" for T. aethiopicum. Our study demonstrates that a combination of automatic phenotyping methods and a model of a mixture of Gaussian distributions can, in principle, lead to an automatic analysis of the allocation of classes in F2 hybrids. It allows, in turn, to detect the presence of genes associated with species-specific traits of wheat plants. Further, the improvement of the applied artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms is required.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsコムギ穂の形態形質を対象に、画像に基づく機械学習フェノタイピングとガウス混合モデルを提案・適用しており、表現型の自動抽出・分類が研究の中心である。

abstractThe study compared the results of the F2 hybrids assessment - visually and using machine learning methods

3D Reconstruction and Knowledge Distillation to Improve Multi-View Image Models to Explore Spike Volume Estimation in Wheat →

Accurate estimation of wheat spike volume is important for yield component analysis and stress resilience assessment, yet field-based measurement remains challenging. Active 3D sensing methods such as Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) or time-of-flight (ToF) are sensitive to plant motion or poorly suited to outdoor conditions, while 3D reconstructions are computationally expensive. Direct 2D image processing would offer computational advantages, but image-based models lack explicit geometric information. We therefore propose a hybrid 2D-3D approach with knowledge distillation during training while enabling efficient image-only inference. First, we train a rigid-invariant point cloud network using distance-based histogram features to obtain pose-robust geometric representations. We then combine the 3D model with a proposed multi-view image-based regulated Transformer (RT) in an ensemble architecture. Finally, we distill the ensemble knowledge into a purely image-based student model using either feature-based or label-based distillation. The two distilled RTs reduce the mean absolute error (MAE) from 654.31 mm$^3$ of the non-distilled RT to 639.93 mm$^3$ and 644.62 mm$^3$, and increase correlation from 0.76 to 0.77 and 0.82, respectively. At the same time, inference time is reduced from 160 ms to 1.4 ms per spike. Distillation further mitigates volume-dependent bias and reshapes the latent representation of the image model toward a geometry-aware shape. Our results demonstrate that 3D-informed training of a 2D Transformer allows for scalable and efficient spike volume estimation for high-throughput field phenotyping.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦穂の体積を画像・3D再構成・知識蒸留で推定する手法の開発と性能評価が中心であり、高スループット植物フェノタイピングへの応用も明示されている。

abstractWe therefore propose a hybrid 2D-3D approach with knowledge distillation during training while enabling efficient image-only inference.

FQGR-net: Morphology-based litchi flower quantification and gender recognition. →

As a crucial agricultural crop in China, litchi exhibits a biennial bearing pattern with alternating high-yield and low-yield cycles, known as on-year and off-year respectively. Research has identified unstable floral initiation as the primary cause of irregular fruiting in mid-to-late maturing cultivars. Rapid and accurate quantification of female to male flower ratios during the flowering phase enables targeted management strategies to optimize floral development and enhance fruit-setting rates. This study proposes Flower Quantification and Gender Recognition Network (FQGR-Net), a three-branch neural network architecture for simultaneous classification and counting of female and male flowers. Through module-level optimization, FQGR-Net improves both counting accuracy and computational efficiency, achieving average MAE of 8.498 and RMSE of 13.209 across categories in experiments conducted on the self-constructed dataset. Comparative experiments with other deep neural network models on public datasets show the proposed method achieves optimal performance. A regression analysis between predictions and ground truth produces R2 values of 0.930 and 0.971 for female and male flower quantification respectively. A dedicated litchi flower phenotyping analyzer was developed to address the technological gap in automated floral census systems. Field trials demonstrated over 80% accuracy in female/male flower counting.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods雌雄花の画像ベース計数・性別認識手法と専用フェノタイピング解析器を開発し、データセットおよび野外試験で性能評価しているため、植物形質取得法が中心である。

abstractThis study proposes Flower Quantification and Gender Recognition Network (FQGR-Net), a three-branch neural network architecture for simultaneous classification and counting of female and male flowers.

Spatially resolved quantification of wheat kernel vitreousness using hyperspectral imaging and spectral unmixing. →

Introduction: Wheat kernel hardness, vitreousness, and creaseness are key determinants of milling performance, yet they reflect different physical scales of grain structure and are not necessarily coupled. Methods: We developed a digital phenotyping framework based on hyperspectral imaging and spectral unmixing to quantify these traits at both kernel and cultivar levels in a diverse panel of common wheat. Pixel-level spectral unmixing resolved glassy, intermediate, and mealy endosperm components within individual kernels, enabling vitreousness to be expressed as a continuous spatial index. Results: The hyperspectral-derived vitreousness index showed moderate associations with kernel protein content and the protein-to-starch ratio, consistent with variation in endosperm packing density, but weak relationships with kernel hardness and crease geometry. Kernel hardness, primarily determined by puroindoline genotype, showed limited association with bulk protein and starch composition. Crease geometry, quantified using composite indices from RGB images, captured macroscopic grain features largely independent of both hardness and vitreousness. Discussion: These results demonstrate that hardness, vitreousness, and creaseness represent complementary but largely independent dimensions of grain quality, corresponding to molecular-scale adhesion, mesoscale packing, and macroscopic geometry, respectively. The proposed framework provides a scalable, non-destructive approach for resolving intra-kernel heterogeneity, enabling improved digital phenotyping for wheat breeding and quality assessment.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsハイパースペクトル画像とスペクトルアンミキシングを用いて小麦粒の硝子質を定量するデジタル表現型解析フレームワークを開発しており、形質取得手法が中心的である。

abstractWe developed a digital phenotyping framework based on hyperspectral imaging and spectral unmixing to quantify these traits at both kernel and cultivar levels in a diverse panel of common wheat.

Morphometric Properties of Olive (Olea europaea) Pits: A Dataset for Cultivar Identification and Analysis. →

Image analysis of pits and grains provide alternative routes for overcoming the invasive approach of genomic tools in the investigation of archaeological or modern plant material, which is only seldom a viable option due to the complex and laborious methodologies required. Nevertheless, any investigation of pit morphology and cultivar interpretation requires a high quality, comprehensive dataset for comparison. Such a benchmark dataset for the morphology of olive (Olea europaea) pits is presented in this paper, designed to facilitate similar research and establish a base for future investigations. The dataset was established by image analysis of pits of 18 olive cultivars that were photographed in both lateral and dorsal positions. A dedicated MATLAB® code was developed to extract the silhouettes of each pit and to calculate 16 morphometric traits of each view of the pit. Altogether, a total of 1008 photos of 504 pits of the 18 cultivars, together with their detailed morphometric description and statistical analysis are available here. These were used to test the accuracy of the dataset and the new approach in representing the different cultivars.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsオリーブ核の画像から形態形質を抽出する専用コードと、検証用ベンチマークデータセットを開発・提示しており、植物形質取得法が中心である。

abstractSuch a benchmark dataset for the morphology of olive (Olea europaea) pits is presented in this paper, designed to facilitate similar research and establish a base for future investigations.

AgroDualNet: a dual deep learning-based crop disease forecasting and fruit ripening detection. →

Proper diagnosis of crop diseases and accurate measurement of fruit ripeness is essential in enhancing agricultural productivity, but conventional methods of diagnosis are time-consuming, error-prone, and inefficient. With the rapid development of AI, deep learning (DL), and IoT, there is increasing demand for combined solutions that jointly address plant health monitoring and harvest optimization in a reproducible and deployment-oriented manner. This study develops a new bi-phasic DL framework, AgroDualNet, that predicts crop diseases and identifies fruit ripeness stages to optimize yield quality and minimize agricultural losses. The work explicitly targets improved classification reliability, broader class evaluation, rigorous validation and generation of decision-ready outputs for precision agriculture. AgroDualNet comprises two modules. The crop-disease prediction module integrates ResNet50 with a Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM), and a Sequential Minimal Optimization (SMO)-based SVM classifier to enhance feature learning and classification performance Several different architectural designs are benchmarked and the resultant model is tested on both a dedicated 3-class subset and a large multi-class model of the PlantVillage dataset with leakage safe protocol(augmentation applied only on training data), cross-validation, statistical significance testing as well as ablation. The fruit-ripeness module employs YOLOv8 for real-time fruit localization and MobileNetV2 for lightweight ripeness classification suitable for edge deployment and a prototype decision-support layer maps predictions to actionable recommendations. That is able to run on the edge. Experiments show that the hybrid CBAM + ResNet50 + SMO model achieves 99.6% accuracy for crop disease classification on a three-class configuration of the PlantVillage dataset and maintains consistently higher accuracy than strong baseline in a 38-class setting, with statistically significant results confirmed by McNemar's test (p < 0.001) outperforming baseline and intermediate architectures in accuracy, precision, Recall and F1-Score The fruit ripeness pipeline achieves 98.88% classification accuracy across four ripeness stages (unripe, semi-ripe, ripe, over-ripe) on a combined Kaggle and real-field apple dataset with low inference time, confirming its suitability for near real-time deployment on edge devices. Cross-validation, Statistical significance tests and ablation studies collectively validate the robustness and significance of these gains and the decision-support layer demonstrates the feasibility of converting raw predictions into interpretable, recommendation-oriented outputs. AgroDualNet provides an efficient and unified system for monitoring plant diseases and evaluating fruit ripeness, with statically validated performance across both focused and full multi-class settings, addressing two critical challenges in precision agriculture with a single extensible framework. The dual-module design of AgroDualNet, which combines disease prediction with ripeness analysis and a preliminary decision-support prototype offers a more comprehensive and practically relevant AI-driven monitoring solution than conventional single-task models. By emphasizing multi-class validation on PlantVillage, leakage-aware experimentation, statistical verification, and system-level integration, this works supports real-time, precise and automated guidance to reduce crop losses, improve harvest timing, and enable smarter farm-level decision making.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物病害状態と果実成熟度を画像から推定する深層学習パイプラインの開発・比較検証が中心であり、PlantVillageおよび実圃場データで交差検証、アブレーション、統計検定を実施しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法として含める。

abstractThis study develops a new bi-phasic DL framework, AgroDualNet, that predicts crop diseases and identifies fruit ripeness stages

Mixed-scale multivariate analysis reveals phenotypic structure in wood apple (Feronia limonia L.). →

Wood apple (Feronia limonia L.) is an underutilized perennial fruit tree with substantial ecological, nutritional, and economic potential, yet its phenotypic diversity and trait organization remain poorly characterized. Here, we applied a mixed-scale multivariate framework to resolve phenotypic structure in 62 wood apple genotypes using 31 ordinal and categorical vegetative, leaf, floral, fruit, and seed descriptors. Trait interrelationships were examined through the complementary use of Spearman’s rank correlation and Cramér’s V association analyses, capturing both directional rank-based dependencies and scale-independent categorical linkages. Hierarchical clustering based on Gower distance separated the genotypes into three distinct phenotypic clusters, with inter-cluster dissimilarities (0.92–1.18) consistently exceeding intra-cluster variation (0.42–0.55), indicating well-supported phenotypic stratification based on cluster validation. Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) explained 23.30% of total inertia across the first two dimensions, with tree growth habit, branch angle, tree shape, and fruit color emerging as the principal drivers of phenotypic differentiation. Vegetative and leaf traits formed a tightly integrated module, whereas fruit-related traits displayed weaker monotonic but persistent categorical associations, reflecting partial phenotypic independence. The strong concordance among association analyses, clustering, and MCA indicates structured patterns of coordinated and partially independent trait associations in wood apple. Overall, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of mixed-scale multivariate approaches for resolving complex trait architecture in underutilized perennial fruit crops and provides a quantitative phenotypic framework to support germplasm conservation, parent selection, and ideotype-oriented improvement of wood apple.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods混合尺度の多変量解析を用いて植物遺伝資源の表現型構造を定量化する手法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。

abstractHere, we applied a mixed-scale multivariate framework to resolve phenotypic structure in 62 wood apple genotypes using 31 ordinal and categorical vegetative, leaf, floral, fruit, and seed descriptors.

BloomSight: An ultra-high-frequency phenotyping framework for diurnal flowering dynamics in japonica and indica rice to enable genetic dissection and hybrid-breeding applications. →

Rice ( Oryza sativa ) production underpins food security in many rice-consuming nations. As a critical developmental transition that directly determines yield and grain quality, flowering dates and timing are genetically complex and highly sensitive to environmental fluctuations. This complexity requires new methods to quantify diurnal floral characteristics, which are essential to hybrid breeding in cereals. Here, we present BloomSight, an ultra-high-frequency and deep-learning (DL) powered framework for phenotyping and measuring minute-level flowering dynamics in japonica and indica rice. After monitoring 172 rice accessions selected from the Chinese Rice Mini-Core Collection using cost-effective time-lapse imaging platforms for 16 days, we acquired over 530,000 accession-level images and established the Open Rice Flowering Training (ORFT) dataset, with over 39,000 panicles and 350,000 anthers annotated. Next, a two-stage customised DL model (i.e. YOLACT-Panicle for panicle segmentation and UNet-Anther for anther identification) was trained using the ORFT set, enabling ultra-high-frequency measures of anther extrusion at the minute level. Based on trait analysis, we further fitted curves to dynamically identify diurnal flowering patterns, including key timepoints such as the initial flowering timepoint ( T Ini. ), quickest flowering timepoint ( T Qck. ), and peak flowering time ( T Peak ), and novel traits such as the duration of rapid flowering phase ( P Rpd. ) and flowering density across key phases. After validating BloomSight-derived traits against manual observations, we classified the japonica and indica accessions into three patterns: Slow, Moderate, and Fast, all of which had distinct flowering windows. These analyses helped us integrate phenotypic variations into a genome-wide association study (GWAS), revealing many significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with known (e.g. EMF1 , OsMYB8 , and PME42 ) and several repeatedly identified unknown loci (one of these loci has been recently verified by other groups), demonstrating the value of the BloomSight framework. Taken together, we believe that BloomSight provides an ultra-high-frequency framework for diurnal flowering phenotyping, enabling the measurement of biological meaningful floral traits with minute-level resolution that can enable flowering-related developmental studies and hybrid-breeding applications in rice and more broadly benefit the plant and crop research community.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネの開花動態を高頻度画像と深層学習で抽出するフェノタイピング基盤を開発し、データセット構築と手動観測による検証も行っているため、方法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe present BloomSight, an ultra-high-frequency and deep-learning (DL) powered framework for phenotyping and measuring minute-level flowering dynamics in japonica and indica rice

Investigating performance and key factors for real-world deployment of grain image classification using convolutional neural networks →

Accurate and efficient grain quality assessment is critical for making informed decisions throughout the grain value chain. Early detection of disease enables actions to mitigate spread and further damage, and optimal batch mixing to fulfill specified quality requirements allows for maximizing value and minimizing scrapping. Vision based machine learning and deep learning approaches are gaining attention in the agricultural sector and are useful for the development of automated grain quality assessment. These techniques can reduce the current manual inspection load and are key for objective and precise analysis. Yet, the majority of prior studies are constrained to small or controlled and curated datasets. Practical challenges associated with real-world deployment and reliability are rarely addressed. That is the focus of this work. We present and demonstrate a structured approach for investigating convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and key factors influencing performance for wheat kernel classification. The objective is to determine a CNN model that ensures high and robust classification accuracy, while elucidating and explaining how different image dataset characteristics and training parameters affect performance and reliability. We use a commercial mirror-based imaging system that captures over 90% of each kernel's surface and contrast and compare model architectures, robustness, the effect on pre-processing and image resolution. Our results show similar and high overall performance for ResNet50V2 and EfficientNetV2B0 ([Formula: see text]% accuracy), but per-class analysis indicate that the smaller classes suffer from lack of representative examples, and that most classes benefit from pre-processing including downsampling whereas others benefit from higher resolution. Interactive visualizations reveal that another contributing factor is dubious annotation and multi-class belongingness. Thus, our step-by-step analysis of CNN performance underscores the need for representative data, proper pre-processing, and class-aware evaluation to ensure trustworthy deployment in wheat grain quality assessment.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦粒画像から品質・病害クラスを推定するCNN画像解析手法の性能、頑健性、前処理、解像度、データ特性を体系的に評価しており、フェノタイピング手法が中心的である。

abstractWe present and demonstrate a structured approach for investigating convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and key factors influencing performance for wheat kernel classification.

A benchmark dataset of Primitive Indian Paddy Panicle Images and identification via deep residual transfer learning. →

We introduce ``Primitive Indian Paddy Panicle Images,'' a benchmark image dataset of 22 primitive Indian rice panicle varieties (Sethy, Prabira; Pamerelli, Ranjith, 2026; Mendeley Data, V1, doi:10.17632/khfd7pzskd.1) and present an identification approach based on deep residual transfer learning. Using a transfer-learned ResNet-50 with image augmentation and an 80/10/10 train/validation/test split, the model attains 100.0% validation accuracy and 98.74% accuracy on the held-out test set. Per-class one-vs-rest AUCs on validation are 1.000 for all 22 classes; test AUCs range from 0.9924 to 1.000 (mean ≈ 0.999), with separate confusion matrices and ROC curves provided for validation and test partitions. These results demonstrate that deep residual transfer learning can robustly discriminate closely related panicle morphotypes when trained on a carefully curated dataset. We release the dataset to support reproducible research in germplasm identification, varietal purity assessment, and automated phenotyping.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ穂画像のベンチマークデータセットと、深層学習による穂形態の自動識別手法が研究の中心であり、再現可能な植物表現型解析基盤として明示されている。

abstractWe introduce ``Primitive Indian Paddy Panicle Images,'' a benchmark image dataset of 22 primitive Indian rice panicle varieties

Herbarium-based measurements are reliable predictors of fresh plant traits in Neotropical Myrtaceae →

Premise: Herbarium specimens are increasingly used to extract morphological traits for ecological and evolutionary studies, yet the effects of tissue desiccation on trait measurements remain poorly understood. Here, we tested whether higher tissue water content leads to greater measurement changes after herborization (H1) and whether fresh trait values can be reliably predicted from herbarium measurements (H2). Methods: We evaluated the reliability of herbarium-based measurements by comparing fresh and dried traits of leaves, flowers, fleshy fruits, and seeds across 262 individuals representing 133 Neotropical Myrtaceae species. Phylogenetic least square models and machine-learning regressions were used to test H1 and H2. Results: Leaves and flowers generally shrank after herborization, fruits size metrics tended to increase, and seeds were largely unaffected. Water content was significantly associated with the magnitude of herborization effects in flowers and some leaf and seed traits. Fresh trait values were accurately predicted from herbarium measurements. Prediction errors were lowest for leaf traits, followed by fruits, flowers, and seeds. Discussion: These results partially support H1 and support H2, indicating that herbarium specimens can be reliably used for trait analyses when organ-specific responses are considered, providing a practical framework to account for potential desiccation bias in functional trait research.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsハーバリウム標本による植物形態形質測定の信頼性評価と、生鮮形質の予測手法が研究の中心であり、植物フェノタイピング手法の検証に該当する。

abstractWe evaluated the reliability of herbarium-based measurements by comparing fresh and dried traits of leaves, flowers, fleshy fruits, and seeds across 262 individuals representing 133 Neotropical Myrtaceae species.

AutoSiQ: a curated haploid Arabidopsis thaliana inflorescence dataset with a fine-grained silique ontology and a deep learning application for haploid fertility quantification. →

Doubled haploid (DH) technology can fast-track crop breeding. Haploid induction yields haploids with only one set of genomes, which are usually sterile. Haploid fertility (HF) is the ability of haploid plants to set seed, and it is a critical bottleneck in DH pipelines. Genetic mechanisms to restore HF hold immense potential in DH crop breeding, yet its phenotyping remains manual, destructive, and inconsistent. While recent advances in imaging and machine learning have improved throughput for general plant traits, no curated image dataset exists for Arabidopsis thaliana that explicitly represents HF. Here, we present AutoSiQ, a dataset and baseline deep learning pipeline for automated HF quantification. AutoSiQ includes high-resolution scanned inflorescences annotated with a seven-class ontology encompassing green siliques, green fertile siliques, mature siliques, fertile siliques, cracked fertile siliques, cracked siliques, and flowers. This multi-class annotation scheme preserves biologically meaningful information beyond binary fertile/non-fertile distinctions, enabling reliable fertility estimation and future phenotyping applications. We release baseline object detection models (YOLOv5), trained using the AutoSiQ dataset, and evaluate their performance across confidence thresholds. Model predictions strongly correlate with manual counts, achieving R² up to 0.94 for total silique number estimation. We further demonstrate AutoSiQ's utility for automated haploid fertility rate (HFR) estimation and genotype discrimination between two contrasting genotypes (WT and bmf2 mutant). A longitudinal analysis identifies ~60 days after sowing (DAS) as the optimal harvest time for maximizing mature silique counts by balancing between the number of immature buds and silique shattering. By releasing both the dataset and baseline code, AutoSiQ provides a reproducible and extensible foundation for high-throughput fertility phenotyping in haploid Arabidopsis .

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsハプロイド稔性を画像から定量するデータセットと深層学習パイプラインを開発・評価しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractHere, we present AutoSiQ, a dataset and baseline deep learning pipeline for automated HF quantification.

Low-annotation apple flower counting: A color-SAM enhanced and uncertainty-guided semi-supervised framework. →

Accurate flower-load assessment is critical for informed thinning strategies in orchard management. UAV-based deep learning automated counting offers efficiency advantages, yet precise counting is heavily dependent on abundant annotated data, which is scarce and costly to obtain in agricultural settings. While semi-supervised learning alleviates dependency on manual annotation, its application to UAV-based orchard imagery faces challenges: complex backgrounds and small target sizes, which undermine pseudo-label reliability. To address these challenges, this study proposes a two-stage framework to achieve separate counting of apple flowers at different phenological stages. First, a color-SAM flower extractor (CSAM-FE) is proposed to preprocess images using a strategy combining color thresholding with the Segment Anything Model (SAM), suppressing background noise and extracting high-quality flower clusters, thereby providing purified inputs for the subsequent counting network. Second, an uncertainty-guided semi-supervised flower counting network (USCount-Net) is proposed for accurate stage-specific flower counting with limited labeled data. The USCount-Net incorporates two key components: an adaptive pseudo-label filtering (PLF) mechanism based on frequent forward uncertainty estimation (FFUE) is designed to dynamically suppress noisy gradient backpropagation, mitigating error propagation from unreliable pseudo-labels; and a noise-sensitive adaptive gated fusion (AGF) module is introduced to fuse cross-scale features without redundancy, addressing significant scale variations across phenological stages and observation angles. Comparative experiments on a self-built apple flower counting dataset demonstrate that USCount-Net achieves lower MAE and RMSE than state-of-the-art methods at 10%, 30%, and 50% labeling ratios. The results demonstrate that the proposed methodology serves as methodological support for rapid and precise apple flower counting in low-annotation agricultural scenarios.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリンゴ花の画像抽出・計数手法と半教師あり解析ネットワークを開発し、データセット上で比較評価しているため、植物表現型取得が中心である。

abstractthis study proposes a two-stage framework to achieve separate counting of apple flowers at different phenological stages.

A field-acquired RGB-Depth image dataset for computer vision-based baby broccoli detection and size estimation under varying illumination conditions. →

This data article describes a curated RGB-Depth image dataset captured using an Intel RealSense D435 stereo depth camera mounted on an autonomous mobile platform during field deployments at commercial baby broccoli farms in Victoria, Australia. The dataset comprises 1759 paired RGB images (640 × 480 pixels) and corresponding 16-bit depth frames acquired under both daytime (natural sunlight) and night-time (LED illumination) conditions, designed to support research in agricultural computer vision and robotic harvesting. Images were selected from 39,765 raw acquisitions through a reproducible Python curation pipeline applying quality filtering (blur detection, brightness thresholds, corruption detection), perceptual hash-based duplicate removal, and manual review. The final dataset includes 924 daytime and 835 night-time image pairs containing baby broccoli plants at various growth stages. The dataset provides RGB camera intrinsic parameters and pixel-aligned depth maps to enable 3D point cloud reconstruction. Potential applications include developing deep learning models for crop detection and segmentation, validating depth-based size estimation methods, and benchmarking illumination-robust vision systems. All data and curation code are publicly available under a CC BY 4.0 license.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB-Depth画像データセットの構築と再現可能なキュレーションを中心とし、作物検出に加えてサイズ推定という植物形質の評価・ベンチマークに利用できるため。

titleA field-acquired RGB-Depth image dataset for computer vision-based baby broccoli detection and size estimation under varying illumination conditions.

Enhancing strawberry maturity assessment using mid-infrared spectral analysis with advanced variable selection and supervised classification. →

Accurate and non-destructive assessment of fruit maturity is critical for sustainable agricultural practices. This study proposes a novel framework for evaluating strawberry ripeness using Mid-Infrared (MIR) spectroscopy combined with metaheuristic feature selection and supervised classification. A dataset of 443 strawberries spanning eight maturity stages was analyzed using six metaheuristic algorithms—Binary Grey Wolf Optimizer, Binary Particle Swarm Optimizer, Bee Colony Optimizer, Genetic Algorithm, Ant Colony Optimizer, and Gravitational Search Optimizer—integrated with four classifiers: Naïve Bayes, Decision Tree, Linear Discriminant Analysis, and Support Vector Machine. A new fitness function was designed to optimize classifier performance, and results were validated through Self-Organizing Map Neural Networks, cross-validation, and statistical significance testing. The Genetic Algorithm–Linear Discriminant Analysis combination achieved the highest and most stable accuracy (94.6–99%), outperforming existing image-based, deep learning, and conventional spectroscopic approaches while retaining interpretability. These findings demonstrate that metaheuristic-driven MIR analysis provides a robust, explainable, and efficient method for precise strawberry maturity assessment, offering significant potential for advancing eco-friendly and intelligent agricultural practices.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイチゴ果実の成熟度という植物器官の状態を、MIR分光と特徴選択・分類器で非破壊推定する方法を開発し、交差検証や統計検定で性能評価しており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThis study proposes a novel framework for evaluating strawberry ripeness using Mid-Infrared (MIR) spectroscopy combined with metaheuristic feature selection and supervised classification.

Quantifying wheat spike morphology by high resolution 3D surface scanning →

Abstract An understanding of spike shape will be of great benefit for improving wheat yields. Traditional manual measurements of spike traits are slow and prone to human error, preventing large-scale phenotyping. Employing imaging techniques will allow researchers to measure multiple morphometric parameters simultaneously. While 2D imaging provides a rapid screening method, 3D imaging offer a more comprehensive understanding of spike shape, revealing complex external structures. This study addresses the challenge of developing a high-resolution 3D surface-scanning pipeline to accurately quantify wheat spike morphology across diverse genotypes. Using a 3D surface-scanner, sharp point clouds of individual spikes were reconstructed and automatically aligned and analysed to extract key morphological features including spike length, volume, and thickness profile. New shape descriptors based on thickness profiles, local extremes, statistical curve fitting, segmentation of spikes into zones of aborted spikelets, base and apical segments as well as the extraction of spike/spikelets branching and endpoints of components were introduced to capture detailed structural variation between genotypes. Correlations between the 3D-derived traits and traditional metrics such as spike weight, spikelet number and seed weight confirmed the biological relevance of the extracted parameters. The method distinguished morphological differences among twelve wheat genotypes, revealing distinct shape types such as long, short, compact, and awned spikes. By combining precise 3D imaging with computational analysis, this approach provides a non-destructive framework for spike phenotyping. These findings demonstrate that 3D surface-scanning can deliver accurate and reproducible measurements of wheat spike architecture, offering new opportunities for linking morphology with genetics and yield potential in modern breeding programs.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦穂の形態形質を3D画像から抽出するパイプラインを開発し、形質の相関・遺伝子型間比較で検証しており、表現型取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study addresses the challenge of developing a high-resolution 3D surface-scanning pipeline to accurately quantify wheat spike morphology across diverse genotypes.

Modeling grain biochemical composition traits of commercial sorghum hybrids under diverse management practices. →

Introduction Sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) is a vital cereal crop for food, feed, and biofuel production. Accurate estimation of grain biochemical composition, crude protein (CP), lysine from grain (LysG) and protein (LysP), starch (SC), amylose from grain (AMLG) and starch (AMLS), and crude fat (CF), is crucial for improving breeding and management strategies. Our aim is not pre-harvest forecasting but reducing laboratory cost by identifying a minimal set of post-harvest measurements required to estimate other grain composition traits accurately. Methods We used machine learning (ML) models to predict grain quality traits in commercial sorghum hybrids under different management practices, including precision nitrogen application, cover cropping, and no-till methods. Multi-year field trials (2023-2024) in Saint Charles, Missouri, integrated agronomic, physiological, UAV-based, and environmental data for model training and validation. Results Phenotypic analysis showed that grain composition traits varied significantly by year and management practices. Among ML models, LASSO and ElasticNet achieved the highest predictive accuracy for crude protein (R² = 0.90) and amylose content (AMLS, R² = 0.99; AMLG, R² = 0.92). Bayesian Ridge was most effective for lysine from protein (R² = 0.64), while Partial Least Squares (PLS) excelled in starch content prediction (R² = 0.80). The correlation between grain composition (LysP, CF) and photosystem II efficiency (PhiPS2) indicated that enhanced photosynthesis and yield promote their accumulation. However, Partial Dependence Plots (PDPs) revealed strong non-linear effects, where slight variations in leaf temperature (Tleaf) and stomatal conductance (gsw) were associated with significant shifts in amylose content. Discussion This study highlights the role of genotype × management interactions in sorghum breeding and demonstrates the value of integrating ML-driven models to enhance grain quality and precision agriculture strategies.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods穀粒の生化学的形質を少数の測定値から推定する機械学習モデルの開発・検証が研究の中心であり、単なる農業実験の routine 測定ではない。

abstractreducing laboratory cost by identifying a minimal set of post-harvest measurements required to estimate other grain composition traits accurately

OpenEar: an ultra-affordable, high-throughput, and accurate maize ear phenotyping system. →

Crop phenotyping of important agronomic traits in field conditions at single-plant resolution has long been a major bottleneck in both genetic analysis (e.g. large-scale association/linkage analysis) and breeding applications (e.g. genomic prediction/selection). Despite growing interest, ultra-affordable, high-throughput and accurate phenotyping tools for maize ears remain limited. Here, we developed OpenEar, an open source, low-cost phenotyping system that combines a DIY maize ear imaging platform with a deep learning-based end-to-end phenotypic data extraction pipeline. The imaging platform is composed of 3D-printed parts and electronics components easily available from local retailers to perform high-quality 360° surface scanning of maize ears. Our pipeline first employs CNN-based models to identify normally-developed ears suitable for phenotyping, followed by reliable segmentation of ears and ear surface projection images by YOLOv11-based models, from which ten key traits are subsequently extracted. OpenEar demonstrates reliable agreement with manual measurements across a diverse set of ear- and kernel-related traits, including ear length ( R 2 = 0.972), ear diameter ( R 2 = 0.905), ear volume ( R 2 = 0.976), ear weight ( R 2 = 0.878), kernel number ( R 2 = 0.98), kernel row number ( R 2 = 0.888), kernel number per row ( R 2 = 0.852), kernel thickness ( R 2 = 0.705), kernel width ( R 2 = 0.515), and thousand kernel weight ( R 2 = 0.605). A user-friendly graphical interface is developed for manual inspection of ears after computer annotation. Manually annotated ear videos and images are publicly released as a resource for the crop phenomics community. Our study highlights the potential of DIY-based low-cost solutions to make phenotyping more accessible in crop genetic analysis and breeding.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシ穂の画像取得・深層学習による形質抽出システムを開発し、手動測定との一致を検証しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心です。

abstractwe developed OpenEar, an open source, low-cost phenotyping system that combines a DIY maize ear imaging platform with a deep learning-based end-to-end phenotypic data extraction pipeline.

An open image dataset of Indonesian soybean seed varieties (Anjasmoro, Grobogan, DEGA-1) for agricultural research and machine learning applications. →

Soybean ( Glycine max L. ) performs an important position as a main resource of protein in Indonesia. Its quality and productivity can be assessed based on the characteristics of its seed. Accordingly, the identification process through the observation of soybean seed traits is a crucial step in plant breeding and quality assurance. Manual approaches rely on manual observation, which is subjective, prone to human error and time-consuming. With the improvement of artificial intelligence, automated seed identification has appeared as a potential solution. However, progress is constrained by the lack of open and standardized image datasets, especially for locally bred varieties in developing countries. To address this gap, we propose an open image dataset of Indonesian soybean seeds from three widely cultivated and plant-bred varieties: Anjasmoro, Grobogan, and DEGA-1. The dataset consists of high-resolution seed images captured with an Epson L360 flatbed scanner, with the optical resolution fixed at 800 dots per inch, yielding images of 6800 × 9359 pixels. All raw images are saved in JPG format. No manually segmentation masks are released in this version, instead of using Deeplab V3+ with MobileNet as backbone to enable the automated seed image segmentation. The curated dataset is intended to support a broad range of applications, including computer vision tasks such as image classification and segmentation, as well as research in plant breeding, seed quality assessment, and agricultural informatics. By providing a standardized and publicly accessible resource, this dataset contributes to the advancement of interdisciplinary studies at the intersection of agriculture and artificial intelligence.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods大豆種子画像を標準化して公開するデータセット研究であり、種子形質の自動画像解析・セグメンテーションを支援する方法論的資源が中心です。

titleAn open image dataset of Indonesian soybean seed varieties (Anjasmoro, Grobogan, DEGA-1) for agricultural research and machine learning applications.

High-density field-based 3D reconstruction of rice architecture across diverse cultivars for genome-wide association studies →

Background Rice plant architecture underpins yield and grain quality, yet two obstacles impede accurate field characterization in dense paddies. First, single-plant reconstruction is constrained by severe inter-plant occlusion, cluttered backgrounds, and limited viewpoints. These factors obscure culms, leaves, basal tillers, and the true physical scale of the plant. Active ranging devices are cumbersome in outdoor plots and can lose accuracy, whereas conventional passive photogrammetry performs poorly under such conditions. Second, delineating panicles within a 3D rice model is intrinsically difficult. Panicles are slender, highly branched, and visually similar to surrounding foliage, often interwoven and partially hidden. These factors result in fragmented boundaries and missing details. Direct point-cloud segmentation struggles with such discontinuous geometry and requires costly 3D annotation, whereas generic image segmentation models trained on natural scenes transfer poorly to paddy imagery. These challenges motivate a field-ready workflow that both reconstructs whole plants at high resolution in dense plantings and reliably segments panicles to enable trait extraction. Results A low-cost, in-field, multi-view pipeline for whole-plant three-dimensional reconstruction, termed One Stop 3D Target Reconstruction And segmentation (OSTRA), operates on color images with a reference-board setup. The pipeline builds detailed three-dimensional models of individual rice plants and automatically segments key organs (in this case, panicles), despite dense surrounding vegetation. When applied to 231 diverse rice landraces grown in a crowded field setting, the method produced high-fidelity plant models with clearly delineated panicle structures. From these reconstructions, three architectural traits were derived: plant height, leaf area, and panicle length. Genome-wide association analysis of the measured traits identified strong genotype-phenotype associations tagging known candidate genes. Natural variants at D2 and RFL/APO2 were associated with plant height variation, variants at FLW7 were linked to differences in leaf area, and allelic variation at AAI1 corresponded to panicle length variation. These loci are established regulators of plant growth and morphology, indicating that this three-dimensional phenotyping pipeline attains accuracy sufficient to rediscover meaningful genetic signals. Conclusions This study provides a practical tool for precise rice phenotyping even under dense field planting conditions, overcoming occlusion and structural complexity. By enabling non-destructive, field-based measurement of complete plant architecture and linking these phenotypes to specific genes, the pipeline bridges field phenomics and genomics. The integrated reconstruction and analysis framework advances the study of rice architecture and offers a general route to connect complex traits with their genetic determinants.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods密植圃場でのイネ全体3D再構築、器官分割、形質抽出を中核とする画像ベース表現型解析手法の開発・実証であり、明確に収載対象。

abstractA low-cost, in-field, multi-view pipeline for whole-plant three-dimensional reconstruction, termed One Stop 3D Target Reconstruction And segmentation (OSTRA), operates on color images with a reference-board setup.

A Biomass-Driven 3D Structural Model for Banana (Musa spp.) Fruit Fingers Across Genotypes →

Banana (Musa spp.) fruit morphology is a key determinant of yield and quality, yet modeling its 3D structural dynamics across genotypes remains difficult. To address this challenge, we developed a generic, biomass-driven 3D structural model for banana fruit fingers that quantitatively links growth and morphology. Field experiments were conducted over two growing seasons in Hainan, China, using three representative genotypes. Morphological traits, including outer and inner arc length, circumference, and pedicel length, along with dry (Wd) and fresh weight (Wf), were measured every 10 days after flowering until 110 days. Quantitative relationships between morphological traits and Wf, as well as between Wd and Wf, were fitted using linear or Gompertz functions with genotype-specific parameters. Based on these functions, a parameterized 3D reconstruction method was implemented in Python, combining biomass-driven growth equations, curvature geometry, and cross-sectional interpolation to simulate the fruit’s bending, tapering, and volumetric development. The resulting dynamic 3D models accurately reproduced genotype-specific differences in curvature, length, and shape with average fitting R2 > 0.95. The proposed biomass-driven 3D structural model provides a methodological framework for integrating banana fruit morphology into functional–structural plant models.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsバナナ果実の形態形質を推定・再現するバイオマス駆動型3D構造モデルを開発し、遺伝子型間の形状を検証しており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractwe developed a generic, biomass-driven 3D structural model for banana fruit fingers that quantitatively links growth and morphology.

Spatially resolved analysis of growth dynamics in pome and drupe fruits of Rosaceae using 3D Gaussian Splatting. →

Fruit growth has long been described using single- or double-sigmoid curves; however, these temporal models cannot fully capture the spatial heterogeneity that ultimately shapes a fruit. Here, we present a three-dimensional analysis pipeline that non-destructively tracks spatial fruit growth dynamics from field-collected imagery. Surface landmarks were drawn, and video recordings were taken throughout development for three pome fruits, apple ( Malus × domestica ), Japanese pear ( Pyrus pyrifolia ) and European pear ( Pyrus communis ), and two drupe fruits, peach ( Prunus persica ) and Japanese apricot ( Prunus mume ), to track their motion. Using 3D Gaussian splatting, we successfully reconstructed 3D models of the fruits, and the landmark displacement could be measured with high accuracy, with R 2 ≥ 0.98 when compared to manual recordings. We found a common spatial growth gradient in the longitudinal growth shared in the pomes and drupes of the Rosaceae; proximal (stem-end) regions exhibited more pronounced growth than the distal (stylar) end. An exception was found in European pear 'Bartlett,' which showed relatively vigorous growth in the distal region, explaining its distinct shape with expanded distal end. Transverse expansion varied far less than longitudinal expansion, with a possible association with initial fruit morphology. Inter-fruit growth variability peaked in the fastest-growing regions, particularly in the distal area of the European pear, highlighting the link between growth vigor and phenotypic variance. These results provide foundational insights into the developmental dynamics of both pome and drupe fruits of the Rosaceae family, contributing to the optimization of fruit size, shape, and uniformity.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods3D画像解析パイプラインと3D Gaussian Splattingを用いて果実の空間的成長を非破壊計測し、手動記録との精度比較で検証しているため、植物表現型取得法が中心である。

abstractHere, we present a three-dimensional analysis pipeline that non-destructively tracks spatial fruit growth dynamics from field-collected imagery.

Multispectral imaging and automated analysis for quantifying grain quality to reveal known and potential novel alleles affecting grain traits in wheat. →

To accelerate the pace of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) improvement worldwide, desired seed-level characteristics and seed quality receive a growing attention as they directly impact early seedling establishment, seed longevity, and grain quality. Nevertheless, the throughput and accuracy of seed-level phenotyping and analysis have become a key limiting factor in this research domain, requiring new solutions to relieve this bottleneck. In this study, we first combined automated multispectral seed imaging (MSI; i.e. the VideometerLab 4 and Autofeeder systems) with a variety of machine learning and computer vision techniques to establish a high-throughput pipeline to analyse wheat seeds. Then, using 493 lines selected from the NIAB Diverse MAGIC (NDM) population, we applied the pipeline to segment individual seeds from MSI seed-lot images. This enabled us to perform seed-level measurement of sixteen morphological (e.g. seed size, length, width, and roundness) and spectral traits, ranging from ultraviolet (i.e. 375 nm, correlating with crude protein) to near-infrared (e.g. 975 nm, for assessing water content) wavelengths. After verifying these seed quality related traits (R2 ≥ 0.949; p < 0.001), we applied genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to link the computationally derived traits to genetic loci and identified eleven significant loci. Some of the loci were previously reported, with two unknown loci valuable for further assessment. Taken together, we believe this integrated MSI analysis pipeline provides a powerful solution for seed research and crop improvement in wheat, enabling us to bridge MSI, seed-level analysis, and genetic mapping to assess seed morphology, seed quality, and their underlying genetic architectures effectively.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods自動マルチスペクトル画像と機械学習・コンピュータビジョンを統合し、個々の小麦種子の形態・スペクトル形質を高スループットに抽出するパイプラインが研究の中心である。

abstractwe first combined automated multispectral seed imaging (MSI; i.e. the VideometerLab 4 and Autofeeder systems) with a variety of machine learning and computer vision techniques to establish a high-throughput pipeline to analyse wheat seeds.

Image-based rachis phenotyping facilitates genetic dissection of spikelet distribution in wheat →

The distribution of spikelets significantly affects wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) spike architecture. However, traditional methods lack the precision to study spikelet distribution effectively. We developed RachisSeg, a deep learning-based phenotyping pipeline that automatically measures traits from scanned rachis images. In addition to traditional spikelet number per spike (SNS), rachis length (RL), and spikelet density (SD, SNS/RL), we introduced spikelet distribution traits based on rachis internode lengths, providing quantitative insights into spike architecture. RachisSeg showed high consistency with manual measurements for SNS and RL, with the R2 values of 0.975 and 0.998, respectively. Using RachisSeg, we analyzed spikelet distribution patterns across wheat germplasm and found that traits such as spikelet distribution index (SDI) and apical-to-basal spikelet number ratio (AVB_SNS) were moderately correlated with grain yield per spike (GYPS) (r = 0.57 and 0.53, respectively), while internode width (IW) showed a strong positive correlation with GYPS (r = 0.75). Specifically, a denser spikelet arrangement in the upper spike negatively impacted grain number and weight in that section. Furthermore, comparative analysis revealed distinct spikelet distribution patterns among landraces, American cultivars, and Chinese cultivars. In a recombinant inbred line population, we identified 46 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with rachis traits. A major QTL controlling SDI was detected on chromosome 6B, explaining up to 24.8% of the phenotypic variance. Candidate gene analysis suggested TraesCS6B02G417000 as a potential gene, whose mutant exhibited significant changes in RL and SDI. RachisSeg is a powerful tool for quantifying spikelet distribution, facilitating wheat genetic analysis, gene discovery, and breeding.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRachisSegは、スキャン画像からコムギ穂軸・小穂分布形質を自動抽出する深層学習フェノタイピング手法として開発・検証されており、方法が研究の中心です。

abstractWe developed RachisSeg, a deep learning-based phenotyping pipeline that automatically measures traits from scanned rachis images.

Open RGB imaging workflow for morphological and morphometric analysis of fruits using deep learning: a case study on almonds. →

Background High-throughput phenotyping is addressing the current bottleneck in phenotyping within breeding programs. Imaging tools are becoming the primary resource for improving the efficiency of phenotyping processes and providing large datasets for genomic selection approaches. The advent of artificial intelligence (AI) brings new advantages by enhancing phenotyping methods using imaging, making them more accessible to breeding programs. In this context, we have developed an open Python workflow for analyzing morphology, color, and morphometric traits using AI, which can be applied to fruits and other plant organs. Results The workflow was implemented in almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb), a species where breeding efficiency is critical due to its long breeding cycle. Over 25,000 kernels, more than 20,000 nuts, and over 600 individuals were phenotyped, making this the largest morphological study conducted in almond so far. The best segmentation and reconstruction approaches achieved error rates below 1%. Weight and area variables enabled accurate estimation of kernel thickness, with a root mean squared error of 0.47. Fifty-five heritable morphological, morphometric, and color traits were identified, highlighting their potential as target traits in breeding programs. Conclusion The proposed workflow demonstrated robust performance across diverse datasets and was effective with limited training data for fine-tuning. Its compatibility with the output of AI-based labeling tools allows users to fully leverage the advantages of these technologies-reducing manual effort, accelerating dataset preparation, and streamlining the fine-tuning process of segmentation models. This flexibility enhances the scalability and practical applicability of the workflow in real-world phenotyping scenarios, especially in the context of breeding programs.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物器官の形態・色・形状特性を抽出するオープンなRGB画像解析ワークフローを開発し、分割・再構成精度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す。

abstractwe have developed an open Python workflow for analyzing morphology, color, and morphometric traits using AI, which can be applied to fruits and other plant organs.

Predicting adult phenotypes from seedling transcriptional data using deep learning: a case study in chrysanthemum →

Genotype-to-phenotype prediction remains a fundamental challenge in current genetic research. In recent years, it has become possible to construct different predictive models based on genomic data. However, in many horticultural crops, it is difficult to accurately verify genomic variations because of the complexity of their genome, making the application of these genome-based methods challenging. Gene expression reflects both genetic regulatory mechanisms and environmental stimuli, offering potential for predicting phenotypes in plants with complex genomes. Thus, in this paper, we tested the possibility for predicting adult plant phenotypes using the gene expression data from seedlings. By applying the transcriptional-based deep learning methods on cut chrysanthemums (Chrysanthemum spp.), which exhibits a complex genetic background characterized by high repetitiveness, heterozygosity, and genome size and is recognized as a segmental allopolyploid, we found that the method is robust and accurate for predicting continuous variables such as leaf vase life, as well as categorical variables such as flower types on the basis of gene expression data. Moreover, the power and performance of transcriptional-based deep learning methods for prediction was validated in rice (Oryza sativa). Our research shows the good performance of phenotype prediction based on gene expression, with potential applications in future gene chip-based breeding practices.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods遺伝子発現データから成体の植物形質を予測する深層学習手法を開発・検証しており、形質予測が研究の中心である。

titlePredicting adult phenotypes from seedling transcriptional data using deep learning: a case study in chrysanthemum

PlantSpecLab: A comprehensive open-source platform for high-throughput plant spectral data processing and phenotypic modeling. →

High-throughput plant phenotyping with hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is pivotal for accelerating crop improvement to address global food security. Adoption is limited by a data-processing bottleneck, forcing a trade-off between costly, inflexible commercial software and programming-intensive open-source libraries. To overcome this barrier, we developed PlantSpecLab, an open-source, no-code platform that unifies the HSI workflow from image processing to modeling within a single interactive interface. The platform introduces spectrally guided segmentation strategies (Range Averaging, Difference Enhancement) and a spectral Fractional-Order Differencing (FOD) preprocessor to enhance extraction of subtle, physiologically relevant features. Across diverse in-house and public datasets, FOD-preprocessed spectra improved model performance over conventional pipelines, yielding 87.35% accuracy for tomato maturity and R 2 = 0.878 for fruit firmness. In cross-software benchmarks, PlantSpecLab matched the accuracy of ENVI and code-based Python pipelines while reducing end-to-end workflow time by >90% (>80 min to ∼8 min). PlantSpecLab provides a transparent, efficient analytical environment that lowers the technical barrier to HSI analysis. This enables researchers to prioritize biological interpretation while minimizing computational overhead.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物のハイパースペクトル画像から表現型特徴を抽出・モデル化するオープンソース基盤を開発し、既存ソフトウェアとの性能・処理時間を比較検証しているため、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractwe developed PlantSpecLab, an open-source, no-code platform that unifies the HSI workflow from image processing to modeling within a single interactive interface.

Self-pollinated cannabis seeds lead to less variation in shape: a technological approach of potential commercial interest. →

Background The breeding process enables plants to inherit desirable traits, such as yield, flowering time, pest resistance, and cannabinoid and/or terpene content. As a result of these intensive genetic improvement practices, where genetically similar individuals or those from the same lineage are crossed, the expression of unfavorable recessive alleles may occur due to homozygosity. This can lead to less productive plants, increased susceptibility to diseases, and reduced quality. Despite the potential negative effects associated with inbreeding, self-pollination (a form of inbreeding) is a necessary cultivation technique used to obtain seeds that produce phenotypically female plants (feminized seeds) for commercialization and/or to fix desirable traits, albeit at the cost of reduced genetic variability. The Cannabis sativa L. seed market has grown significantly in recent decades, driven by the legalization and regulation of medicinal and recreational use. Self-pollinated feminized seeds are popular among growers and commercial seed banks because, in most cases, they guarantee that inflorescences will express the cannabinoid and terpene profile of the single parent plant. The objective of this work is to compare the morphological variation of seeds obtained from the reversal of female clones followed by self-pollination, and seeds obtained from crossing genetically distinct parental. To study seed shape and size, we employed 2D geometric morphometrics (GM) based on landmarks and semilandmarks, coupled with a supervised machine learning approach and multivariate statistical approach for analysis. Results No direct relationship was observed between size and seed type, although significant differences between varieties were detected. The shape of seeds from crosses between different parents (male and female) showed lower classification accuracy compared to feminized seeds. These results support the hypothesis that inbreeding reduces the variability, as feminized seeds from self-pollination were correctly identified at a high rate using a discriminant function. Conclusions Our research demonstrates that 2D geometric morphometrics can effectively distinguish and trace feminized and self-pollinated cannabis seeds. These seeds exhibit the least morphological variation, enabling accurate identification and providing a reliable foundation for practical applications. The Random Forest classifier's high performance confirms the effectiveness of using morphological traits for seed discrimination. These results open the door for advanced machine-learning techniques aimed to improve scalability and automation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods2D幾何形態計測と機械学習を用いて種子の形状・サイズを抽出し、種子タイプを識別する手法が研究の中心であるため。

abstractTo study seed shape and size, we employed 2D geometric morphometrics (GM) based on landmarks and semilandmarks, coupled with a supervised machine learning approach and multivariate statistical approach for analysis.

Deep learning for sorghum yield forecasting using uncrewed aerial systems and lab-derived imagery. →

The AI revolution, advanced Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), and open-source platforms have enabled Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) algorithms to rapidly and accurately extract phenotypic features from imagery. Such advancements have led to phenotypic digitization and made rapid yield forecasting possible. Yield predictions are critical to assess the merit of genotypes to propel cultivar development. This trial followed a three-replicated Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 36 diverse sorghum genotypes in 2023 at Ashland Bottoms, Kansas. The field images were captured 6 m above using a DJI M300 drone at 90° nadir and 45° oblique angles. This research trained YOLO and Faster R-CNN (Detectron2) models to harness yield attributes from UAS field and lab images. The YOLO models outperformed the Faster R-CNN in detecting sorghum panicles, achieving a mean average precision at 50 % IoU (mAP@0.50) scores of 0.92-0.98, compared to 0.61-0.89 for Faster R-CNN. Panicle detection from field imagery showed a linear correlation of 0.86 with ground truth field panicle counts. Lab imagery analyses measured panicle area, seed counts, and seed area with correlation coefficients of 0.79, 0.94, and 0.25 with respective ground truth observations. Support Vector Regression (SVR), Random Forest Regression (RFR), and Decision Tree Regression (DTR) were used to predict yield with correlation coefficients of 0.74, 0.71, and 0.78, respectively, and SHapley Additive exPlanation (SHAP) analysis revealed panicle seed count as the primary driver of yield prediction. We observed YOLO models are well-suited for extracting yield-predictive features from pertinent images. Such features can then be incorporated into ML regression models to predict yield per se performance with greater accuracy. The GitHub link is provided in the Data availability section.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAS・実験室画像から穂数、穂面積、種子数・面積などの植物形質を深層学習で抽出し、検出精度を検証して収量予測へ利用する方法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis research trained YOLO and Faster R-CNN (Detectron2) models to harness yield attributes from UAS field and lab images.

Real-time segmentation and phenotypic analysis of rice seeds using YOLOv11-LA and RiceLCNN. →

Introduction The real-time, accurate detection and classification of rice seeds are crucial for improving agricultural productivity, ensuring grain quality, and promoting smart agriculture. Although significant progress has been made using deep learning, particularly convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and attention-based models, earlier methods such as threshold segmentation and single-grain classification faced challenges related to computational efficiency and latency, especially in high-density seed agglutination scenarios. This study addresses these limitations by proposing an integrated intelligent analysis model that combines object detection, real-time tracking, precise classification, and high-accuracy phenotypic measurement. Methods The proposed model utilizes the lightweight YOLOv11-LA for real-time grain segmentation, which builds upon the YOLOv11 architecture. YOLOv11-LA incorporates several enhancements over YOLOv11, including separable convolutions, CBAM (Convolutional Block Attention Module) attention mechanisms, and module pruning strategies. These modifications not only improve detection accuracy but also significantly reduce the number of parameters by 63.2% and decrease computational complexity by 51.6%. For classification, the model employs a custom-designed, lightweight RiceLCNN classifier. Additionally, the DeepSORT algorithm is employed for real-time multi-object tracking, and sub-pixel edge detection along with dynamic scale calibration mechanisms are applied for precise phenotypic feature measurement. Results Compared to YOLOv11, the YOLOv11-LA model increases the mAP@0.5:0.95 score by 1.9%, showcasing its superior detection performance while maintaining lower computational overhead. The RiceLCNN classifier achieved classification accuracies of 89.78% on private datasets and 96.32% on public benchmark datasets. The system demonstrated high accuracy in measuring phenotypic features such as seed size and roundness, with measurement errors kept within 0.1 millimeters. The DeepSORT algorithm effectively managed multi-object tracking, reducing duplicate identifications and frame loss in real-time. Discussion Experimental validation confirmed that the YOLOv11-LA model outperforms the original YOLOv11 in terms of both detection speed and accuracy, while also maintaining low computational complexity. The integration of the YOLOv11-LA, RiceLCNN, and DeepSORT algorithms, combined with advanced measurement techniques, underscores the model's potential for industrial applications, particularly in enhancing smart agricultural practices.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ種子画像からサイズや真円度を抽出するリアルタイム画像解析手法を開発し、精度・速度・測定誤差を検証しており、表現型取得が研究の中心です。

abstractThe proposed model utilizes the lightweight YOLOv11-LA for real-time grain segmentation

LBS-YOLO: a lightweight model for strawberry ripeness detection. →

Introduction The traditional strawberry picking operation has long relied on manual work. With the aging trend of the population becoming more and more obvious, the application of intelligent picking technology has become an irreversible trend. However, existing recognition methods still face bottlenecks such as suboptimal recognition accuracy and low computational efficiency. To address these issues, this study constructs a lightweight detection model, LBS-YOLO, based on an improved YOLOv11n architecture, significantly the model's accuracy and interference robustness while greatly compressing the parameter quantity. Methods The LBS-YOLO model is built upon YOLOv11n as the baseline network. In order to enhance the ability of backbone network feature representation, the model designs a lightweight LAWDS module. This design combines channel attention with spatial reconstruction operation to optimize the information retention efficiency in the down-sampling process, thus effectively enhancing the multi-scale feature representation ability and gradient flow propagation performance. Then in the feature fusion stage, the model introduces a Bidirectional Feature Pyramid Network (BiFPN), which not only enables cross-scale feature fusion but also achieves adaptive weighting through a learnable weight allocation mechanism. At last, adopts the C3k2_Star module to replace the conventional C3K2 for improved feature representation. Results On the used strawberry dataset, the LBS-YOLO model reached 88.6% mAP@0.5 and 75.8% mAP@0.5:0.95, which were 2.2 and 1.3 percentage points higher than YOLOv11n, respectively. The LBS-YOLO model improves the recall rate from 83.2% of YOLOv11n to 86.4%, and the F1-score from 81.2% to 82.9%. Its computational complexity is 6.6 GFLOPs and its reasoning speed is 260.7 FPS. Even better, LBS-YOLO only needs 3.4MB of storage space and 1.6 million parameters, which are 34.6% and 38% less than YOLOv11n respectively. Discussion The experiment demonstrates that, the LBS-YOLO model can significantly reduce the number of parameters and effectively improve the detection accuracy and operation efficiency. It successfully alleviated the problems of false detection and missed detection, thereby providing reliable technical support for strawberry growth monitoring, maturity identification and automatic picking.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイチゴの成熟度という植物状態を画像から推定する軽量検出モデルを開発・評価しており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractthis study constructs a lightweight detection model, LBS-YOLO, based on an improved YOLOv11n architecture

IPENS: Interactive unsupervised framework for rapid plant phenotyping extraction via NeRF-SAM2 fusion →

Advanced plant phenotyping technologies are vital for trait improvement and accelerating intelligent breeding. Due to the species diversity of plants, existing methods heavily rely on large-scale high-precision manually annotated data. For self-occluded objects at the grain level, unsupervised methods often prove ineffective. This study proposes IPENS, an interactive unsupervised multi-target point cloud extraction method. It utilizes radiance field information to lift 2D masks, segmented by SAM2 (Segment Anything Model 2), into 3D space for target point cloud extraction. A multi-target collaborative optimization strategy addresses the challenge of segmenting multiple targets from a single interaction. On a rice dataset, IPENS achieves a grain-level segmentation mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 63.72%. For phenotypic trait estimation, it achieves a grain voxel volume coefficient of determination R 2 = 0.7697 (Root Mean Square Error, RMSE = 0.0025), leaf surface area R 2 = 0.84 (RMSE = 18.93), and leaf length and width prediction accuracies of R 2 = 0.97 and R 2 = 0.87 (RMSE = 1.49 and 0.21). On a wheat dataset, IPENS further improves segmentation performance to a mIoU of 89.68%, with exceptional phenotypic estimation results: panicle voxel volume R 2 = 0.9956 (RMSE = 0.0055), leaf surface area R 2 = 1.00 (RMSE = 0.67), and leaf length and width predictions reaching R 2 = 0.99 and R 2 = 0.92 (RMSE = 0.23 and 0.15). Without requiring annotated data, IPENS rapidly extracts grain-level point clouds for multiple targets within three minutes using single-round image interactions. These features make IPENS a high-quality, non-invasive phenotypic extraction solution for rice and wheat, offering significant potential to enhance intelligent breeding.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物形質抽出のためのNeRF-SAM2融合手法を開発し、作物データセットで分割性能と形質推定精度を検証しているため、方法開発・検証が中心である。

abstractThis study proposes IPENS, an interactive unsupervised multi-target point cloud extraction method.

UAV-based monocular 3D panoptic mapping for fruit shape completion in orchard →

Accurate fruit shape reconstruction under real-world field conditions is essential for high-throughput phenotyping, sensor-based yield estimation, and orchard management. Existing approaches based on 2D imaging or explicit 3D reconstruction often suffer from occlusions, sparse views, and complex scene dynamics as a result of the plant geometries. This paper presents a novel UAV-based monocular 3D panoptic mapping framework for robust and scalable fruit shape completion in orchards. The proposed method integrates (1) Grounded-SAM2 for multi-object tracking and segmentation (MOTS), (2) photogrammetric structure-from-motion for 3D scene reconstruction, and (3) DeepSDF, an implicit neural representation, for completing occluded fruit geometries with a neural network. We furthermore propose a new MOTS evaluation protocol to assess tracking performance without requiring ground truth annotations. Experiments conducted in both controlled laboratory conditions and an operational apple orchard demonstrate the accuracy of our 3D fruit reconstruction at the centimeter level. The Chamfer distance error of the proposed shape completion method using the DeepSDF shape prior reduces this to the millimeter level, and outperforms the traditional method, while Grounded-SAM2 enables robust fruit tracking across challenging viewpoints. The approach is highly scalable and applicable to real-world agricultural scenarios, offering a promising solution to reconstruct complete fruits with visibility higher than 10% for precise 3D fruit phenotyping at a large scale under occluded conditions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods果実形状を対象とするUAV画像・3D再構成・形状補完法を開発し、実験で精度評価しており、植物表現型取得が研究の中心である。

abstractThis paper presents a novel UAV-based monocular 3D panoptic mapping framework for robust and scalable fruit shape completion in orchards.

GAE-YOLO: a lightweight multimodal detection framework for tomato smart agriculture with edge computing →

Introduction The advancement of smart agriculture has witnessed increasing applications of computer vision in crop monitoring and management. However, existing approaches remain challenged by high computational complexity, limited real-time capability, and poor multi-task coordination in tomato cultivation scenarios. Methods To address these limitations, an intelligent tomato management system is proposed based on the Ghost-based Adaptive Efficient You Only Look Once (GAE-YOLO) algorithm. The lightweight architecture of the GAE-YOLO framework is achieved through the replacement of standard convolutional layers with Ghost Convolution (GhostConv) modules, while detection accuracy is significantly improved by the integration of both AReLU activation functions and Effective Intersection over Union (E-IoU) loss optimization. The system, implemented on a Jetson TX2 embedded platform, also incorporates ZED stereo vision for 3D localization and a PyQt6-based visualization platform. Results When implemented on Jetson TX2, the system achieving 93.5% mean Average Precision at 50% intersection over union (mAP@50) at 10.2 frames per second (FPS), which can be optimized to 27 FPS by employing TensorRT acceleration and 720p resolution for scenarios demanding higher throughput. Furthermore, it establishes standardized assessment systems for tomato maturity and yield prediction, and offers integrated modules for disease diagnosis and agricultural large language model consultation. Discussion This work establishes a new paradigm for edge computing in agriculture while providing critical technical support for smart farming development.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトマトの成熟度・収量予測および病害診断を含む画像・3Dビジョン基盤を開発し、エッジ環境で性能評価しているため、植物表現型取得が中心的な研究である。

abstractan intelligent tomato management system is proposed based on the Ghost-based Adaptive Efficient You Only Look Once (GAE-YOLO) algorithm

KAN-GLNet: An enhanced PointNet++ model for canola silique segmentation and counting →

Accurate analysis of plant phenotypic traits is crucial for crop breeding and precision agriculture. This study proposes a lightweight semantic segmentation model named KAN-GLNet (Kolmogorov-Arnold Network with Global-Local Feature Modulation), based on an enhanced PointNet++ architecture and integrated with an optimized Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm, to achieve high-precision segmentation and automatic counting of canola siliques. A multi-view point cloud acquisition platform was built, and high-fidelity canola point clouds were reconstructed using Neural Radiance Fields (NeRF) technology. The proposed model includes three key modules: Reverse Bottleneck Kolmogorov-Arnold Network Convolution, a Global-Local Feature Modulation (GLFN) block, and a contrastive learning-based normalization module called ContraNorm. KAN-GLNet contains only 5.72M parameters and achieves 94.50% mIoU, 96.72% mAcc, and 97.77% OAcc in semantic segmentation tasks, outperforming all baseline models. In addition, the DBSCAN workflow was optimized, achieving a counting accuracy of 97.45% in the instance segmentation task. This method achieves an excellent balance between segmentation accuracy and model complexity, providing an efficient solution for high-throughput plant phenotyping. The code and dataset have been made publicly available at: https://anonymous.4open.science/r/KAN-GLNet-6432/.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsカノーラ莢のセグメンテーションと自動計数という植物形質抽出手法を、3D点群取得基盤・NeRF再構成・新規モデル・DBSCANワークフローとして開発・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 proposes a lightweight semantic segmentation model named KAN-GLNet (Kolmogorov-Arnold Network with Global-Local Feature Modulation), based on an enhanced PointNet++ architecture and integrated with an optimized Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) algorithm, to achieve high-precision segmentation and automatic counting of canola siliques.

Rapid acquisition of ionomic and morphological data from plant seeds through fast X-ray fluorescence microscopy and computer vision. →

Plant seeds are one of the most important food sources for humans. As a result, seed morphology and the concentrations of essential and toxic elements in seeds have important implications not only for seed yield and quality, but also for human health. To identify natural variation in the accumulation of various elements in seeds and in seed morphology, high-throughput phenotyping methods are needed. Here, we employed X-ray fluorescence microscopy (μ-XRF) as a method for rapid and high-throughput phenotyping of seed libraries and developed a computer vision-based algorithmic workflow to automatically the extraction of elemental and morphological data from single seeds. This workflow enables rapid segmentation of individual seeds from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) panel with 1163 A. thaliana accessions, and facilitates the extraction of elemental and morphological traits at the individual seed level from the μ-XRF image. A total of 7 and 10 loci, respectively associated with the morphology and elemental concentration of A. thaliana seeds, were identified. The high-throughput and nondestructive method for automated phenotyping of plant seed libraries developed in this study provides a tool for investigating natural genetic variation controlling the seed mineral accumulation and seed morphogenesis.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods種子の元素濃度・形態をμ-XRFとコンピュータビジョンで高速・自動取得する手法を開発しており、植物表現型取得が研究の中心である。

abstracthigh-throughput phenotyping methods are needed

TflosYOLO+TFSC: an accurate and robust model for estimating flower count and flowering period. →

Tea flowers play a crucial role in taxonomic research and hybrid breeding of tea plants. As traditional methods of observing tea flower traits are labor-intensive and inaccurate, TflosYOLO and Tea Flowering Stage Classification (TFSC) models were proposed for tea flowering quantification, which enable the estimation of flower count and flowering period. In this study, a highly representative and diverse dataset was constructed by collecting flower images from 29 tea accessions in 2 years. Based on this dataset, the TflosYOLO model was built on the YOLOv5 architecture and enhanced with the Squeeze-and-Excitation (SE) network, Adaptive Rectangular Convolution, and Attention Free Transformer, which is the first model to offer a viable solution for detecting and counting tea flowers. The TflosYOLO model achieved a mean Average Precision at 50% IoU (mAP50) of 0.844, outperforming YOLOv5, YOLOv7, and YOLOv8. Furthermore, the TflosYOLO model was tested on 31 datasets encompassing 26 tea accessions and five flowering stages, demonstrating high generalization and robustness. The correlation coefficient (R 2 ) between the predicted and actual flower counts was 0.964. Additionally, the TFSC model-a seven-layer neural network-was designed for the automatic classification of the flowering period. The TFSC model was evaluated for 2 years and achieved an accuracy of 0.738 and 0.899. Using the TflosYOLO+TFSC model, the tea flowering dynamics were monitored, and the changes in flowering stages were tracked across various tea accessions. The framework provides crucial support for tea plant breeding programs and the phenotypic analysis of germplasm resources.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods茶花画像から花数と開花期を推定するモデルを開発・検証しており、植物表現型の取得・抽出手法が研究の中心である。

abstractTflosYOLO and Tea Flowering Stage Classification (TFSC) models were proposed for tea flowering quantification, which enable the estimation of flower count and flowering period.

Depth Imaging-Based Framework for Efficient Phenotypic Recognition in Tomato Fruit. →

Tomato is a globally significant horticultural crop with substantial economic and nutritional value. High-precision phenotypic analysis of tomato fruit characteristics, enabled by computer vision and image-based phenotyping technologies, is essential for varietal selection and automated quality evaluation. An intelligent detection framework for phenomics analysis of tomato fruits was developed in this study, which combines image processing techniques with deep learning algorithms to automate the extraction and quantitative analysis of 12 phenotypic traits, including fruit morphology, structure, color and so on. First, a dataset of tomato fruit section images was developed using a depth camera. Second, the SegFormer model was improved by incorporating the MLLA linear attention mechanism, and a lightweight SegFormer-MLLA model for tomato fruit phenotype segmentation was proposed. Accurate segmentation of tomato fruit stem scars and locular structures was achieved, with significantly reduced computational cost by the proposed model. Finally, a Hybrid Depth Regression Model was designed to optimize the estimation of optimal depth. By fusing RGB and depth information, the framework enabled efficient detection of key phenotypic traits, including fruit longitudinal diameter, transverse diameter, mesocarp thickness, and depth and width of stem scar. Experimental results demonstrated a high correlation between the phenotypic parameters detected by the proposed model and the manually measured values, effectively validating the accuracy and feasibility of the model. Hence, we developed an equipment automatically phenotyping tomato fruits and the corresponding software system, providing reliable data support for precision tomato breeding and intelligent cultivation, as well as a reference methodology for phenotyping other fruit crops.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods深度カメラ、画像処理、深層学習を統合し、トマト果実の12形質を自動抽出・定量する装置とソフトウェアを開発しており、表現型取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractAn intelligent detection framework for phenomics analysis of tomato fruits was developed in this study, which combines image processing techniques with deep learning algorithms to automate the extraction and quantitative analysis of 12 phenotypic traits

Grading evaluation of haploid fertility restoration traits based on inception-ResNet in maize. →

Double haploid (DH) technology can significantly shorten the breeding cycle and improve the breeding efficiency, and it is favored by breeders. The metrics for evaluating the effect of haploid genome doubling mainly include anther emergence and ear seed setting. The evaluation of fertility restoration ability is mainly conducted through visual inspection at present, which is time-consuming, and easy to be affected by fatigue, resulting in errors and inconsistencies. Therefore, it is urgent to develop efficient and accurate evaluation technology to reduce the field work burden of researchers. In this work, we propose a grading evaluation model (Maize-IRNet) of haploid anther emergence and ear seed setting based on Inception-ResNet. Firstly, the modules of Stem and Inception-ResNet are utilized for image feature extraction and multi-scale feature learning. Then, the Reduction module is used for spatial downsampling and feature compression, and the global attention mechanism (GAM) is used to enhance the recognition of key regions of the image. The experimental results show that the Maize-IRNet's classification accuracy of haploid ear seed setting and anther emergence is 84.2 ​% and 84.0 ​%, which is higher than six baseline methods (VGG11_bn, ResNet50, ResNet101, ViT-Base-16, gMLP, MLP-Mixer). In order to facilitate the practical application for breeding researchers, we have developed a mobile application that integrates the Maize-IRNet model. This study helps to achieve high-throughput collection of fertility restoration phenotypes, improves the evaluation efficiency of fertility restoration, reduces breeding costs, and provides technical support for the promotion of engineering breeding of DH technology.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシの葯出現と穂の種子着生という生殖形質を画像から自動評価する深層学習モデルを開発・比較し、モバイルアプリにも実装しており、表現型取得法が中心である。

abstractTherefore, it is urgent to develop efficient and accurate evaluation technology to reduce the field work burden of researchers.

APTES: a high-throughput deep learning-based Arabidopsis phenotypic trait estimation system for individual leaves and siliques. →

High-throughput phenotyping of growth kinetics and organ size in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana requires rapid and precise methods for trait estimation. To address this need, we developed the Arabidopsis Phenotypic Trait Estimation System, APTES, an open-access, high-throughput program that uses computer vision and deep learning to extract 64 leaf traits and 64 silique traits from photographs. The enhanced segmentation model Cascade Mask Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (Mask R-CNN) achieved precision (measure of positive prediction accuracy), recall (sensitivity in detection), and F1 score values (harmonic mean of precision and recall) of 0.965, 0.958, and 0.961, respectively, for individual leaf segmentation. These metrics demonstrated a consistent improvement of approximately 1 percentage point over the baseline model. For silique segmentation, our enhanced DetectoRS model for silique segmentation attained precision, recall, and F1 scores of 0.954, 0.930, and 0.942, respectively. Notably, precision increased by 1%, while the F1 score improved by 2 percentage points. Trait parameters were automatically calculated with coefficient of determination values for leaf and silique traits ranging from 0.776 to 0.976 and mean absolute percentage error values from 1.89% to 7.90%. We phenotyped 166 Arabidopsis accessions, using APTES, and subjected the resulting values to a genome-wide association study (GWAS), revealing 1,042 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as being significantly associated with 18 leaf and silique traits, and one significant SNP on chromosome 3 linked to silique number. Furthermore, we validated APTES across other public Arabidopsis databases and other plant species, with segmentation results demonstrating its applicability across diverse datasets. In conclusion, APTES is a valuable automated tool for leaf and silique segmentation and trait estimation, which should offer benefits to the broader plant science community. Supplementary information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s42994-025-00239-y.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物の葉・莢の形質を画像から抽出する深層学習システムを開発し、性能検証・他データセットでの妥当性確認まで行っており、フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe developed the Arabidopsis Phenotypic Trait Estimation System, APTES, an open-access, high-throughput program that uses computer vision and deep learning to extract 64 leaf traits and 64 silique traits from photographs.

Comparison of Mask-R-CNN and Thresholding-Based Segmentation for High-Throughput Phenotyping of Walnut Kernel Color. →

High-throughput phenotyping has become essential for plant breeding programs, replacing traditional methods that rely on subjective scales influenced by human judgment. Machine learning (ML) computer vision systems have successfully used convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for image segmentation, providing greater flexibility than thresholding methods that may require carefully staged images. This study compares two quantitative image analysis methods, rule-based thresholding using the magick package in R and an instance-segmentation pipeline based on the widely used Mask-R-CNN architecture, and then compares the output of each to two different sets of human evaluations. Walnuts were collected over three years from over 3000 individual trees maintained by the UC Davis walnut breeding program. The resulting 90,961 kernels were placed into 100-cell trays and imaged using a 20-megapixel Basler camera with a Sony IMX183 sensor. Quantitative data from both image analysis methods were highly correlated for both lightness (L*; r2 = 0.997) and size (r2 = 0.984). The thresholding method required many manual adjustments to account for minor discrepancies in staging, while the CNN method was robust after a rapid initial training on only 13 images. The two human scoring methods were not highly correlated with the image analysis methods or with each other. Pixel classification provides data similar to human color assessments but offers greater consistency across different years. The thresholding approach offers flexibility and has been applied to other color-based phenotyping tasks, while the CNN approach can be adapted to images that are not perfectly staged and be retrained to quantify more subtle kernel characteristics such as spotting and shrivel.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsクルミ核の色・サイズ形質を抽出する2つの画像解析手法を開発・比較・人手評価と検証しており、フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study compares two quantitative image analysis methods, rule-based thresholding using the magick package in R and an instance-segmentation pipeline based on the widely used Mask-R-CNN architecture, and then compares the output of each to two different sets of human evaluations.

An RGB-D Image Dataset for Lychee Detection and Maturity Classification for Robotic Harvesting →

Lychee is a high-value subtropical fruit. The adoption of vision-based harvesting robots can significantly improve productivity while reduce reliance on labor. High-quality data are essential for developing such harvesting robots. However, there are currently no consistently and comprehensively annotated open-source lychee datasets featuring fruits in natural growing environments. To address this, we constructed a dataset to facilitate lychee detection and maturity classification. Color (RGB) images were acquired under diverse weather conditions, and at different times of the day, across multiple lychee varieties, such as Nuomici, Feizixiao, Heiye, and Huaizhi. The dataset encompasses three different ripeness stages and contains 11,414 images, consisting of 878 raw RGB images, 8,780 augmented RGB images, and 1,756 depth images. The images are annotated with 9,658 pairs of lables for lychee detection and maturity classification. To improve annotation consistency, three individuals independently labeled the data, and their results were then aggregated and verified by a fourth reviewer. Detailed statistical analyses were done to examine the dataset. Finally, we performed experiments using three representative deep learning models to evaluate the dataset. It is publicly available for academic

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsライチ果実の成熟段階という植物器官の状態をRGB-D画像から分類するデータセットを構築し、アノテーション検証と深層学習モデル評価を行っており、表現型取得・評価手法が中心である。

abstractwe constructed a dataset to facilitate lychee detection and maturity classification.

Prediction of harvest-related traits in barley using high-throughput phenotyping data and machine learning. →

Developing crop varieties that maintain productivity under drought is essential for future food security. Here, we investigated the potential of time-resolved high-throughput phenotyping to predict harvest-related traits and identify drought-stressed plants. Six barley lines ( Hordeum vulgare ) were grown in a greenhouse environment with well-watered and drought treatments, and dynamically phenotyped using RGB, thermal infrared, chlorophyll fluorescence, and hyperspectral imaging sensors. A temporal phenomic classification model accurately distinguished between drought-treated and control plants, achieving high accuracy (classification accuracy ≥0.97) even when relying solely on predictors from the early drought response phase. Canopy temperature depression at the early stage and RGB-derived plant size estimates at the late stage emerged as key classification features. A temporal phenomic prediction model of harvest-related traits achieved particularly high mean R 2 values for total biomass dry weight (0.97) and total spike weight (0.93), with RGB plant size estimators emerging as important predictors. Importantly, prediction accuracy for these traits remained high (R 2 ≥ 0.84) even when restricted to early developmental phase data, including the stem elongation stage. Models trained on pooled drought and control data outperformed single-treatment models and maintained high predictive power across treatments. Together, these findings highlight the value of integrating high-throughput phenotyping with temporal modeling to enable earlier, more cost-effective selection of drought-resilient genotypes and demonstrate the broader potential of phenomics-driven strategies for accelerating crop improvement under stress-prone environments.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB・熱赤外・蛍光・ハイパースペクトルによる時系列表現型取得と、収穫形質予測モデルの構築・評価が研究の中心であるため。

abstractdynamically phenotyped using RGB, thermal infrared, chlorophyll fluorescence, and hyperspectral imaging sensors

New-generation rice seed germination assessment: high efficiency and flexibility via SeedRuler web-based platform. →

Introduction The germination rate of rice seed is a critical indicator in agricultural research and production, directly influencing crop yield and quality. Traditional assessment methods based on manual visual inspection are often time-consuming, labor-intensive, and prone to subjectivity. Existing automated approaches, while helpful, typically suffer from limitations such as rigid germination standards, strict imaging requirements, and difficulties in handling the small size, dense arrangement, and variable radicle lengths of rice seeds. Methods To address these challenges, we present SeedRuler, a versatile, web-based application designed to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and usability of rice seed germination analysis. SeedRuler integrates three core components: SeedRuler-IP, a traditional image processing-based module; SeedRuler-YOLO, a deep learning model built on YOLOv5 for high-precision object detection; and SeedRuler-SAM, which leverages the Segment Anything Model (SAM) for fine-grained seed segmentation. A dataset of 1,200 rice seed images was collected and manually annotated to train and evaluate the system. An interactive module enables users to flexibly define germination standards based on specific experimental needs. Results SeedRuler-YOLO achieved a mean average precision (mAP) of 0.955 and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.110, demonstrating strong detection accuracy. Both SeedRuler-IP and SeedRuler-SAM support interactive germination standard customization, enhancing adaptability across diverse use cases. In addition, SeedRuler incorporates an automated seed size measurement function developed in our prior work, enabling efficient extraction of seed length and width from each image. The entire analysis pipeline is optimized for speed, delivering germination results in under 30 seconds per image. Conclusions SeedRuler overcomes key limitations of existing methods by combining classical image processing with advanced deep learning models, offering accurate, scalable, and user-friendly germination analysis. Its flexible standard-setting and automated measurement features further enhance usability for both researchers and agricultural practitioners. SeedRuler represents a significant advancement in rice seed phenotyping, supporting more informed decision-making in seed selection, breeding, and crop management.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ種子の発芽状態と種子サイズを画像から抽出するウェブ型フェノタイピング手法を開発し、データセットで性能評価しているため、方法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe present SeedRuler, a versatile, web-based application designed to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and usability of rice seed germination analysis.

A Forward Genetics Strategy for High-Throughput Gene Identification via Precise Image-Based Phenotyping of an Indexed EMS Mutant Library. →

Ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutants are widely used for genetic analysis; however, EMS-derived mutant populations are not amenable to traditional genome-wide association studies (GWAS) because the EMS mutations are present at extremely low frequencies. To address this challenge, this work develops the GeneHunter-Gene-Level Association (GH-GLA) pipeline using an EMS-generated population of wheat (Triticum aestivum) mutants and an image-based phenotyping platform. GH-GLA enables comprehensive exploration of phenotypic variation induced by genome-wide saturation mutagenesis. Using GH-GLA to quantify 83 traits in the wheat population reveals that variation in spikelet geometry is significantly associated with key agronomic traits, including thousand-kernel weight. Using this indexed wheat EMS population and phenotype data, GH-GLA identified 5905 genes that are significantly associated with specific traits. Analysis of knockouts generated by gene editing, together with haplotypes affected by selection during breeding and genetic variation in 262 wheat accessions, confirm the roles of TaAN-1, TaBAM5L, and TaXTH28L in regulating thousand-kernel weight and spikelet angle. Furthermore, this work establishes an epistatic interaction network between gene pairs to elucidate their combined effects on the phenotype. Overall, GH-GLA provides a powerful strategy for functional gene identification, and the alleles discovered here offer valuable genetic resources for crop improvement.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods画像ベースの表現型解析プラットフォームとGH-GLAパイプラインを開発・適用し、多数の小麦形質を定量して遺伝子同定に用いた研究であり、表現型取得・解析法が中心的です。

abstractthis work develops the GeneHunter-Gene-Level Association (GH-GLA) pipeline using an EMS-generated population of wheat (Triticum aestivum) mutants and an image-based phenotyping platform.

YOLOv8-FDA: lightweight wheat ear detection and counting in drone images based on improved YOLOv8. →

Introduction Wheat is a vital global staple crop, where accurate ear detection and counting are essential for yield prediction and field management. However, the complexity of field environments poses significant challenges to achieving lightweight yet high-precision detection. Methods This study proposes YOLOv8-FDA, a lightweight detection and counting method based on YOLOv8. The approach integrates RFAConv for enhanced feature extraction, DySample for efficient multi-scale upsampling, HWD for compressed and accelerated model training, and the SDL loss for improved bounding box regression. Results Experimental results on the GWHD dataset show that YOLOv8-FDA achieves a precision of 86.3%, recall of 77.5%, and mAP@0.5 of 84.9%, outperforming the original YOLOv8n by significant margins. The model size is 2.96MB with a computational cost of 8.3 GFLOPs, and it operates at 19.2 FPS, enabling real-time counting with over 97.5% accuracy using cross-row segmentation. Discussion The proposed YOLOv8-FDA model demonstrates strong detection performance, lightweight characteristics, and efficient real-time capability, indicating its high practicality and suitability for deployment in real-world agricultural applications.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsコムギ穂の検出・計数という植物器官形質の画像ベース抽出法をYOLOv8改良モデルとして開発し、データセット上で性能検証しているため、方法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study proposes YOLOv8-FDA, a lightweight detection and counting method based on YOLOv8.

Deep learning driven, image-based phenotyping of seed processing efficiency in sainfoin ( Onobrychis viciifolia ). →

Introduction: spp.) is a perennial legume traditionally cultivated as a forage crop and is now emerging as a promising candidate for development as a perennial grain legume. Despite its potential, no research has addressed the breeding of sainfoin varieties with superior grain processing properties. Methods: We conducted a multifactorial experiment to evaluate the depodding and dehulling efficiency of five commercially available sainfoin varieties. Seeds were processed using two different methods (belt thresher and impact dehuller) across five sample sizes. A pre-trained Faster R-CNN (Region-based Convolutional Neural Network) object detection model was fine-tuned to identify intact pods, whole seeds, and split seeds from images of the processed mixtures. These predictions were used to calculate processing efficiency (PE) for each variety. A comprehensive power analysis was performed to determine the minimum sample size of sainfoin pods required to detect differences in PE with high statistical power. Results: We observed strong varietal differences in PE, as well as clear effects of the processing method. Belt threshing produced mixtures with more intact pods, while the impact dehuller generated a higher proportion of split seeds. Increasing sample size led to more intact pods across all varieties and methods, and notably decreased seed proportion in belt-threshed samples. Statistical modeling combined with object detection outputs revealed that a minimum of 2 g of pods is required to reliably detect an absolute proportional difference of 0.25 in PE between two breeding lines with 80% power. Discussion: Our findings demonstrate that sainfoin varieties differ significantly in processing efficiency and that processing outcomes depend strongly on both method and sample size. Integrating deep learning-based phenotyping with robust statistical design enables efficient evaluation of processing traits and provides actionable guidelines for breeding programs. While deep learning models offer powerful, cost-effective tools for plant phenotyping, their outputs must be paired with rigorous statistical design to yield reliable and actionable insights for crop improvement.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods画像からポッド・種子を検出し、処理効率という植物由来形質を算出する深層学習ベースの表現型解析が研究の中心であるため。

titleDeep learning driven, image-based phenotyping of seed processing efficiency in sainfoin

Spatial inheritance patterns across maize ears are associated with alleles that reduce pollen fitness →

Significance Statement Early studies noting uneven spatial distribution of progeny genotypes after pollination support a hypothesis where differences in pollen tube growth rate can bias inheritance. We used computer vision and statistical analysis to show alleles reducing maize pollen fitness are likely to produce statistically significant increasing, decreasing, or curvilinear spatial patterns from the apex of the inflorescence to the base, suggesting that differential pollen tube growth is not the only mechanism at play. Summary Often, more pollen grains land on recipient flowers than there are ovules to fertilize. Consequently, the haploid male gametophyte engages in post-pollination competition, one way that pollen genotype can influence inheritance. The maize ( Zea mays subsp. mays L.) inflorescence (ear), with its elongated stigma and style structures (silks), has a conspicuous spatial heterogeneity, with longer silks at the base of the ear than those at the apex. To evaluate the hypothesis that alleles with reduced pollen fitness influence the spatial distribution of progeny genotypes along the ear, we developed an updated phenotyping platform that maps mutant Ds-GFP kernel phenotypes on the ear via an implementation of the Faster R-CNN machine vision model (EarVision.v2) and a statistical pipeline that evaluates the relationship between kernel position and transmission ratio (EarScape). In our dataset (1384 ears) representing 58 Ds-GFP alleles, none with Mendelian inheritance (0/48) showed any significant pollen-conditioned spatial trend. In contrast, 50% of alleles with a pollen-specific transmission defect (5/10) exhibited significant spatial effects. An insertion into a gene encoding a putative actin-binding protein, base-to-apex gradient1* ( bag1* ), conditions increased mutant transmission at the ear apex relative to the base. Surprisingly, mutant alleles of two other pollen-expressed genes can generate the opposite pattern, decreased mutant transmission toward the ear apex; and two mutant alleles of the sperm-cell attachment factor, gamete expressed2 ( gex2 ), can produce ears with transmission highest at both base and apex. We conclude that pollen fitness mutants have relatively common but heterogenous effects on the spatial distribution of progeny genotypes.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシ穂上のカーネル表現型を画像認識でマッピングし、空間的位置と遺伝子型伝達比を解析するプラットフォームおよび統計パイプラインを開発しており、表現型取得・抽出法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe developed an updated phenotyping platform that maps mutant Ds-GFP kernel phenotypes on the ear via an implementation of the Faster R-CNN machine vision model (EarVision.v2) and a statistical pipeline that evaluates the relationship between kernel position and transmission ratio (EarScape).

Spatially resolved analysis of growth dynamics in pome and drupe fruits of Rosaceae using 3D Gaussian Splatting →

Fruit growth has long been described using single- or double-sigmoid curves; however, these temporal models cannot fully capture the spatial heterogeneity that ultimately shapes a fruit. Here, we present a three-dimensional analysis pipeline that non-destructively tracks spatial fruit growth dynamics from field-collected imaginary. Surface landmarks were drawn, and video recordings were taken throughout development for three pome fruits, apple ( Malus × domestica ), Japanese pear ( Pyrus pyrifolia ) and European pear ( Pyrus communis ), and two drupe fruits, peach ( Prunus persica ) and Japanese apricot ( Prunus mume ), to track their motion. Using 3D Gaussian Splatting, we successfully reconstructed 3D models of the fruits, and the landmark displacement could be measured with high accuracy, with R 2 ≥ 0.98 when compared to manual recordings. We found a common spatial growth gradient in the longitudinal growth shared in the pomes and drupes of the Rosaceae; proximal (stem-end) regions exhibited more pronounced growth than the distal (stylar) end. An exception was found in European pear ‘Bartlett,’ which showed relatively vigorous growth in the distal region, explaining its distinct shape with expanded distal end. Transverse expansion varied far less than longitudinal expansion, with a possible association with initial fruit morphology. Inter-fruit growth variability peaked in the fastest-growing regions, particularly in the distal area of the European pear, highlighting the link between growth vigor and phenotypic variance. These results provide foundational insights into the developmental dynamics of both pome and drupe fruits of the Rosaceae family, contributing to the optimization of fruit size, shape, and uniformity.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods3D Gaussian Splattingを用いて果実の3D再構成と空間的成長形質の非破壊計測パイプラインを開発し、手動記録との精度比較で検証しているため、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractHere, we present a three-dimensional analysis pipeline that non-destructively tracks spatial fruit growth dynamics

De-occlusion models and diffusion-based data augmentation for size estimation of on-plant oriental melons. →

Accurate fruit size estimation is crucial for plant phenotyping, as it enables precise crop management and enhances agricultural productivity by providing essential data for growth and resource efficiency analysis. In this study, we estimated the size of on-plant oriental melons grown in a vertical cultivation system to address the challenges posed by leaf occlusion. Data augmentation was achieved using a diffusion model to generate synthetic leaves to cover existing fruits and create an enriched dataset. Three instance segmentation models-mask region-based convolutional neural network (CNN), Mask2Former, and detection transformer (DETR)-and six de-occlusion models derived from these architectures were implemented. These models successfully inferred both visible and occluded areas of the fruit. Notably, Amodal Mask2Former and occlusion-aware RCNN (ORCNN) achieved average precision scores of 85.92 ​% and 85.35 ​%, respectively. The inferred masks were used to estimate the height and diameter of the fruit, with Amodal Mask2Former yielding a mean absolute error of 5.46 ​mm and 4.20 ​mm and a mean absolute percentage error of 4.86 ​% and 5.33 ​%, respectively. The results indicate enhanced performance of the transformer-based Amodal Mask2Former over CNN architectures in de-occlusion tasks and size estimation. Finally, the enhancement in de-occlusion models compared to conventional models was assessed and demonstrated across occlusion ratios ranging from 0 to 70 ​%. However, generating synthetic datasets with occlusion ratios over 70 ​% remains a limitation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods果実の遮蔽領域を復元し、画像から果実サイズを推定する手法の開発・評価が研究の中心であり、植物表現型計測に該当する。

abstractAccurate fruit size estimation is crucial for plant phenotyping

Analysis of Wheat Spike Morphological Traits by 2D Imaging. →

Wheat spike morphology plays a critical role in determining grain yield and has garnered significant interest in genetics and breeding research. However, traditional measurement methods are limited to simple traits and fail to capture complex spike phenotypes with high precision, thus limiting progress in yield-related trait analysis. In this study, a deep learning pipeline, called Speakerphone, for acquiring precise wheat spike phenotypes was developed. Our pipeline achieved a mean intersection over union (mIoU) of 0.948 in spike segmentation. Additionally, the spike traits measured by our method strongly agreed with the manually measured values, with Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.9865 for spike length, 0.9753 for the number of spikelets per spike, and 0.9635 for fertile spikelets. Using experimental data of 221 wheat cultivars from various regions of Zhao County, Hebei Province, China, our pipeline extracted 45 phenotypes and analyzed their correlations with thousand-grain weight (TGW) and spike yield. Our findings indicate that precise measurements of spike area, spikelet area, and other phenotypic traits clarify the correlation between spike morphology and wheat yield. Through hierarchical clustering on the basis of spike morphology, we categorized wheat spikes into six classes and identified the phenotypic differences among these classes and their effects on TGW and yield. Furthermore, phenotypic differences among wheat cultivars from different geographical regions and over decades were revealed in this study, with an increase in the number of large-spike cultivars over time, especially in southern China. This research may help breeders understand the relationship between wheat spike morphology and yield, thus providing an important basis for future wheat breeding efforts.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦穂の画像から形態形質を抽出する深層学習パイプラインを開発し、セグメンテーション性能と手動測定との一致を検証しているため、フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心です。

abstracta deep learning pipeline, called Speakerphone, for acquiring precise wheat spike phenotypes was developed.

Dissection of genomic drivers of spike morphology changes in wheat by high-throughput phenotyping →

Spike morphology is crucial for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield and environmental adaptation. We developed a high-throughput phenotyping platform to dissect spike morphology traits based on 54 traits in 1,359 wheat accessions. These 54 spike morphology traits exhibited clear geographical differences among 306 worldwide accessions and breeding selection trend across different time windows for 1,053 accessions released from 1900 to 2020 in China. Based on geographical distribution and breeding selection of haplotypes, we attribute the differences in spike morphology to variable haplotype combinations. Wheat breeding breaks the trade-off between spike length and width/thickness, resulting in increased spike volume. A large proportion of genomic regions has been identified across wheat varieties and utilized as a fixed group to facilitate the targeted improvement and selection of desirable traits during wheat breeding programs. Overall, we provide a resource for the molecular design of spike morphology to facilitate future wheat breeding.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsコムギ穂の形態形質を多数個体から取得するハイスループット表現型解析プラットフォームの開発と適用が研究の中心である。

abstractWe developed a high-throughput phenotyping platform to dissect spike morphology traits based on 54 traits in 1,359 wheat accessions.

High-Resolution 3D Reconstruction of Individual Rice Tillers for Genetic Studies →

The architecture of rice tillers plays a pivotal role in yield potential, yet conventional phenotyping methods have struggled to capture these intricate three-dimensional (3D) structures with high fidelity. In this study, a 3D model reconstruction method was developed specifically for rice tillers to overcome the challenges posed by their slender, feature-poor morphology in multi-view stereo-based 3D reconstruction. By applying strategically designed colorful reference markers, high-resolution 3D tiller models of 231 rice landraces were reconstructed. Accurate phenotyping was achieved by introducing ScaleCalculator, a software tool that integrated depth images from a depth camera to calibrate the physical sizes of the 3D models. The high efficiency of the 3D model-based phenotyping pipeline was demonstrated by extracting the following seven key agronomic traits: flag leaf length, panicle length, first internode length below the panicle, stem length, flag leaf angle, second leaf angle from the panicle, and third leaf angle. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) performed with these 3D traits identified numerous candidate genes, nine of which had been previously confirmed in the literature. This work provides a 3D phenomics solution tailored for slender organs and offers novel insights into the genetic regulation of complex morphological traits in rice.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ分げつの3D再構成とScaleCalculatorによるスケール校正を開発し、7つの形態形質を抽出するフェノタイピング手法が研究の中心であるため。

abstracta 3D model reconstruction method was developed specifically for rice tillers

Adaptive Symmetry Self-Matching for 3D Point Cloud Completion of Occluded Tomato Fruits in Complex Canopy Environments. →

As a globally important cash crop, the optimization of tomato yield and quality is strategically significant for food security and sustainable agricultural development. In order to address the problem of missing point cloud data on fruits in a facility agriculture environment due to complex canopy structure, leaf shading and limited collection viewpoints, the traditional geometric fitting method makes it difficult to restore the real morphology of fruits due to the dependence on data integrity. This study proposes an adaptive symmetry self-matching (ASSM) algorithm. It dynamically adjusts symmetry planes by detecting defect region characteristics in real time, implements point cloud completion under multi-symmetry constraints and constructs a triple-orthogonal symmetry plane system to adapt to multi-directional heterogeneous structures under complex occlusion. Experiments conducted on 150 tomato fruits with 5-70% occlusion rates demonstrate that ASSM achieved coefficient of determination (R 2 ) values of 0.9914 (length), 0.9880 (width) and 0.9349 (height) under high occlusion, reducing the root mean square error (RMSE) by 23.51-56.10% compared with traditional ellipsoid fitting. Further validation on eggplant fruits confirmed the cross-crop adaptability of the method. The proposed ASSM method overcomes conventional techniques' data integrity dependency, providing high-precision three-dimensional (3D) data for monitoring plant growth and enabling accurate phenotyping in smart agricultural systems.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトマト果実の遮蔽点群を補完し、果実の長さ・幅・高さを推定する新規アルゴリズムを開発・検証しており、植物形質取得が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study proposes an adaptive symmetry self-matching (ASSM) algorithm.

CitrusGAN: sparse-view X-ray CT reconstruction for citrus based on generative adversarial networks. →

3D phenotyping of the external and internal structures is important to breed new fruit species. As manual phenotyping is error-prone and time-consuming, developing high-throughput solutions with enhanced precision and low costs is necessary. This study presents CitrusGAN, a generative adversarial network-based method to reconstruct 3D citrus CT models from sparse-view X-ray images. The input X-rays are arranged in orthogonal pairs to provide additional information, and customized loss functions enable more effective learning of the mapping from 2D X-ray features to 3D CT volumes. Experimental results show that 6 views can generate high-quality citrus CT volumes, with a structural similarity index of 92.1 ​% and a peak signal-to-noise ratio of 26.374 ​dB compared with the real CT models. Moreover, the morphology of the generated model can be conveniently measured in the 3D space, facilitating the extraction of phenotypic traits including fruit length, width, height, volume, surface area, peel thickness, number of segments, and edible rate with high precision. As X-rays can be obtained using low-cost X-ray machines with high efficiency, the proposed method can be potentially developed into high-throughput equipment for fruit production lines or portable devices to realize in-field phenotyping.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods柑橘の疎視野X線から3D CTモデルを再構成し、形態形質を抽出する手法を開発・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ある。

abstractThis study presents CitrusGAN, a generative adversarial network-based method to reconstruct 3D citrus CT models from sparse-view X-ray images.

OpenPheno: an open-access, user-friendly, and smartphone-based software platform for instant plant phenotyping. →

BACKGROUND: Plant phenotyping has become increasingly important for advancing plant science, agriculture, and biotechnology. Classic manual methods are labor-intensive and time-consuming, while existing computational tools often require advanced coding skills, high-performance hardware, or PC-based environments, making them inaccessible to non-experts, to resource-constrained users, and to field technicians. RESULTS: To respond to these challenges, we introduce OpenPheno, an open-access, user-friendly, and smartphone-based platform encapsulated within a WeChat Mini-Program for instant plant phenotyping. The platform is designed for ease of use, enabling users to phenotype plant traits quickly and efficiently with only a smartphone at hand. We currently instantiate the use of the platform with tools such as SeedPheno, WheatHeadPheno, LeafAnglePheno, SpikeletPheno, CanopyPheno, TomatoPheno, and CornPheno; each offering specific functionalities such as seed size and count analysis, wheat head detection, leaf angle measurement, spikelet counting, canopy structure analysis, and tomato fruit measurement. In particular, OpenPheno allows developers to contribute new algorithmic tools, further expanding its capabilities to continuously facilitate the plant phenotyping community. CONCLUSIONS: By leveraging cloud computing and a widely accessible interface, OpenPheno democratizes plant phenotyping, making advanced tools available to a broader audience, including plant scientists, breeders, and even amateurs. It can function as a role in AI-driven breeding by providing the necessary data for genotype-phenotype analysis, thereby accelerating breeding programs. Its integration with smartphones also positions OpenPheno as a powerful tool in the growing field of mobile-based agricultural technologies, paving the way for more efficient, scalable, and accessible agricultural research and breeding.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsスマートフォンで植物形質を取得・解析するソフトウェアプラットフォームの開発が中心であり、複数の具体的な表現型解析ツールを提供している。

abstractwe introduce OpenPheno, an open-access, user-friendly, and smartphone-based platform encapsulated within a WeChat Mini-Program for instant plant phenotyping.

Mapping of cotton bolls and branches with high-granularity through point cloud segmentation. →

High resolution three-dimensional (3D) point clouds enable the mapping of cotton boll spatial distribution, aiding breeders in better understanding the correlation between boll positions on branches and overall yield and fiber quality. This study developed a segmentation workflow for point clouds of 18 cotton genotypes to map the spatial distribution of bolls on the plants. The data processing workflow includes two independent approaches to map the vertical and horizontal distribution of cotton bolls. The vertical distribution was mapped by segmenting bolls using PointNet++ and identifying individual instances through Euclidean clustering. For horizontal distribution, TreeQSM segmented the plant into the main stem and individual branches. PointNet++ and Euclidean clustering were then used to achieve cotton boll instance segmentation. The horizontal distribution was determined by calculating the Euclidean distance of each cotton boll relative to the main stem. Additionally, branch types were classified using point cloud meshing completion and the Dijkstra shortest path algorithm. The results highlight that the accuracy and mean intersection over union (mIoU) of the 2-class segmentation based on PointNet++ reached 0.954 and 0.896 on the whole plant dataset, and 0.968 and 0.897 on the branch dataset, respectively. The coefficient of determination (R 2 ) for the boll counting was 0.99 with a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 5.4. For the first time, this study accomplished high-granularity spatial mapping of cotton bolls and branches, but directly predicting fiber quality from 3D point clouds remains a challenge. This method provides a promising tool for 3D cotton plant mapping of different genotypes, which potentially could accelerate plant physiological studies and breeding programs.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods3D点群の分割・個体抽出ワークフローを開発し、綿花の果実数と枝・果実の空間分布という植物形質を定量化・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 developed a segmentation workflow for point clouds of 18 cotton genotypes to map the spatial distribution of bolls on the plants.

PodNet: Pod real-time instance segmentation in pre-harvest soybean fields. →

Noninvasive analysis of pod phenotypic traits under field conditions is crucial for soybean breeding research. However, previous pod phenotyping studies focused on postharvest materials or were limited to indoor scenarios, failing to generalize to real-field environments. To address these issues, this paper employs an instance segmentation approach for the precise extraction of the pod area from multiplant RGB images in preharvest soybean fields. We first introduce a cost-effective workflow for constructing datasets of densely planted crop images with a uniform backdrop. Starting with video recording, high-quality static frames are collected by automatic selection. Then, a large vision model is explored to facilitate dense annotation and build a large-scale soybean dataset comprising 20k pod masks. Second, the pod instance segmentation model PodNet is developed based on the YOLOv8 architecture. We propose a novel hierarchical prototype aggregation strategy to fuse multiscale semantic features and a U-EMA prototype generation network to improve the model's perception performance for small objects. Comprehensive experiments suggest that lightweight PodNet achieves a superior mean average accuracy of 0.786 in the custom pod segmentation dataset. PodNet also performs competitively on in-field images without a backdrop and enables real-time inference on the edge computing platform. To the best of our knowledge, PodNet is the first pod instance segmentation model for preharvest fields. The low-cost and high-precision extraction of pods is not only a prerequisite for phenotypic analysis of the pod organs but also constitutes an important foundation in conducting cross-scale phenotyping from whole-plant to seed levels.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods大豆莢の表現型抽出を目的に、データセット構築、インスタンスセグメンテーションモデル、実環境での性能評価を中心的に開発しているため。

abstractNoninvasive analysis of pod phenotypic traits under field conditions is crucial for soybean breeding research.

RGB imaging and computer vision-based approaches for identifying spike number loci for wheat. →

The spike number (SN) is an important trait that significantly impacts grain yield in wheat. Manual counting of SN is time-consuming, hindering large-scale breeding efforts. Hence, there is an urgent need to develop efficient and accurate methodologies for SN counting. A YOLOX algorithm was used to determine the optimal growth stage for developing wheat spike detection models among recombinant inbred lines (RILs) across Zhongmai 175 ​× ​Lunxuan 987 and a diverse panel of 166 cultivars. We subsequently increased the precision of spike identification by developing a new YOLOX-P algorithm that incorporates the convolutional block attention module and increasing the resolution of the input images. We also used these SN data to identify underlying loci in the Zhongmai 578 ​× ​Jimai 22 RIL population. The results revealed that the late grain-filling stage presented the highest precision among the SN detection models, with accuracies ranging from 91.8 to 95.02 ​%. The improved YOLOX-P algorithm demonstrated higher mean average precision scores (5.30-5.99 ​%) and F1 scores (0.06) than did the YOLOX algorithm when it was applied to the same subsets. Three new SN loci, namely, QSN . caas-4A2, QSN . caas-4D and QSN . caas-5B2 , were identified using the 50k SNP arrays. Two kompetitive allele-specific PCR markers linked with QSN . caas-4A2 and QSN . caas-5B2 were developed, and their genetic effects were validated in a diverse panel of 166 cultivars. These findings provide useful tools for high-throughput identification of SNs and novel loci in wheat.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB画像とコンピュータビジョンによりコムギの穂数を自動推定する手法を開発・比較し、精度を評価しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractHence, there is an urgent need to develop efficient and accurate methodologies for SN counting.

Open RGB Imaging Workflow for Morphological and Morphometric Analysis of Fruits using AI: A Case Study on Almonds. →

Abstract High-throughput phenotyping is addressing the current bottleneck in phenotyping within breeding programs. Imaging tools are becoming the primary resource for improving the efficiency of phenotyping processes and providing large datasets for genomic selection approaches. The advent of AI brings new advantages by enhancing phenotyping methods using imaging, making them more accessible to breeding programs. In this context, we have developed an open Python workflow for analyzing morphology and heritable morphometric traits using AI, which can be applied to fruits and other plant organs. This workflow has been implemented in almond (Prunus dulcis ), a species where efficiency is critical due to its long breeding cycle. Over 25,000 kernels, more than 20,000 nuts, and over 600 individuals have been phenotyped, making this the largest morphological study conducted in almond. As result, new heritable morphometric traits of interest have been identified. These findings pave the way for more efficient breeding strategies, ultimately facilitating the development of improved cultivars with desirable traits.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsAIを用いたRGB画像から果実の形態・形状形質を抽出するオープンPythonワークフローを開発・適用しており、植物表現型取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe have developed an open Python workflow for analyzing morphology and heritable morphometric traits using AI, which can be applied to fruits and other plant organs.

Seed-to-plant-tracking: automated phenotyping of seeds and corresponding plants of Arabidopsis →

Plants adapt seed traits in response to different environmental triggers, supporting the survival of the next generation. To elucidate the mechanistic understanding of such adaptations it is important to characterize the distributions of seed traits by phenotyping seeds on an individual scale and to correlate these traits with corresponding plant properties. Here we introduce a seed-to-plant-tracking pipeline which enables automated handling and high precision phenotyping of Arabidopsis seeds as well as germination detection and early growth quantification of emerging plants. It includes previously published measurement platforms ( pheno Seeder, Growscreen), which were improved for very small seeds. We demonstrate the performance of the pipeline by comparing seeds from two consecutive generations of elevated temperature during flowering with control seeds. Relative standard deviation of repeated seed mass measurements was reduced to 0.2%. We identified an increase in seed mass, volume, length, width, height, and germination time as well as a darkening of the seeds under the treatment. A correlation analysis revealed relationships between seed and plant traits, e.g., a highly significant negative correlation between seed brightness and germination time, and a positive correlation between seed mass and early growth rate, but no correlation between time of emergence and morphometric seed traits (e.g., mass, volume). Thus, the seed-to-plant tracking provides the basis for investigating the mechanism of seed and plant trait variation and transgenerational inheritance.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods種子から植物までを追跡し、種子形質の高精度自動計測、発芽検出、初期成長定量を行うパイプラインを開発・改良しており、表現型取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractHere we introduce a seed-to-plant-tracking pipeline which enables automated handling and high precision phenotyping of Arabidopsis seeds as well as germination detection and early growth quantification of emerging plants.

Lightweight highland barley detection based on improved YOLOv5. →

Accurate and efficient assessment of highland barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) density is crucial for optimizing cultivation and management practices. However, challenges such as overlapping spikes in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images and the computational requirements for high-resolution image analysis hinder real-time detection capabilities. To address these issues, this study proposes an improved lightweight YOLOv5 model for highland barley spike detection. We chose depthwise separable convolution (DSConv) and ghost convolution (GhostConv) for the backbone and neck networks, respectively, to reduce the parameter and computational complexity. In addition, the integration of convolutional block attention module (CBAM) enhances the model's ability to focus on target object in complex backgrounds. The results show that the improved YOLOv5 model has a significant improvement in detection performance. Precision and recall increased by 3.1% to 92.2% and 86.2%, respectively, with an F1 score of 0.892. The AP0.5 reaches 92.7% and 93.5% for highland barley in the growth and maturation stages, respectively, and the overall mAP0.5 improved to 93.1%. Compared to the baseline YOLOv5n model, the number of parameters and floating-point operations (FLOPs) were reduced by 70.6% and 75.6%, respectively, enabling lightweight deployment without compromising accuracy. In addition,the proposed model outperformed mainstream object detection algorithms such as Faster R-CNN, Mask R-CNN, RetinaNet, YOLOv7, and YOLOv8, in terms of detection accuracy and computational efficiency. Although this study also suffers from limitations such as insufficient generalization under varying lighting conditions and reliance on rectangular annotations, it provides valuable support and reference for the development of real-time highland barley spike detection systems, which can help to improve agricultural management.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像からハダンオオムギの穂を検出し密度評価に用いる軽量化画像解析モデルを開発・比較しており、植物形質状態の取得手法が中心である。

abstractthis study proposes an improved lightweight YOLOv5 model for highland barley spike detection

LKNet: Enhancing rice canopy panicle counting accuracy with an optimized point-based framework. →

Location-based methods for counting rice panicles have often been underestimated, primarily due to their perceived inferior performance when compared to detection-based techniques. However, we argue that the potential of these location-based methods has not been fully realized, largely owing to the limitations of existing model architectures. In response to this challenge, we introduce LKNet, an innovative model developed on the foundation of the location-based framework P2Pnet. To enhance the performance of panicle counting across diverse types and growth stages, we implemented several key strategies. Firstly, we reconstructed the localization loss function as a predictive probability distribution to reduce the influence of manual labeling. Additionally, we dynamically adapted the receptive field to better accommodate different panicle types through the use of large kernel convolutional blocks. We evaluated LKNet on several publicly available counting task datasets and achieved state-of-the-art performance on the Diverse Rice Panicle Detection dataset. Furthermore, we employed a rice panicle dataset collected at an altitude of 7 ​m, which includes various panicle types and growth stages for model training and evaluation. The results showed that LKNet effectively accommodates variations in panicle morphology, with R 2 values ranging from 0.903 to 0.989. These findings highlight LKNet's potential to enhance precision in panicle counting in rice breeding programs.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ穂の画像ベース計数モデルを開発し、複数データセットで評価しており、植物表現型取得・抽出手法が中心である。

abstractwe introduce LKNet, an innovative model developed on the foundation of the location-based framework P2Pnet.

Integrating phenomic selection using single-kernel near-infrared spectroscopy and genomic selection for corn breeding improvement. →

Key message Phenomic selection using intact seeds is a promising tool to improve gain and complement genomic selection in corn breeding. Models that combine genomic and phenomic data maximize the predictive ability. Phenomic selection (PS) is a cost-effective method proposed for predicting complex traits and enhancing genetic gain in breeding programs. The statistical procedures are similar to those utilized in genomic selection (GS) models, but molecular markers data are replaced with phenomic data, such as near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS). However, the use of NIRS applied to PS typically utilized destructive sampling or collected data after the establishment of selection experiments in the field. Here, we explored the application of PS using nondestructive, single-kernel NIRS in a sweet corn breeding program, focusing on predicting future, unobserved field-based traits of economic importance, including ear and vegetative traits. Three models were employed on a diversity panel: genomic and phenomic best linear unbiased prediction models, which used relationship matrices based on SNP and NIRS data, respectively, and a combined model. The genomic relationship matrices were evaluated with varying numbers of SNPs. Additionally, the PS model trained on the diversity panel was used to select doubled haploid (DH) lines for germination before planting, with predictions validated using observed data. The findings indicate that PS generated good predictive ability (e.g., 0.46 for plant height) and distinguished between high and low germination rates in untested DH lines. Although GS generally outperformed PS, the model combining both information yielded the highest predictive ability, with higher accuracies than GS when low marker densities were used. This study highlights NIRS's potential to achieve genetic gain where GS may not be feasible and to maintain/improve accuracy with SNP-based information while reducing genotyping costs.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods単一種子NIRSを用いた非破壊フェノタイピングと予測モデルを開発・適用し、圃場形質および発芽を観測値で検証しているため、植物表現型取得・推定法が研究の中心です。

abstractHere, we explored the application of PS using nondestructive, single-kernel NIRS in a sweet corn breeding program, focusing on predicting future, unobserved field-based traits of economic importance, including ear and vegetative traits.

MRI-Seed-Wizard: combining deep learning algorithms with magnetic resonance imaging enables advanced seed phenotyping →

Evaluation of relevant seed traits is an essential part of most plant breeding and biotechnology programmes. There is a need for non-destructive, three-dimensional assessment of the morphometry, composition, and internal features of seeds. Here, we introduce a novel tool, MRI-Seed-Wizard, which integrates deep learning algorithms with non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for use in a new domain-plant MRI. The tool enabled in vivo quantification of 23 grain traits, including volumetric parameters of inner seed structure. Several of these features cannot be assessed using conventional techniques, including X-ray computed tomography. MRI-Seed-Wizard was designed to automate the manual processes of identifying, labeling, and analysing digital MRI data. We further provide advanced MRI protocols that allow the evaluation of multiple seeds simultaneously to increase throughput. The versatility of MRI-Seed-Wizard in seed phenotyping is demonstrated for wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) grains, and it is applicable to a wide range of crop seeds. Thus, artificial intelligence, combined with the most versatile imaging modality, MRI, opens up new perspectives in seed phenotyping and crop improvement.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsMRIと深層学習を統合した種子表現型解析ツールを開発し、多数の種子形質を自動・非破壊・高スループットに定量化する中心的な方法論研究である。

abstractHere, we introduce a novel tool, MRI-Seed-Wizard, which integrates deep learning algorithms with non-invasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for use in a new domain-plant MRI.

Unlocking the power of AI for phenotyping fruit morphology in Arabidopsis →

Abstract Deep learning can revolutionise high-throughput image-based phenotyping by automating the measurement of complex traits, a task that is often labour-intensive, time-consuming, and prone to human error. However, its precision and adaptability in accurately phenotyping organ-level traits, such as fruit morphology, remain to be fully evaluated. Establishing the links between phenotypic and genotypic variation is essential for uncovering the genetic basis of traits and can also provide an orthologous test of pipeline effectiveness. In this study, we assess the efficacy of deep learning for measuring variation in fruit morphology in Arabidopsis using images from a multiparent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) mapping family. We trained an instance segmentation model and developed a pipeline to phenotype Arabidopsis fruit morphology, based on the model outputs. Our model achieved strong performance with an average precision of 88.0% for detection and 55.9% for segmentation. Quantitative trait locus analysis of the derived phenotypic metrics of the MAGIC population identified significant loci associated with fruit morphology. This analysis, based on automated phenotyping of 332,194 individual fruits, underscores the capability of deep learning as a robust tool for phenotyping large populations. Our pipeline for quantifying pod morphological traits is scalable and provides high-quality phenotype data, facilitating genetic analysis and gene discovery, as well as advancing crop breeding research.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods深層学習による果実形態の画像ベース表現型抽出パイプラインを開発し、検出・セグメンテーション性能を評価しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心である。

abstractWe trained an instance segmentation model and developed a pipeline to phenotype Arabidopsis fruit morphology, based on the model outputs.

LEHP-DETR: A model with backbone improved and hybrid encoding innovated for flax capsule detection. →

Flax, as a functional crop with rich essential fatty acids and nutrients, is important in nutrition and industrial applications. However, the current process of flax seed detection relies mainly on manual operation, which is not only inefficient but also prone to error. The development of computer vision and deep learning techniques offers a new way to solve this problem. In this study, based on RT-DETR, we introduced the RepNCSPELAN4 module, ADown module, Context Aggregation module, and TFE module, and designed the HWD-ADown module, HiLo-AIFI module, and DSSFF module, and proposed an improved model, called LEHP-DETR. Experimental results show that LEHP-DETR achieves significant performance improvement on the flax dataset and comprehensively outperforms the comparison model. Compared to the base model, LEHP-DETR reduces the number of parameters by 67.3%, the model size by 66.3%, and the FLOPs by 37.6%. the average detection accuracy mAP50 and mAP50:95 increased by 2.6% and 3.5%, respectively.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsアマ種子ではなくフラックスの莢という植物器官を画像から検出するモデルを新規設計し、比較実験で性能を検証しており、器官表現型の取得・抽出法が中心である。

titleLEHP-DETR: A model with backbone improved and hybrid encoding innovated for flax capsule detection.

Phenomics-assisted genetic dissection and molecular design of drought resistance in rice →

Dissecting the drought resistance (DR) mechanism and designing drought-resistant rice varieties are promising strategies to address the challenge of climate change. Here, we selected a typical drought-avoidant (DA) variety IRAT109 and drought-tolerant (DT) variety Hanhui15 as the parents to develop a stable recombinant inbred line (RIL) population (F 8 , 1,262 lines). The de novo assembled genomes of both parents were released. Through re-sequencing of the RIL population, a set of 1,189,216 reliable SNPs were obtained and used for constructing a dense genetic map. Using both aboveground and underground phenomic platforms and multimodal cameras, we captured 139,040 image-based traits (i-traits) of whole plant’s phenotypes in response to drought stress throughout entire rice growth period and identified 32,586 drought-responsive quantitative trait loci (QTLs) including 2,097 unique QTLs. The QTLs related to panicle i-traits occurred on the middle of chromosome 8 over 600 times, while the QTLs related to leaf i-traits on the 5’ end of chromosome 3 over 800 times, indicating potential effect of these QTLs on plant phenotypes. We chose three candidate genes ( OsMADS50, OsGhd8, OsSAUR11 ) related to leaf, panicle, and root traits respectively and verified their functions in resisting drought. Gene OsMADS50 was found to negatively regulate DR by modulating leaf dehydration, grain size, and root downward growth. Furthermore, a total of 18 and 21 composite QTLs significantly related to grain weight and plant biomass were screened from 597 lines in RIL population under drought conditions in field experiments, and composite QTL region was highly overlapped (76.9%) with known DR gene region. Based on three candidate DR genes, we proposed the haplotype design suitable for different environments and breeding objectives. This study provides a valuable reference for multi-modal and time-series phenomic analyses, deciphers the genetic mechanism of DA and DT rice varieties, and offers a molecular navigation map for breeding DR variety.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods地下・地上フェノミックプラットフォームとマルチモーダルカメラで全生育期間の画像形質を大量取得しており、フェノタイピング手法の適用と技術的ワークフローが研究の中核です。

abstractUsing both aboveground and underground phenomic platforms and multimodal cameras, we captured 139,040 image-based traits (i-traits) of whole plant’s phenotypes in response to drought stress throughout entire rice growth period

A computer vision system for apple fruit sizing by means of low-cost depth camera and neural network application →

Fruit size is crucial for growers as it influences consumer willingness to buy and the price of the fruit. Fruit size and growth along the seasons are two parameters that can lead to more precise orchard management favoring production sustainability. In this study, a Python-based computer vision system (CVS) for sizing apples directly on the tree was developed to ease fruit sizing tasks. The system is made of a consumer-grade depth camera and was tested at two distances among 17 timings throughout the season, in a Fuji apple orchard. The CVS exploited a specifically trained YOLOv5 detection algorithm, a circle detection algorithm, and a trigonometric approach based on depth information to size the fruits. Comparisons with standard-trained YOLOv5 models and with spherical objects were carried out. The algorithm showed good fruit detection and circle detection performance, with a sizing rate of 92%. Good correlations (r > 0.8) between estimated and actual fruit size were found. The sizing performance showed an overall mean error (mE) and RMSE of + 5.7 mm (9%) and 10 mm (15%). The best results of mE were always found at 1.0 m, compared to 1.5 m. Key factors for the presented methodology were: the fruit detectors customization; the HoughCircle parameters adaptability to object size, camera distance, and color; and the issue of field natural illumination. The study also highlighted the uncertainty of human operators in the reference data collection (5–6%) and the effect of random subsampling on the statistical analysis of fruit size estimation. Despite the high error values, the CVS shows potential for fruit sizing at the orchard scale. Future research will focus on improving and testing the CVS on a large scale, as well as investigating other image analysis methods and the ability to estimate fruit growth.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods果実サイズという植物器官形質を、深度カメラ・物体検出・円検出・三角測量で推定するコンピュータビジョン手法を開発・検証しており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstracta Python-based computer vision system (CVS) for sizing apples directly on the tree was developed

Semi-automated high content analysis of pollen performance using TubeTracker →

Pollen function is critical for successful plant reproduction and crop productivity and it is important to develop accessible methods to quantitatively analyze pollen performance to enhance reproductive resilience. Here we introduce TubeTracker as a method to quantify key parameters of pollen performance such as, time to pollen grain germination, pollen tube tip velocity and pollen tube survival. TubeTracker integrates manual and automatic image processing routines and the graphical user interface allows the user to interact with the software to make manual corrections of automated steps. TubeTracker does not depend on training data sets required to implement machine learning approaches and thus can be immediately implemented using readily available imaging systems. Furthermore, TubeTracker is an excellent tool to produce the pollen performance data sets necessary to take advantage of emerging AI-based methods to fully automate analysis. We tested TubeTracker and found it to be accurate in measuring pollen tube germination and pollen tube tip elongation across multiple cultivars of tomato. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=114 SRC="FIGDIR/small/624782v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (33K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1fc2a63org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@42f3a2org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@18911d6org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1f236f0_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG Graphical Abstract Graphical user interface of TubeTracker showing all supported functionalities. C_FIG

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物の花粉管画像から発芽時間、伸長速度、生存性などの表現型を抽出するソフトウェア手法を開発し、複数トマト品種で精度検証しているため。

abstractHere we introduce TubeTracker as a method to quantify key parameters of pollen performance such as, time to pollen grain germination, pollen tube tip velocity and pollen tube survival.

Classification Importance of Seed Morphology and Insights on Large-Scale Climate-Driven Strophiole Size Changes in the Iberian Endemic Chasmophytic Genus Petrocoptis (Caryophyllaceae). →

Recruitment poses significant challenges for narrow endemic plant species inhabiting extreme environments like vertical cliffs. Investigating seed traits in these plants is crucial for understanding the adaptive properties of chasmophytes. Focusing on the Iberian endemic genus Petrocoptis A. Braun ex Endl., a strophiole-bearing Caryophyllaceae, this study explored the relationships between seed traits and climatic variables, aiming to shed light on the strophiole's biological role and assess its classificatory power. We analysed 2773 seeds (557 individuals) from 84 populations spanning the genus' entire distribution range. Employing cluster and machine learning algorithms, we delineated well-defined morphogroups based on seed traits and evaluated their recognizability. Linear mixed-effects models were utilized to investigate the relationship between climate predictors and strophiole area, seed area and the ratio between both. The combination of seed morphometric traits allows the division of the genus into three well-defined morphogroups. The subsequent validation of the algorithm allowed 87% of the seeds to be correctly classified. Part of the intra- and interpopulation variability found in strophiole raw and relative size could be explained by average annual rainfall and average annual maximum temperature. Strophiole size in Petrocoptis could have been potentially driven by adaptation to local climates through the investment of more resources in the production of bigger strophioles to increase the hydration ability of the seed in dry and warm climates. This reinforces the idea of the strophiole being involved in seed water uptake and germination regulation in Petrocoptis . Similar relationships have not been previously reported for strophioles or other analogous structures in Angiosperms.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods種子形態計測とクラスタリング・機械学習による形態群分類を中心に扱い、分類アルゴリズムの検証も行っているため、植物形質の計測・抽出手法として収録対象。

abstractEmploying cluster and machine learning algorithms, we delineated well-defined morphogroups based on seed traits and evaluated their recognizability.

BerryPortraits: Phenotyping Of Ripening Traits cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) with YOLOv8. →

Abstract BerryPortraits (Phenotyping of Ripening Traits) is open source Python-based image-analysis software that rapidly detects and segments berries and extracts morphometric data on fruit quality traits such as berry color, size, shape, and uniformity. Utilizing the YOLOv8 framework and community-developed, actively-maintained Python libraries such as OpenCV, BerryPortraits software was trained on 512 postharvest images (taken under controlled lighting conditions) of phenotypically diverse cranberry populations ( Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) from the two largest public cranberry breeding programs in the U.S. The implementation of CIELAB, an intuitive and perceptually uniform color space, enables differentiation between berry color and berry brightness, which are confounded in classic RGB color channel measurements. Furthermore, computer vision enables precise and quantifiable color phenotyping, thus facilitating inclusion of researchers and data analysts with color vision deficiency. BerryPortraits is a phenotyping tool for researchers in plant breeding, plant genetics, horticulture, food science, plant physiology, plant pathology, and related fields. BerryPortraits has strong potential applications for other specialty crops such as blueberry, lingonberry, caneberry, grape, and more. As an open source phenotyping tool based on widely-used python libraries, BerryPortraits allows anyone to use, fork, modify, optimize, and embed this software into other tools or pipelines.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物果実の色・サイズ・形状・均一性を画像から抽出するオープンソースの表現型解析ソフトウェアを開発しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心である。

abstractBerryPortraits (Phenotyping of Ripening Traits) is open source Python-based image-analysis software that rapidly detects and segments berries and extracts morphometric data on fruit quality traits such as berry color, size, shape, and uniformity.

Multi-Scale Attention Network for Vertical Seed Distribution in Soybean Breeding Fields. →

The increase in the global population is leading to a doubling of the demand for protein. Soybean ( Glycine max ), a key contributor to global plant-based protein supplies, requires ongoing yield enhancements to keep pace with increasing demand. Precise, on-plant seed counting and localization may catalyze breeding selection of shoot architectures and seed localization patterns related to superior performance in high planting density and contribute to increased yield. Traditional manual counting and localization methods are labor-intensive and prone to error, necessitating more efficient approaches for yield prediction and seed distribution analysis. To solve this, we propose MSANet: a novel deep learning framework tailored for counting and localization of soybean seeds on mature field-grown soy plants. A multi-scale attention map mechanism was applied to maximize model performance in seed counting and localization in soybean breeding fields. We compared our model with a previous state-of-the-art model using the benchmark dataset and an enlarged dataset, including various soybean genotypes. Our model outperforms previous state-of-the-art methods on all datasets across various soybean genotypes on both counting and localization tasks. Furthermore, our model also performed well on in-canopy 360° video, dramatically increasing data collection efficiency. We also propose a technique that enables previously inaccessible insights into the phenotypic and genetic diversity of single plant vertical seed distribution, which may accelerate the breeding process. To accelerate further research in this domain, we have made our dataset and software publicly available: https://github.com/UTokyo-FieldPhenomics-Lab/MSANet.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods大豆種子の計数・位置推定と垂直分布という植物形質を対象に、深層学習手法を開発・比較検証し、データセットとソフトウェアも公開しているため、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractwe propose MSANet: a novel deep learning framework tailored for counting and localization of soybean seeds on mature field-grown soy plants.

VMUnet-MSADI： Visual Mamba UNet Fusion Multi-Scale Attention and Detail Infusion for Unsound Corn Kernels Segmentation →

Abstract Corn seed breeding is a global issue, and has attracted great attention in recent years. Deploying autonomous robots for corn kernel recognition and classification has great potential in terms of constructing environment friendly agriculture, and saving manpower. Existing segmentation methods that utilize U-shaped architectures typically operate by processing images in discrete pixel-based segments. This approach often overlooks the finer pixel-level structural details within these segments, leading to models that struggle to preserve the continuity of target edges effectively. In this paper, we propose a new framework for corn seed image segmentation, called VMUnet-MSADI, which aims to integrate MSADI module into the encoder and decoder of the VMUnet architecture. Our VMUnet-MSADI model benefits from self-attention computation in VMUnet and multiscale coding to efficiently model non-local dependencies and multiscale contexts to improve the segmentation quality of different images. Unlike previous Unet-based improvement schemes, the proposed VMUnet-MSADI adopts a multiscale convolutional attention module coding mechanism at the depth level and an efficient multiscale deep convolutional decoder at the spatial level to extract coarse-grained features and fine-grained features at different semantic scales and effectively avoid the loss of information at the target boundary to improve the quality and accuracy of target segmentation. In addition, we introduce a Visual State Space (VSS) block to capture a wide range of contextual information and a Detail Infusion Block (DIB) to enhance the fusion of low-level and high-level features, which further fills in the remote contextual information during the up-sampling process. Comprehensive experiments were conducted on open-source datasets and the results demonstrate that the VMUnet-MSADI model excels in the task of corn kernel segmentation. The model achieved a segmentation accuracy of 95.96%, surpassing the leading method by 0.9%. Compared to other segmentation models, our method exhibits superior performance in both accuracy and loss metrics. Extensive comparative experiments conducted on various benchmark datasets further substantiate that our approach outperforms the state-of-the-art models. Code, pre-trained models and data processing protocols are available at https://github.com/corbining/VMUnet-MSADI

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシ種子の健全性状態を画像から分割・認識する新規深層学習手法を中心に開発し、公開データセットで比較検証しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法として収録する。

abstractIn this paper, we propose a new framework for corn seed image segmentation, called VMUnet-MSADI

Evaluation of the Spike Diversity of Seven Hexaploid Wheat Species and an Artificial Amphidiploid Using a Quadrangle Model Obtained from 2D Images. →

The spike shape and morphometric characteristics are among the key characteristics of cultivated cereals, being associated with their productivity. These traits are often used for the plant taxonomy and authenticity of hexaploid wheat species. Manual measurement of spike characteristics is tedious and not precise. Recently, the authors of this study developed a method for wheat spike morphometry utilizing 2D image analysis. Here, this method is applied to study variations in spike size and shape for 190 plants of seven hexaploid (2 n = 6 x = 42) species and one artificial amphidiploid of wheat. Five manually estimated spike traits and 26 traits obtained from digital image analysis were analyzed. Image-based traits describe the characteristics of the base, center and apex of the spike and common parameters (circularity, roundness, perimeter, etc.). Estimates of similar traits by manual measurement and image analysis were shown to be highly correlated, suggesting the practical importance of digital spike phenotyping. The utility of spike traits for classification into types (spelt, normal and compact) and species or amphidiploid is shown. It is also demonstrated that the estimates obtained made it possible to identify the spike characteristics differing significantly between species or between accessions within the same species. The present work suggests the usefulness of wheat spike shape analysis using an approach based on characteristics obtained by digital image analysis.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦穂の2D画像解析による形態計測法を実際に適用し、手動測定との相関検証とデジタル形質の有用性評価を行っており、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractRecently, the authors of this study developed a method for wheat spike morphometry utilizing 2D image analysis.

Of buds and bits: a meta-QTL study identifies stable QTL for berry quality and yield traits in cranberry mapping populations ( Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.). →

Introduction For nearly two centuries, cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) breeders have improved fruit quality and yield by selecting traits on fruiting stems, termed “reproductive uprights.” Crop improvement is accelerating rapidly in contemporary breeding programs due to modern genetic tools and high-throughput phenotyping methods, improving selection efficiency and accuracy. Methods We conducted genotypic evaluation on 29 primary traits encompassing fruit quality, yield, and chemical composition in two full-sib cranberry breeding populations—CNJ02 (n = 168) and CNJ04 (n = 67)—over 3 years. Genetic characterization was further performed on 11 secondary traits derived from these primary traits. Results For CNJ02, 170 major quantitative trait loci (QTL; R2≥ 0.10) were found with interval mapping, 150 major QTL were found with model mapping, and 9 QTL were found to be stable across multiple years. In CNJ04, 69 major QTL were found with interval mapping, 81 major QTL were found with model mapping, and 4 QTL were found to be stable across multiple years. Meta-QTL represent stable genomic regions consistent across multiple years, populations, studies, or traits. Seven multi-trait meta-QTL were found in CNJ02, one in CNJ04, and one in the combined analysis of both populations. A total of 22 meta-QTL were identified in cross-study, cross-population analysis using digital traits for berry shape and size (8 meta-QTL), digital images for berry color (2 meta-QTL), and three-study cross-analysis (12 meta-QTL). Discussion Together, these meta-QTL anchor high-throughput fruit quality phenotyping techniques to traditional phenotyping methods, validating state-of-the-art methods in cranberry phenotyping that will improve breeding accuracy, efficiency, and genetic gain in this globally significant fruit crop.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsベリー形状・サイズ・色のデジタル形質および画像を用いた果実フェノタイピングをQTL解析で検証し、従来法との対応付けを行っており、手法の妥当性評価が研究の主要な成果に含まれる。

abstractdigital traits for berry shape and size (8 meta-QTL), digital images for berry color (2 meta-QTL)

CF-PRNet: Coarse-to-Fine Prototype Refining Network for Point Cloud Completion and Reconstruction →

In modern agriculture, precise monitoring of plants and fruits is crucial for tasks such as high-throughput phenotyping and automated harvesting. This paper addresses the challenge of reconstructing accurate 3D shapes of fruits from partial views, which is common in agricultural settings. We introduce CF-PRNet, a coarse-to-fine prototype refining network, leverages high-resolution 3D data during the training phase but requires only a single RGB-D image for real-time inference. Our approach begins by extracting the incomplete point cloud data that constructed from a partial view of a fruit with a series of convolutional blocks. The extracted features inform the generation of scaling vectors that refine two sequentially constructed 3D mesh prototypes - one coarse and one fine-grained. This progressive refinement facilitates the detailed completion of the final point clouds, achieving detailed and accurate reconstructions. CF-PRNet demonstrates excellent performance metrics with a Chamfer Distance of 3.78, an F1 Score of 66.76%, a Precision of 56.56%, and a Recall of 85.31%, and win the first place in the Shape Completion and Reconstruction of Sweet Peppers Challenge.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods果実の部分RGB-D画像から3D形状を再構成する手法を開発・評価しており、植物器官の形態形質取得が研究の中心である。

abstractThis paper addresses the challenge of reconstructing accurate 3D shapes of fruits from partial views

Deep Learning Methods Using Imagery from a Smartphone for Recognizing Sorghum Panicles and Counting Grains at a Plant Level →

High-throughput phenotyping is the bottleneck for advancing field trait characterization and yield improvement in major field crops. Specifically for sorghum ( Sorghum bicolor L.), rapid plant-level yield estimation is highly dependent on characterizing the number of grains within a panicle. In this context, the integration of computer vision and artificial intelligence algorithms with traditional field phenotyping can be a critical solution to reduce labor costs and time. Therefore, this study aims to improve sorghum panicle detection and grain number estimation from smartphone-capture images under field conditions. A preharvest benchmark dataset was collected at field scale (2023 season, Kansas, USA), with 648 images of sorghum panicles retrieved via smartphone device, and grain number counted. Each sorghum panicle image was manually labeled, and the images were augmented. Two models were trained using the Detectron2 and Yolov8 frameworks for detection and segmentation, with an average precision of 75% and 89%, respectively. For the grain number, 3 models were trained: MCNN (multiscale convolutional neural network), TCNN-Seed (two-column CNN-Seed), and Sorghum-Net (developed in this study). The Sorghum-Net model showed a mean absolute percentage error of 17%, surpassing the other models. Lastly, a simple equation was presented to relate the count from the model (using images from only one side of the panicle) to the field-derived observed number of grains per sorghum panicle. The resulting framework obtained an estimation of grain number with a 17% error. The proposed framework lays the foundation for the development of a more robust application to estimate sorghum yield using images from a smartphone at the plant level.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsスマートフォン画像からソルガム穂の検出・分割と粒数推定を開発・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 aims to improve sorghum panicle detection and grain number estimation from smartphone-capture images under field conditions.

SPCN: An Innovative Soybean Pod Counting Network Based on HDC Strategy and Attention Mechanism →

Soybean pod count is a crucial aspect of soybean plant phenotyping, offering valuable reference information for breeding and planting management. Traditional manual counting methods are not only costly but also prone to errors. Existing detection-based soybean pod counting methods face challenges due to the crowded and uneven distribution of soybean pods on the plants. To tackle this issue, we propose a Soybean Pod Counting Network (SPCN) for accurate soybean pod counting. SPCN is a density map-based architecture based on Hybrid Dilated Convolution (HDC) strategy and attention mechanism for feature extraction, using the Unbalanced Optimal Transport (UOT) loss function for supervising density map generation. Additionally, we introduce a new diverse dataset, BeanCount-1500, comprising of 24,684 images of 316 soybean varieties with various backgrounds and lighting conditions. Extensive experiments on BeanCount-1500 demonstrate the advantages of SPCN in soybean pod counting with an Mean Absolute Error(MAE) and an Mean Squared Error(MSE) of 4.37 and 6.45, respectively, significantly outperforming the current competing method by a substantial margin. Its excellent performance on the Renshou2021 dataset further confirms its outstanding generalization potential. Overall, the proposed method can provide technical support for intelligent breeding and planting management of soybean, promoting the digital and precise management of agriculture in general.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods大豆莢数という植物形質を画像から自動推定する手法を開発し、データセット上で性能評価しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心です。

abstractSoybean pod count is a crucial aspect of soybean plant phenotyping

Airborne hyperspectral and Sentinel imagery to quantify winter wheat traits through ensemble modeling approaches →

Early prediction of crop production by remote sensing (RS) may help to plan the harvest and ensure food security. This study aims to improve the quantification of yield, grain protein concentration (GPC), and nitrogen (N) output in winter wheat with RS imagery. Ground-truth wheat traits were measured at flowering and harvest in a field experiment combining four N and two water levels in central Spain over 2 years. Hyperspectral and thermal airborne images coincident with Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 were acquired at flowering. A parametric linear model using all hyperspectral normalized difference spectral indices (NDSI) and two non-parametric models (artificial neural network and random forest) were used to assess their estimation ability combining NDSIs and other RS indicators. The feasibility of using freely available multispectral satellite was tested by applying the same methodology but using Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 bands. Yield estimation obtained the highest R² value, showing that the visible and short-wave infrared region (VSWIR) had similar accuracy to the hyperspectral and Sentinel-2 imagery (R² ≈ 0.84). The SWIR bands were important in the GPC estimation with both sensors, whereas N output was better estimated using red-edge-based NDSIs, obtaining satisfactory results with the hyperspectral sensor (R² = 0.74) and with the Sentinel-2 (R² = 0.62). When including the Sentinel-2 SWIR index, the NDSI (B11, B3) improved the estimation of N output (R² = 0.71). Ensemble models based on Sentinel were found to be as reliable as those based on hyperspectral imagery, and including SWIR information improved the quantification of N-related traits.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods航空ハイパースペクトル画像とSentinel画像、複数の推定モデルを用いて小麦の収量・タンパク質濃度・窒素出力を定量化し、センサー間の性能を比較しているため、表現型取得・推定法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study aims to improve the quantification of yield, grain protein concentration (GPC), and nitrogen (N) output in winter wheat with RS imagery.

Fruit surface temperature data at different ripeness stages and ambient temperature provided as temperature-annotated 3D point clouds of apple trees. →

By means of a unique, low vibration circular conveyor system, plant sensors capturing light detection and ranging (LiDAR) unit and thermal camera were moved on the same route, around blocks of apple trees, with seven Malus x domestica Borkh. 'Gala' apple trees in each block. Measurements took place four times during the season. Additionally at harvest, diurnal courses were recorded with 18 readings during three days. The data are provided as [i] raw data (3D point clouds of 3 blocks of trees scanned from right and left sides and thermal images), [ii] processed 3D point clouds of canopies annotated with temperature data from the thermal camera, and [iii] manually segmented 3D point clouds of fruit, representing the spatially-resolved fruit surface temperature (FST). Manual FST readings are provided on each measuring date and during diurnal courses. The fruit data are capturing 1236 FST, providing temperature distribution as 3D point cloud and one manually recorded reference FST per fruit. Additionally, fruit size and colour were measured for each fruit, despite for the first date, when fruit were too small for colour readings. Weather data are provided from a station located in the orchard. Usage of data could be (a) in developing methodology for 3D point cloud processing based on raw data, accomplished with reference FST data. Furthermore, (b) the pre-processed point clouds of fruit surface temperature can be reused in ecophysiological studies related to global warming, optimizing fruit production systems, and other. Because the sensors and trees were measured from the same angle and distance, time series analysis of the canopies would be possible.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsLiDARと熱画像を統合し、果実表面温度を3D点群として取得・注釈化した再利用可能なデータセットであり、植物表現型取得手法とデータ提供が中心です。

abstractplant sensors capturing light detection and ranging (LiDAR) unit and thermal camera were moved on the same route, around blocks of apple trees

Development of a deep-learning phenotyping tool for analyzing image-based strawberry phenotypes. →

Introduction In strawberry farming, phenotypic traits (such as crown diameter, petiole length, plant height, flower, leaf, and fruit size) measurement is essential as it serves as a decision-making tool for plant monitoring and management. To date, strawberry plant phenotyping has relied on traditional approaches. In this study, an image-based Strawberry Phenotyping Tool (SPT) was developed using two deep-learning (DL) architectures, namely “YOLOv4” and “U-net” integrated into a single system. We aimed to create the most suitable DL-based tool with enhanced robustness to facilitate digital strawberry plant phenotyping directly at the natural scene or indirectly using captured and stored images. Methods Our SPT was developed primarily through two steps (subsequently called versions) using image data with different backgrounds captured with simple smartphone cameras. The two versions (V1 and V2) were developed using the same DL networks but differed by the amount of image data and annotation method used during their development. For V1, 7,116 images were annotated using the single-target non-labeling method, whereas for V2, 7,850 images were annotated using the multitarget labeling method. Results The results of the held-out dataset revealed that the developed SPT facilitates strawberry phenotype measurements. By increasing the dataset size combined with multitarget labeling annotation, the detection accuracy of our system changed from 60.24% in V1 to 82.28% in V2. During the validation process, the system was evaluated using 70 images per phenotype and their corresponding actual values. The correlation coefficients and detection frequencies were higher for V2 than for V1, confirming the superiority of V2. Furthermore, an image-based regression model was developed to predict the fresh weight of strawberries based on the fruit size (R2 = 0.92). Discussion The results demonstrate the efficiency of our system in recognizing the aforementioned six strawberry phenotypic traits regardless of the complex scenario of the environment of the strawberry plant. This tool could help farmers and researchers make accurate and efficient decisions related to strawberry plant management, possibly causing increased productivity and yield potential.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods画像ベースでイチゴの複数形質を抽出・測定する深層学習ツールを開発し、精度と実測値との相関を検証しており、植物表現型取得手法が研究の中心である。

abstractIn this study, an image-based Strawberry Phenotyping Tool (SPT) was developed using two deep-learning (DL) architectures, namely “YOLOv4” and “U-net” integrated into a single system.

Lightweight tomato ripeness detection algorithm based on the improved RT-DETR. →

Tomatoes, widely cherished for their high nutritional value, necessitate precise ripeness identification and selective harvesting of mature fruits to significantly enhance the efficiency and economic benefits of tomato harvesting management. Previous studies on intelligent harvesting often focused solely on identifying tomatoes as the target, lacking fine-grained detection of tomato ripeness. This deficiency leads to the inadvertent harvesting of immature and rotten fruits, resulting in economic losses. Moreover, in natural settings, uneven illumination, occlusion by leaves, and fruit overlap hinder the precise assessment of tomato ripeness by robotic systems. Simultaneously, the demand for high accuracy and rapid response in tomato ripeness detection is compounded by the need for making the model lightweight to mitigate hardware costs. This study proposes a lightweight model named PDSI-RTDETR to address these challenges. Initially, the PConv_Block module, integrating partial convolution with residual blocks, replaces the Basic_Block structure in the legacy backbone to alleviate computing load and enhance feature extraction efficiency. Subsequently, a deformable attention module is amalgamated with intra-scale feature interaction structure, bolstering the capability to extract detailed features for fine-grained classification. Additionally, the proposed slimneck-SSFF feature fusion structure, merging the Scale Sequence Feature Fusion framework with a slim-neck design utilizing GSConv and VoVGSCSP modules, aims to reduce volume of computation and inference latency. Lastly, by amalgamating Inner-IoU with EIoU to formulate Inner-EIoU, replacing the original GIoU to expedite convergence while utilizing auxiliary frames enhances small object detection capabilities. Comprehensive assessments validate that the PDSI-RTDETR model achieves an average precision mAP50 of 86.8%, marking a 3.9% enhancement over the original RT-DETR model, and a 38.7% increase in FPS. Furthermore, the GFLOPs of PDSI-RTDETR have been diminished by 17.6%. Surpassing the baseline RT-DETR and other prevalent methods regarding precision and speed, it unveils its considerable potential for detecting tomato ripeness. When applied to intelligent harvesting robots in the future, this approach can improve the quality of tomato harvesting by reducing the collection of immature and spoiled fruits.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトマト果実の成熟度という植物状態を画像から推定する軽量検出モデルを開発し、精度・速度・計算量を評価しており、表現型取得手法が中心である。

abstractThis study proposes a lightweight model named PDSI-RTDETR to address these challenges.

CTHNet: a network for wheat ear counting with local-global features fusion based on hybrid architecture. →

Accurate wheat ear counting is one of the key indicators for wheat phenotyping. Convolutional neural network (CNN) algorithms for counting wheat have evolved into sophisticated tools, however because of the limitations of sensory fields, CNN is unable to simulate global context information, which has an impact on counting performance. In this study, we present a hybrid attention network (CTHNet) for wheat ear counting from RGB images that combines local features and global context information. On the one hand, to extract multi-scale local features, a convolutional neural network is built using the Cross Stage Partial framework. On the other hand, to acquire better global context information, tokenized image patches from convolutional neural network feature maps are encoded as input sequences using Pyramid Pooling Transformer. Then, the feature fusion module merges the local features with the global context information to significantly enhance the feature representation. The Global Wheat Head Detection Dataset and Wheat Ear Detection Dataset are used to assess the proposed model. There were 3.40 and 5.21 average absolute errors, respectively. The performance of the proposed model was significantly better than previous studies.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦穂数という植物形質をRGB画像から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評価しており、表現型取得・抽出法が中心である。

abstractAccurate wheat ear counting is one of the key indicators for wheat phenotyping.

FruitPhenoBox - a device for rapid and automated fruit phenotyping of small sample sizes. →

Background Fruit appearance of apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) is accession-specific and one of the main criteria for consumer choice. Consequently, fruit appearance is an important selection criterion in the breeding of new cultivars. It is also used for the description of older varieties or landraces. In commercial apple production, sorting devices are used to classify large numbers of fruit from a few cultivars. In contrast, the description of fruit from germplasm collections or breeding programs is based on only a few fruit from many accessions and is mostly performed visually by pomology experts. Such visual ratings are laborious, often difficult to compare and remain subjective. Results Here we report on a morphometric device, the FruitPhenoBox, for automated fruit weighing and appearance description using computer-based analysis of five images per fruit. Recording of approximately 100 fruit from each of 15 apple cultivars using the FruitPhenoBox was rapid, with an average handling and recording time of less than eleven seconds per fruit. Comparison of fruit images from the 15 apple cultivars identified significant differences in shape index, fruit width, height and weight. Fruit shape was characteristic for each cultivar, while fruit color showed larger variation within sample sets. Assessing a subset of 20 randomly selected fruit per cultivar, fruit height, width and weight were described with a relative margin of error of 2.6%, 2.2%, and 6.2%, respectively, calculated from the mean value of all available fruit. Conclusions The FruitPhenoBox allows for the rapid and consistent description of fruit appearance from individual apple accessions. By relating the relative margin of error for fruit width, height and weight description with different sample sizes, it was possible to determine an appropriate fruit sample size to efficiently and accurately describe the recorded traits. Therefore, the FruitPhenoBox is a useful tool for breeding and the description of apple germplasm collections.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリンゴ果実の画像取得・コンピュータ解析・重量測定を統合した装置を開発し、測定速度、再現性、誤差、適切なサンプルサイズを評価しており、果実形態形質の取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractHere we report on a morphometric device, the FruitPhenoBox, for automated fruit weighing and appearance description using computer-based analysis of five images per fruit.

High-throughput plant phenotyping analysis of Melon (Cucumis melo L.) germplasm resources using deep learning methods and computer vision →

Abstract Cucumis melo L., commonly known as melon, is a crucial horticultural crop. The selection and breeding of superior melon germplasm resources play a pivotal role in enhancing its marketability. However, current methods for melon appearance phenotypic analysis rely primarily on expert judgment and intricate manual measurements, which are not only inefficient but also costly. Therefore, to expedite the breeding process of melon, we analyzed the images of 117 melon varieties from two annual years utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) technology. By integrating the semantic segmentation model Dual Attention Network (DANet), the object detection model RTMDet, the keypoint detection model RTMPose, and the Mobile-Friendly Segment Anything Model (MobileSAM), a deep learning algorithm framework was constructed, capable of efficiently and accurately segmenting melon fruit and pedicel. On this basis, a series of feature extraction algorithms were designed, successfully obtaining 11 phenotypic traits of melon. Linear fitting verification results of selected traits demonstrated a high correlation between the algorithm-predicted values and manually measured true values, thereby validating the feasibility and accuracy of the algorithm. Moreover, cluster analysis using all traits revealed a high consistency between the classification results and genotypes. Finally, a user-friendly software was developed to achieve rapid and automatic acquisition of melon phenotypes, providing an efficient and robust tool for melon breeding, as well as facilitating in-depth research into the correlation between melon genotypes and phenotypes.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsメロン果実・果梗を画像から分割し、特徴抽出によって11形質を推定する深層学習フレームワークを開発・検証し、ソフトウェア化しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractBy integrating the semantic segmentation model Dual Attention Network (DANet), the object detection model RTMDet, the keypoint detection model RTMPose, and the Mobile-Friendly Segment Anything Model (MobileSAM), a deep learning algorithm framework was constructed, capable of efficiently and accurately segmenting melon fruit and pedicel.

Near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy phenomic prediction can perform similarly to genomic prediction of maize agronomic traits across environments. →

For nearly two decades, genomic prediction and selection have supported efforts to increase genetic gains in plant and animal improvement programs. However, novel phenomic strategies for predicting complex traits in maize have recently proven beneficial when integrated into across-environment sparse genomic prediction models. One phenomic data modality is whole grain near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), which records reflectance values of biological samples (e.g., maize kernels) based on chemical composition. Predictions of hybrid maize grain yield (GY) and 500-kernel weight (KW) across 2 years (2011-2012) and two management conditions (water-stressed and well-watered) were conducted using combinations of reflectance data obtained from high-throughput, F 2 whole-kernel scans and genomic data obtained from genotyping-by-sequencing within four different cross-validation (CV) schemes (CV2, CV1, CV0, and CV00). When predicting the performance of untested genotypes in characterized (CV1) environments, genomic data were better than phenomic data for GY (0.689 ± 0.024-genomic vs. 0.612 ± 0.045-phenomic), but phenomic data were better than genomic data for KW (0.535 ± 0.034-genomic vs. 0.617 ± 0.145-phenomic). Multi-kernel models (combinations of phenomic and genomic relationship matrices) did not surpass single-kernel models for GY prediction in CV1 or CV00 (prediction of untested genotypes in uncharacterized environments); however, these models did outperform the single-kernel models for prediction of KW in these same CVs. Lasso regression applied to the NIRS data set selected a subset of 216 NIRS bands that achieved comparable prediction abilities to the full phenomic data set of 3112 bands predicting GY and KW under CV1 and CV00.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシ粒の高スループットNIRS測定と回帰モデルを用いて収量・千粒重を予測し、ゲノム予測との比較検証を行っており、表現型取得・推定法が研究の中心である。

titleNear-infrared reflectance spectroscopy phenomic prediction can perform similarly to genomic prediction of maize agronomic traits across environments.

Digital descriptors sharpen classical descriptors, for improving genebank accession management: A case study on Arachis spp. and Phaseolus spp. →

High-throughput phenotyping brings new opportunities for detailed genebank accessions characterization based on image-processing techniques and data analysis using machine learning algorithms. Our work proposes to improve the characterization processes of bean and peanut accessions in the CIAT genebank through the identification of phenomic descriptors comparable to classical descriptors including methodology integration into the genebank workflow. To cope with these goals morphometrics and colorimetry traits of 14 bean and 16 forage peanut accessions were determined and compared to the classical International Board for Plant Genetic Resources (IBPGR) descriptors. Descriptors discriminating most accessions were identified using a random forest algorithm. The most-valuable classification descriptors for peanuts were 100-seed weight and days to flowering, and for beans, days to flowering and primary seed color. The combination of phenomic and classical descriptors increased the accuracy of the classification of Phaseolus and Arachis accessions. Functional diversity indices are recommended to genebank curators to evaluate phenotypic variability to identify accessions with unique traits or identify accessions that represent the greatest phenotypic variation of the species (functional agrobiodiversity collections). The artificial intelligence algorithms are capable of characterizing accessions which reduces costs generated by additional phenotyping. Even though deep analysis of data requires new skills, associating genetic, morphological and ecogeographic diversity is giving us an opportunity to establish unique functional agrobiodiversity collections with new potential traits.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods画像処理・形態計測・色彩計測と機械学習を用いて遺伝資源の表現型記述子を開発・比較し、遺伝資源管理ワークフローへ統合することが中心であるため。

abstractHigh-throughput phenotyping brings new opportunities for detailed genebank accessions characterization based on image-processing techniques and data analysis using machine learning algorithms.

The genetic basis of apple shape and size unraveled by digital phenotyping →

Great diversity of shape, size, and skin color is observed among the fruits of different apple genotypes. These traits are critical for consumers and therefore interesting targets for breeding new apple varieties. However, they are difficult to phenotype and their genetic basis, especially for fruit shape and ground color, is largely unknown. We used the FruitPhenoBox to digitally phenotype 525 genotypes of the apple reference population (apple REFPOP) genotyped for 303,148 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. From the apple images, 573 highly heritable features describing fruit shape and size as well as 17 highly heritable features for fruit skin color were extracted to explore genotype-phenotype relationships. Out of these features, seven principal components (PCs) and 16 features with the Pearson's correlation r < 0.75 (selected features) were chosen to carry out genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for fruit shape and size. Four PCs and eight selected features were used in GWAS for fruit skin color. In total, 69 SNPs scattered over all 17 apple chromosomes were significantly associated with round, conical, cylindrical, or symmetric fruit shapes and fruit size. Novel associations with major effect on round or conical fruit shapes and fruit size were identified on chromosomes 1 and 2. Additionally, 16 SNPs associated with PCs and selected features related to red overcolor as well as green and yellow ground color were found on eight chromosomes. The identified associations can be used to advance marker-assisted selection in apple fruit breeding to systematically select for desired fruit appearance.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsFruitPhenoBoxを用いた画像ベースのデジタル表現型解析が、525遺伝子型から果実形状・サイズ・色の特徴を抽出する中心的方法として明示されている。

abstractWe used the FruitPhenoBox to digitally phenotype 525 genotypes of the apple reference population (apple REFPOP)

Toward Real Scenery: A Lightweight Tomato Growth Inspection Algorithm for Leaf Disease Detection and Fruit Counting. →

The deployment of intelligent surveillance systems to monitor tomato plant growth poses substantial challenges due to the dynamic nature of disease patterns and the complexity of environmental conditions such as background and lighting. In this study, an integrated cascade framework that synergizes detectors and trackers was introduced for the simultaneous identification of tomato leaf diseases and fruit counting. We applied an autonomous robot with smartphone camera to collect images for leaf disease and fruits in greenhouses. Further, we improved the deep learning network YOLO-TGI by incorporating Ghost and CBAM modules, which was trained and tested in conjunction with premier lightweight detection models like YOLOX and NanoDet in evaluating leaf health conditions. For the cascading with various base detectors, we integrated state-of-the-art trackers such as Byte-Track, Motpy, and FairMot to enable fruit counting in video streams. Experimental results indicated that the combination of YOLO-TGI and Byte-Track achieved the most robust performance. Particularly, YOLO-TGI-N emerged as the model with the least computational demands, registering the lowest FLOPs at 2.05 G and checkpoint weights at 3.7 M, while still maintaining a mAP of 0.72 for leaf disease detection. Regarding the fruit counting, the combination of YOLO-TGI-S and Byte-Track achieved the best R 2 of 0.93 and the lowest RMSE of 9.17, boasting an inference speed that doubles that of the YOLOX series, and is 2.5 times faster than the NanoDet series. The developed network framework is a potential solution for researchers facilitating the deployment of similar surveillance models for a broad spectrum of fruit and vegetable crops.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトマト葉の病害状態と果実数という植物形質を、ロボット撮影画像から検出・計数する深層学習および追跡フレームワークを開発・評価しており、表現型取得手法が中心である。

abstractan integrated cascade framework that synergizes detectors and trackers was introduced for the simultaneous identification of tomato leaf diseases and fruit counting.

Image Filtering to Improve Maize Tassel Detection Accuracy Using Machine Learning Algorithms. →

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based imagery has become widely used to collect time-series agronomic data, which are then incorporated into plant breeding programs to enhance crop improvements. To make efficient analysis possible, in this study, by leveraging an aerial photography dataset for a field trial of 233 different inbred lines from the maize diversity panel, we developed machine learning methods for obtaining automated tassel counts at the plot level. We employed both an object-based counting-by-detection (CBD) approach and a density-based counting-by-regression (CBR) approach. Using an image segmentation method that removes most of the pixels not associated with the plant tassels, the results showed a dramatic improvement in the accuracy of object-based (CBD) detection, with the cross-validation prediction accuracy ( r 2 ) peaking at 0.7033 on a detector trained with images with a filter threshold of 90. The CBR approach showed the greatest accuracy when using unfiltered images, with a mean absolute error (MAE) of 7.99. However, when using bootstrapping, images filtered at a threshold of 90 showed a slightly better MAE (8.65) than the unfiltered images (8.90). These methods will allow for accurate estimates of flowering-related traits and help to make breeding decisions for crop improvement.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシ雄穂を画像から自動計数し、画像セグメンテーションと2種類の機械学習手法の精度を検証する研究であり、植物表現型取得法が中心である。

abstractwe developed machine learning methods for obtaining automated tassel counts at the plot level.

Seed shape and size of Silene latifolia , differences between sexes, and influence of the parental genome in hybrids with Silene dioica . →

Introduction Plants undergo various natural changes that dramatically modify their genomes. One is polyploidization and the second is hybridization. Both are regarded as key factors in plant evolution and result in phenotypic differences in different plant organs. In Silene , we can find both examples in nature, and this genus has a seed shape diversity that has long been recognized as a valuable source of information for infrageneric classification. Methods Morphometric analysis is a statistical study of shape and size and their covariations with other variables. Traditionally, seed shape description was limited to an approximate comparison with geometric figures (rounded, globular, reniform, or heart-shaped). Seed shape quantification has been based on direct measurements, such as area, perimeter, length, and width, narrowing statistical analysis. We used seed images and processed them to obtain silhouettes. We performed geometric morphometric analyses, such as similarity to geometric models and elliptic Fourier analysis, to study the hybrid offspring of S. latifolia and S. dioica . Results We generated synthetic tetraploids of Silene latifolia and performed controlled crosses between diploid S. latifolia and Silene dioica to analyze seed morphology. After imaging capture and post-processing, statistical analysis revealed differences in seed size, but not in shape, between S. latifolia diploids and tetraploids, as well as some differences in shape among the parentals and hybrids. A detailed inspection using fluorescence microscopy allowed for the identification of shape differences in the cells of the seed coat. In the case of hybrids, differences were found in circularity and solidity. Overal seed shape is maternally regulated for both species, whereas cell shape cannot be associated with any of the sexes. Discussion Our results provide additional tools useful for the combination of morphology with genetics, ecology or taxonomy. Seed shape is a robust indicator that can be used as a complementary tool for the genetic and phylogenetic analyses of Silene hybrid populations.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods種子画像を処理し、幾何学的形態計測と楕円フーリエ解析で種子形状・サイズを定量化する手法が研究の中心であり、植物器官の形態表現型を抽出している。

abstractWe used seed images and processed them to obtain silhouettes. We performed geometric morphometric analyses, such as similarity to geometric models and elliptic Fourier analysis, to study the hybrid offspring of S. latifolia and S. dioica .

Maturity Recognition and Fruit Counting for Sweet Peppers in Greenhouses Using Deep Learning Neural Networks →

This study presents an approach to address the challenges of recognizing the maturity stage and counting sweet peppers of varying colors (green, yellow, orange, and red) within greenhouse environments. The methodology leverages the YOLOv5 model for real-time object detection, classification, and localization, coupled with the DeepSORT algorithm for efficient tracking. The system was successfully implemented to monitor sweet pepper production, and some challenges related to this environment, namely occlusions and the presence of leaves and branches, were effectively overcome. We evaluated our algorithm using real-world data collected in a sweet pepper greenhouse. A dataset comprising 1863 images was meticulously compiled to enhance the study, incorporating diverse sweet pepper varieties and maturity levels. Additionally, the study emphasized the role of confidence levels in object recognition, achieving a confidence level of 0.973. Furthermore, the DeepSORT algorithm was successfully applied for counting sweet peppers, demonstrating an accuracy level of 85.7% in two simulated environments under challenging conditions, such as varied lighting and inaccuracies in maturity level assessment.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods深層学習による果実の成熟段階認識と計数が研究の中心であり、植物器官の状態（成熟度）を画像から抽出・評価しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法として含める。

abstractThis study presents an approach to address the challenges of recognizing the maturity stage and counting sweet peppers of varying colors

Using high-throughput phenotype platform MVS-Pheno to reconstruct the 3D morphological structure of wheat →

Abstract It is of great significance to study the plant morphological structure for improving crop yield and achieving efficient use of resources. Three dimensional (3D) information can more accurately describe the morphological and structural characteristics of crop plants. Automatic acquisition of 3D information is one of the key steps in plant morphological structure research. Taking wheat as the research object, we propose a point cloud data-driven 3D reconstruction method that achieves 3D structure reconstruction and plant morphology parameterization at the phytomer scale. Specifically, we use the MVS-Pheno platform to reconstruct the point cloud of wheat plants and segment organs through the deep learning algorithm. On this basis, we automatically reconstructed the 3D structure of leaves and tillers and extracted the morphological parameters of wheat. The results show that the semantic segmentation accuracy of organs is 95.2%, and the instance segmentation accuracy AP50 is 0.665. The R2 values for extracted leaf length, leaf width, leaf attachment height, stem leaf angle, tiller length, and spike length were 0.97, 0.80, 1.00, 0.95, 0.99, and 0.95, respectively. This method can significantly improve the accuracy and efficiency of 3D morphological analysis of wheat plants, providing strong technical support for research in fields such as agricultural production optimization and genetic breeding.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦の3D形態情報をMVS-Phenoと点群・深層学習で取得し、器官分割、形態パラメータ抽出、精度評価を行う手法研究であり、フェノタイピング手法が中心です。

abstractwe propose a point cloud data-driven 3D reconstruction method that achieves 3D structure reconstruction and plant morphology parameterization at the phytomer scale.

A novel non-destructive detection approach for seed cotton lint percentage by using deep learning →

Abstract Background The lint percentage of seed cotton is one the most important parameters in evaluation the seed cotton quality, which affects the price of the seed cotton during the purchase and sale. The traditional method of measuring lint percentage is labor-intensive and time-consuming, and thus there is a need for an efficient and accurate method. In recent years, classification-based machine learning and computer vision have shown promise in solving various classification tasks. Results In this study, we propose a new approach for detecting lint percentage using MobileNetV2 and transfer learning. The model is deployed on the Lint Percentage detection instrument, which can rapidly and accurately determine the lint percentage of seed cotton. We evaluated the performance of the proposed approach using a dataset of 66924 seed cotton images from different regions of China. The results from the experiments showed that the model achieved an average accuracy of 98.43% in classification with an average precision of 94.97%, an average recall of 95.26%, and an average F1-score of 95.20%. Furthermore, the proposed classification model also achieved an average ac-curacy of 97.22% in calculating the lint percentage, showing no significant difference from the performance of experts (independent-samples t test, t = 0.019, p = 0.860). Conclusions This study demonstrates the effectiveness of the MobileNetV2 model and transfer learning in calculating the lint percentage of seed cotton. The proposed approach is a promising alternative to the traditional method, offering a rapid and accurate solution for the industry.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods種子綿のリント率という植物器官・収量関連形質を、画像と深層学習で非破壊推定する手法を開発し、専門家およびデータセットで性能評価しており、表現型取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe propose a new approach for detecting lint percentage using MobileNetV2 and transfer learning.

AmodalAppleSize_RGB-D dataset: RGB-D images of apple trees annotated with modal and amodal segmentation masks for fruit detection, visibility and size estimation. →

The present dataset comprises a collection of RGB-D apple tree images that can be used to train and test computer vision-based fruit detection and sizing methods. This dataset encompasses two distinct sets of data obtained from a Fuji and an Elstar apple orchards. The Fuji apple orchard sub-set consists of 3925 RGB-D images containing a total of 15,335 apples annotated with both modal and amodal apple segmentation masks. Modal masks denote the visible portions of the apples, whereas amodal masks encompass both visible and occluded apple regions. Notably, this dataset is the first public resource to incorporate on-tree fruit amodal masks. This pioneering inclusion addresses a critical gap in existing datasets, enabling the development of robust automatic fruit sizing methods and accurate fruit visibility estimation, particularly in the presence of partial occlusions. Besides the fruit segmentation masks, the dataset also includes the fruit size (calliper) ground truth for each annotated apple. The second sub-set comprises 2731 RGB-D images capturing five Elstar apple trees at four distinct growth stages. This sub-set includes mean diameter information for each tree at every growth stage and serves as a valuable resource for evaluating fruit sizing methods trained with the first sub-set. The present data was employed in the research paper titled "Looking behind occlusions: a study on amodal segmentation for robust on-tree apple fruit size estimation" [1].

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリンゴ果実のRGB-D画像、アノテーション、サイズ正解値を含む公開データセットで、果実サイズ推定法の開発・評価を直接支援するため、植物フェノタイピング手法のデータ資源として中心的です。

abstractenabling the development of robust automatic fruit sizing methods and accurate fruit visibility estimation

Coffee and cashew nut dataset: A dataset for detection, classification, and yield estimation for machine learning applications. →

Conventional methods of crop yield estimation are costly, inefficient, and prone to error resulting in poor yield estimates. This affects the ability of farmers to appropriately plan and manage their crop production pipelines and market processes. There is therefore a need to develop automated methods of crop yield estimation. However, the development of accurate machine-learning methods for crop yield estimation depends on the availability of appropriate datasets. There is a lack of such datasets, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. We present curated image datasets of coffee and cashew nuts acquired in Uganda during two crop harvest seasons. The datasets were collected over nine months, from September 2022 to May 2023. The data was collected using a high-resolution camera mounted on an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle . The datasets contain 3000 coffee and 3086 cashew nut images, constituting 6086 images. Annotated objects of interest in the coffee dataset consist of five classes namely: unripe, ripening, ripe, spoilt, and coffee_tree. Annotated objects of interest in the cashew nut dataset consist of six classes namely: tree, flower, premature, unripe, ripe, and spoilt. The datasets may be used for various machine-learning tasks including flowering intensity estimation, fruit maturity stage analysis, disease diagnosis, crop variety identification, and yield estimation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsコーヒーとカシューナッツの画像データセットを構築し、開花強度、成熟段階、収量などの植物形質・状態推定に利用する方法基盤を提供しており、表現型取得用データセットが研究の中心である。

abstractWe present curated image datasets of coffee and cashew nuts acquired in Uganda during two crop harvest seasons.

SpykProps: an imaging pipeline to quantify architecture in unilateral grass inflorescences. →

Background Inflorescence properties such length, spikelet number, and their spatial distribution across the rachis, are fundamental indicators of seed productivity in grasses and have been a target of selection throughout domestication and crop improvement. However, quantifying such complex morphology is laborious, time-consuming, and commonly limited to human-perceived traits. These limitations can be exacerbated by unfavorable trait correlations between inflorescence architecture and seed yield that can be unconsciously selected for. Computer vision offers an alternative to conventional phenotyping, enabling higher throughput and reducing subjectivity. These approaches provide valuable insights into the determinants of seed yield, and thus, aid breeding decisions. Results Here, we described SpykProps, an inexpensive Python-based imaging system to quantify morphological properties in unilateral inflorescences, that was developed and tested on images of perennial grass (Lolium perenne L.) spikes. SpykProps is able to rapidly and accurately identify spikes (RMSE 2 = 0.96), and number of spikelets (R 2 = 0.61). It also quantifies color and shape from hundreds of interacting descriptors that are accurate predictors of architectural and agronomic traits such as seed yield potential (R 2 = 0.94), rachis weight (R 2 = 0.83), and seed shattering (R 2 = 0.85). Conclusions SpykProps is an open-source platform to characterize inflorescence architecture in a wide range of grasses. This imaging tool generates conventional and latent traits that can be used to better characterize developmental and agronomic traits associated with inflorescence architecture, and has applications in fields that include breeding, physiology, evolution, and development biology.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ科花序の形態を画像から定量化するPythonベースの表現型解析パイプラインを開発・検証しており、植物表現型の取得・抽出が研究の中心である。

abstractHere, we described SpykProps, an inexpensive Python-based imaging system to quantify morphological properties in unilateral inflorescences

An annotated grain kernel image database for visual quality inspection. →

We present a machine vision-based database named GrainSet for the purpose of visual quality inspection of grain kernels. The database contains more than 350K single-kernel images with experts' annotations. The grain kernels used in the study consist of four types of cereal grains including wheat, maize, sorghum and rice, and were collected from over 20 regions in 5 countries. The surface information of each kernel is captured by our custom-built device equipped with high-resolution optic sensor units, and corresponding sampling information and annotations include collection location and time, morphology, physical size, weight, and Damage & Unsound grain categories provided by senior inspectors. In addition, we employed a commonly used deep learning model to provide classification results as a benchmark. We believe that our GrainSet will facilitate future research in fields such as assisting inspectors in grain quality inspections, providing guidance for grain storage and trade, and contributing to applications of smart agriculture.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods穀粒画像と形態・サイズ・重量・損傷状態の注釈を大規模に整備した再利用可能なデータセットで、カスタム撮像装置とベンチマーク分類も含むため、植物器官の表現型取得・解析が中心です。

abstractWe present a machine vision-based database named GrainSet for the purpose of visual quality inspection of grain kernels.

GenoDrawing: An Autoencoder Framework for Image Prediction from SNP Markers →

Advancements in genome sequencing have facilitated whole-genome characterization of numerous plant species, providing an abundance of genotypic data for genomic analysis. Genomic selection and neural networks (NNs), particularly deep learning, have been developed to predict complex traits from dense genotypic data. Autoencoders, an NN model to extract features from images in an unsupervised manner, has proven to be useful for plant phenotyping. This study introduces an autoencoder framework, GenoDrawing, for predicting and retrieving apple images from a low-depth single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array, potentially useful in predicting traits that are difficult to define. GenoDrawing demonstrates proficiency in its task using a small dataset of shape-related SNPs. Results indicate that the use of SNPs associated with visual traits has substantial impact on the generated images, consistent with biological interpretation. While using substantial SNPs is crucial, incorporating additional, unrelated SNPs results in performance degradation for simple NN architectures that cannot easily identify the most important inputs. The proposed GenoDrawing method is a practical framework for exploring genomic prediction in fruit tree phenotyping, particularly beneficial for small to medium breeding companies to predict economically substantial heritable traits. Although GenoDrawing has limitations, it sets the groundwork for future research in image prediction from genomic markers. Future studies should focus on using stronger models for image reproduction, SNP information extraction, and dataset balance in terms of phenotypes for more precise outcomes.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsSNPからリンゴ画像を予測・再構成するGenoDrawingフレームワークを提案しており、果樹の視覚形質を推定する計算手法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study introduces an autoencoder framework, GenoDrawing, for predicting and retrieving apple images from a low-depth single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array

Detection and characterization of spike architecture based on deep learning and X-ray computed tomography in barley. →

BACKGROUND: Spike is the grain-bearing organ in cereal crops, which is a key proxy indicator determining the grain yield and quality. Machine learning methods for image analysis of spike-related phenotypic traits not only hold the promise for high-throughput estimating grain production and quality, but also lay the foundation for better dissection of the genetic basis for spike development. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is one of the most important crops globally, ranking as the fourth largest cereal crop in terms of cultivated area and total yield. However, image analysis of spike-related traits in barley, especially based on CT-scanning, remains elusive at present. RESULTS: In this study, we developed a non-invasive, high-throughput approach to quantitatively measuring the multitude of spike architectural traits in barley through combining X-ray computed tomography (CT) and a deep learning model (UNet). Firstly, the spikes of 11 barley accessions, including 2 wild barley, 3 landraces and 6 cultivars were used for X-ray CT scanning to obtain the tomographic images. And then, an optimized 3D image processing method was used to point cloud data to generate the 3D point cloud images of spike, namely 'virtual' spike, which is then used to investigate internal structures and morphological traits of barley spikes. Furthermore, the virtual spike-related traits, such as spike length, grain number per spike, grain volume, grain surface area, grain length and grain width as well as grain thickness were efficiently and non-destructively quantified. The virtual values of these traits were highly consistent with the actual value using manual measurement, demonstrating the accuracy and reliability of the developed model. The reconstruction process took 15 min approximately, 10 min for CT scanning and 5 min for imaging and features extraction, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides an efficient, non-invasive and useful tool for dissecting barley spike architecture, which will contribute to high-throughput phenotyping and breeding for high yield in barley and other crops.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsX線CT、深層学習、3D画像処理を組み合わせ、オオムギ穂の形態・構造形質を定量化する高スループット表現型計測法を開発し、手動測定で検証しているため。

abstractwe developed a non-invasive, high-throughput approach to quantitatively measuring the multitude of spike architectural traits in barley through combining X-ray computed tomography (CT) and a deep learning model (UNet).

Panicle-Cloud: An Open and AI-Powered Cloud Computing Platform for Quantifying Rice Panicles from Drone-Collected Imagery to Enable the Classification of Yield Production in Rice. →

Rice ( Oryza sativa ) is an essential stable food for many rice consumption nations in the world and, thus, the importance to improve its yield production under global climate changes. To evaluate different rice varieties' yield performance, key yield-related traits such as panicle number per unit area (PNpM 2 ) are key indicators, which have attracted much attention by many plant research groups. Nevertheless, it is still challenging to conduct large-scale screening of rice panicles to quantify the PNpM 2 trait due to complex field conditions, a large variation of rice cultivars, and their panicle morphological features. Here, we present Panicle-Cloud, an open and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered cloud computing platform that is capable of quantifying rice panicles from drone-collected imagery. To facilitate the development of AI-powered detection models, we first established an open diverse rice panicle detection dataset that was annotated by a group of rice specialists; then, we integrated several state-of-the-art deep learning models (including a preferred model called Panicle-AI) into the Panicle-Cloud platform, so that nonexpert users could select a pretrained model to detect rice panicles from their own aerial images. We trialed the AI models with images collected at different attitudes and growth stages, through which the right timing and preferred image resolutions for phenotyping rice panicles in the field were identified. Then, we applied the platform in a 2-season rice breeding trial to valid its biological relevance and classified yield production using the platform-derived PNpM 2 trait from hundreds of rice varieties. Through correlation analysis between computational analysis and manual scoring, we found that the platform could quantify the PNpM 2 trait reliably, based on which yield production was classified with high accuracy. Hence, we trust that our work demonstrates a valuable advance in phenotyping the PNpM 2 trait in rice, which provides a useful toolkit to enable rice breeders to screen and select desired rice varieties under field conditions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ穂数という植物形質をドローン画像から定量化するAIプラットフォーム、データセット、検出モデルを開発・検証しており、表現型取得手法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe present Panicle-Cloud, an open and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered cloud computing platform that is capable of quantifying rice panicles from drone-collected imagery.

An extensive real-world in field tomato image dataset involving maturity classification and recognition of fresh and defect tomatoes. →

Tomato, a fruiting plant species within the Solanaceae family, is a widely used ingredient in culinary dishes due to its sweet and acidic flavor profile, as well as its rich nutritional content. Recognized for its potential health benefits, including reducing the risk of coronary artery disease and specific types of cancer, tomatoes have become a staple in global cuisine. Traditional methods for tomato maturity assessment, harvesting, quality grading, and packaging are often labor-intensive and economically inefficient. This paper introduces an extensive dataset of high-resolution tomato images collected over an eight-month period from the demonstration fields of Sher-E-Bangla Agricultural University in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in collaboration with plant breeding experts of the same university. The dataset was meticulously curated to ensure precision and consistency, encompassing various stages of tomato maturity, including images of both fresh and defective tomatoes. This dataset is a valuable resource for researchers, stakeholders, and individuals interested in tomato production in Bangladesh, providing a robust foundation for leveraging computer vision and deep learning techniques in the agriculture sector. The dataset's potential applications extend to automating tasks such as robotic harvesting, quality assessment, and packaging systems, ultimately enhancing the efficiency of tomato production processes.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトマト果実の成熟段階と欠陥を対象とする大規模画像データセットを構築しており、植物状態の画像ベース評価が研究の中心です。

abstractThis paper introduces an extensive dataset of high-resolution tomato images

Size measurement and filled/unfilled detection of rice grains using backlight image processing. →

Measurements of rice physical traits, such as length, width, and percentage of filled/unfilled grains, are essential steps of rice breeding. A new approach for measuring the physical traits of rice grains for breeding purposes was presented in this study, utilizing image processing techniques. Backlight photography was used to capture a grayscale image of a group of rice grains, which was then analyzed using a clustering algorithm to differentiate between filled and unfilled grains based on their grayscale values. The impact of backlight intensity on the accuracy of the method was also investigated. The results show that the proposed method has excellent accuracy and high efficiency. The mean absolute percentage error of the method was 0.24% and 1.36% in calculating the total number of grain particles and distinguishing the number of filled grains, respectively. The grain size was also measured with a little margin of error. The mean absolute percentage error of grain length measurement was 1.11%, while the measurement error of grain width was 4.03%. The method was found to be highly accurate, non-destructive, and cost-effective when compared to conventional methods, making it a promising approach for characterizing physical traits for crop breeding.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ籾の長さ・幅・充実度を画像処理で測定する方法を開発し、精度とバックライト条件の影響を検証しており、植物表現型取得が中心です。

abstractA new approach for measuring the physical traits of rice grains for breeding purposes was presented in this study, utilizing image processing techniques.

ShinyFruit: interactive fruit phenotyping software and its application in blackberry →

Introduction: Horticultural plant breeding programs often demand large volumes of phenotypic data to capture visual variation in quality of harvested products. Increasing the throughput potential of phenomic pipelines enables breeders to consider data-hungry molecular breeding strategies such as genome-wide association studies and genomic selection. Methods: We present an R-based web application called ShinyFruit for image-based phenotyping of size, shape, and color-related qualities in fruits and vegetables. Here, we have demonstrated one potential application for ShinyFruit by comparing its estimates of fruit length, width, and red drupelet reversion (RDR) with ImageJ and analogous manual phenotyping techniques in a population of blackberry cultivars and breeding selections from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Fruit Breeding Program. Results: = 0.62 - 0.70). Neither phenotyping method detected genotypic differences in blackberry fruit width, suggesting that this trait is unlikely to be heritable in the population observed. Discussion: It is likely that implementing a treatment to promote RDR expression in future studies might strengthen the documented correlation between phenotyping methods by maximizing genotypic variance. Even so, our analysis has suggested that ShinyFruit provides a viable, open-source solution to efficient phenotyping of size and color in blackberry fruit. The ability for users to adjust analysis settings should also extend its utility to a wide range of fruits and vegetables.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsShinyFruitは果実のサイズ・形状・色を画像から推定するソフトウェアであり、ImageJおよび手動測定との比較検証も行っているため、植物表現型取得法が中心である。

abstractWe present an R-based web application called ShinyFruit for image-based phenotyping of size, shape, and color-related qualities in fruits and vegetables.

High-throughput and separating-free phenotyping method for on-panicle rice grains based on deep learning →

Rice is a vital food crop that feeds most of the global population. Cultivating high-yielding and superior-quality rice varieties has always been a critical research direction. Rice grain-related traits can be used as crucial phenotypic evidence to assess yield potential and quality. However, the analysis of rice grain traits is still mainly based on manual counting or various seed evaluation devices, which incur high costs in time and money. This study proposed a high-precision phenotyping method for rice panicles based on visible light scanning imaging and deep learning technology, which can achieve high-throughput extraction of critical traits of rice panicles without separating and threshing rice panicles. The imaging of rice panicles was realized through visible light scanning. The grains were detected and segmented using the Faster R-CNN-based model, and an improved Pix2Pix model cascaded with it was used to compensate for the information loss caused by the natural occlusion between the rice grains. An image processing pipeline was designed to calculate fifteen phenotypic traits of the on-panicle rice grains. Eight varieties of rice were used to verify the reliability of this method. The R 2 values between the extraction by the method and manual measurements of the grain number, grain length, grain width, grain length/width ratio and grain perimeter were 0.99, 0.96, 0.83, 0.90 and 0.84, respectively. Their mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) values were 1.65%, 7.15%, 5.76%, 9.13% and 6.51%. The average imaging time of each rice panicle was about 60 seconds, and the total time of data processing and phenotyping traits extraction was less than 10 seconds. By randomly selecting one thousand grains from each of the eight varieties and analyzing traits, it was found that there were certain differences between varieties in the number distribution of thousand-grain length, thousand-grain width, and thousand-grain length/width ratio. The results show that this method is suitable for high-throughput, non-destructive, and high-precision extraction of on-panicle grains traits without separating. Low cost and robust performance make it easy to popularize. The research results will provide new ideas and methods for extracting panicle traits of rice and other crops.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ穂上粒の形態形質を画像・深層学習で抽出する手法を開発し、手動測定との比較で検証しており、表現型取得が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study proposed a high-precision phenotyping method for rice panicles based on visible light scanning imaging and deep learning technology

Image-based phenotyping of seed architectural traits and prediction of seed weight using machine learning models in soybean →

Among seed attributes, weight is one of the main factors determining the soybean harvest index. Recently, the focus of soybean breeding has shifted to improving seed size and weight for crop optimization in terms of seed and oil yield. With recent technological advancements, there is an increasing application of imaging sensors that provide simple, real-time, non-destructive, and inexpensive image data for rapid image-based prediction of seed traits in plant breeding programs. The present work is related to digital image analysis of seed traits for the prediction of hundred-seed weight (HSW) in soybean. The image-based seed architectural traits (i-traits) measured were area size (AS), perimeter length (PL), length (L), width (W), length-to-width ratio (LWR), intersection of length and width (IS), seed circularity (CS), and distance between IS and CG (DS). The phenotypic investigation revealed significant genetic variability among 164 soybean genotypes for both i-traits and manually measured seed weight. Seven popular machine learning (ML) algorithms, namely Simple Linear Regression (SLR), Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Regression (SVR), LASSO Regression (LR), Ridge Regression (RR), and Elastic Net Regression (EN), were used to create models that can predict the weight of soybean seeds based on the image-based novel features derived from the Red-Green-Blue (RGB)/visual image. Among the models, random forest and multiple linear regression models that use multiple explanatory variables related to seed size traits (AS, L, W, and DS) were identified as the best models for predicting seed weight with the highest prediction accuracy (coefficient of determination, R 2= 0.98 and 0.94, respectively) and the lowest prediction error, i.e., root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). Finally, principal components analysis (PCA) and a hierarchical clustering approach were used to identify IC538070 as a superior genotype with a larger seed size and weight. The identified donors/traits can potentially be used in soybean improvement programs

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB画像から種子形態形質を抽出し、機械学習で種子重量を予測する画像ベース表現型解析が研究の中心である。

abstractThe present work is related to digital image analysis of seed traits for the prediction of hundred-seed weight (HSW) in soybean.

Drone-Based Harvest Data Prediction Can Reduce On-Farm Food Loss and Improve Farmer Income. →

On-farm food loss (i.e., grade-out vegetables) is a difficult challenge in sustainable agricultural systems. The simplest method to reduce the number of grade-out vegetables is to monitor and predict the size of all individuals in the vegetable field and determine the optimal harvest date with the smallest grade-out number and highest profit, which is not cost-effective by conventional methods. Here, we developed a full pipeline to accurately estimate and predict every broccoli head size ( n > 3,000) automatically and nondestructively using drone remote sensing and image analysis. The individual sizes were fed to the temperature-based growth model and predicted the optimal harvesting date. Two years of field experiments revealed that our pipeline successfully estimated and predicted the head size of all broccolis with high accuracy. We also found that a deviation of only 1 to 2 days from the optimal date can considerably increase grade-out and reduce farmer's profits. This is an unequivocal demonstration of the utility of these approaches to economic crop optimization and minimization of food losses.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsドローンリモートセンシングと画像解析により、個々のブロッコリー頭部サイズを自動・非破壊推定するパイプラインを開発・検証しており、植物形質取得が中心的です。

abstractwe developed a full pipeline to accurately estimate and predict every broccoli head size ( n > 3,000) automatically and nondestructively using drone remote sensing and image analysis.

Simultaneous fruit detection and size estimation using multitask deep neural networks →

The measurement of fruit size is of great interest to estimate the yield and predict the harvest resources in advance. This work proposes a novel technique for in-field apple detection and measurement based on Deep Neural Networks. The proposed framework was trained with RGB-D data and consists of an end-to-end multitask Deep Neural Network architecture specifically designed to perform the following tasks: 1) detection and segmentation of each fruit from its surroundings; 2) estimation of the diameter of each detected fruit. The methodology was tested with a total of 15,335 annotated apples at different growth stages, with diameters varying from 27 mm to 95 mm. Fruit detection results reported an F1-score for apple detection of 0.88 and a mean absolute error of diameter estimation of 5.64 mm. These are state-of-the-art results with the additional advantages of: a) using an end-to-end multitask trainable network; b) an efficient and fast inference speed; and c) being based on RGB-D data which can be acquired with affordable depth cameras. On the contrary, the main disadvantage is the need of annotating a large amount of data with fruit masks and diameter ground truth to train the model. Finally, a fruit visibility analysis showed an improvement in the prediction when limiting the measurement to apples above 65% of visibility (mean absolute error of 5.09 mm). This suggests that future works should develop a method for automatically identifying the most visible apples and discard the prediction of highly occluded fruits.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB-D画像と深層学習を用いて果実の検出・セグメンテーションおよび直径推定法を開発し、アノテーションデータで性能評価しているため、果実形質の取得手法が中心である。

abstractThis work proposes a novel technique for in-field apple detection and measurement based on Deep Neural Networks.

The genetic basis of apple shape and size unraveled by digital phenotyping →

Abstract Great diversity of shape, size, and skin color is observed among the fruits of different apple genotypes. These traits are critical for consumers and therefore interesting targets for breeding new apple varieties. However, they are difficult to phenotype and their genetic basis, especially for fruit shape and ground color, is largely unknown. We used the fruit FruitPhenoBox to digitally phenotype 506 genotypes of the apple reference population (apple REFPOP) genotyped for 303,148 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. From the apple images, 573 highly heritable features describing fruit shape and size as well as 17 highly heritable features for fruit skin color were extracted to explore genotype-phenotype relationships. Out of these features, nine and four principal components (PCs) as well as 16 and eight uncorrelated features were chosen to carry out genome-wide association studies for fruit shape, size, and fruit skin color, respectively. In total, 69 SNPs scattered over all 17 apple chromosomes were significantly associated with round, conical, cylindrical, or symmetric fruit shapes and fruit size. Novel associations with major effect on round or conical fruit shapes and fruit size were identified on chromosomes 1 and 2. Additionally, 16 SNPs associated with PCs and uncorrelated features related to red over color as well as green and yellow ground color were found on eight chromosomes. The identified associations can be used to advance marker-assisted selection in apple fruit breeding to systematically select for desired fruit appearance.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsFruitPhenoBoxを用いた画像ベースのデジタル表現型計測が研究の中心で、リンゴ果実の形状・サイズ・色の特徴抽出を大規模に実施しているため、表現型手法の実質的応用に該当する。

abstractWe used the fruit FruitPhenoBox to digitally phenotype 506 genotypes of the apple reference population (apple REFPOP)

WheatSpikeNet: an improved wheat spike segmentation model for accurate estimation from field imaging. →

Phenotyping is used in plant breeding to identify genotypes with desirable characteristics, such as drought tolerance, disease resistance, and high-yield potentials. It may also be used to evaluate the effect of environmental circumstances, such as drought, heat, and salt, on plant growth and development. Wheat spike density measure is one of the most important agronomic factors relating to wheat phenotyping. Nonetheless, due to the diversity of wheat field environments, fast and accurate identification for counting wheat spikes remains one of the challenges. This study proposes a meticulously curated and annotated dataset, named as SPIKE-segm, taken from the publicly accessible SPIKE dataset, and an optimal instance segmentation approach named as WheatSpikeNet for segmenting and counting wheat spikes from field imagery. The proposed method is based on the well-known Cascade Mask RCNN architecture with model enhancements and hyperparameter tuning to provide state-of-the-art detection and segmentation performance. A comprehensive ablation analysis incorporating many architectural components of the model was performed to determine the most efficient version. In addition, the model's hyperparameters were fine-tuned by conducting several empirical tests. ResNet50 with Deformable Convolution Network (DCN) as the backbone architecture for feature extraction, Generic RoI Extractor (GRoIE) for RoI pooling, and Side Aware Boundary Localization (SABL) for wheat spike localization comprises the final instance segmentation model. With bbox and mask mean average precision (mAP) scores of 0.9303 and 0.9416, respectively, on the test set, the proposed model achieved superior performance on the challenging SPIKE datasets. Furthermore, in comparison with other existing state-of-the-art methods, the proposed model achieved up to a 0.41% improvement of mAP in spike detection and a significant improvement of 3.46% of mAP in the segmentation tasks that will lead us to an appropriate yield estimation from wheat plants.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦穂の圃場画像から穂をセグメンテーション・計数する画像解析手法と注釈付きデータセットを開発・評価しており、植物形質取得が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study proposes a meticulously curated and annotated dataset, named as SPIKE-segm, taken from the publicly accessible SPIKE dataset, and an optimal instance segmentation approach named as WheatSpikeNet for segmenting and counting wheat spikes from field imagery.

Assessment of clustering techniques to support the analyses of soybean seed vigor. →

Soy is the main product of Brazilian agriculture and the fourth most cultivated bean globally. Since soy cultivation tends to increase and due to this large market, the guarantee of product quality is an indispensable factor for enterprises to stay competitive. Industries perform vigor tests to acquire information and evaluate the quality of soy planting. The tetrazolium test, for example, provides information about moisture damage, bedbugs, or mechanical damage. However, the verification of the damage reason and its severity are done by an analyst, one by one. Since this is massive and exhausting work, it is susceptible to mistakes. Proposals involving different supervised learning approaches, including active learning strategies, have already been used, and have brought significant results. Therefore, this paper analyzes the performance of non-supervised techniques for classifying soybeans. An extensive experimental evaluation was performed, considering (9) different clustering algorithms (partitional, hierarchical, and density-based) applied to 5 image datasets of soybean seeds submitted to the tetrazolium test, including different damages and/or their levels. To describe those images, we considered 18 extractors of traditional features. We also considered four metrics (accuracy, FOWLKES, DAVIES, and CALINSKI) and two-dimensionality reduction techniques (principal component analysis and t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding) for validation. Results show that this paper presents essential contributions since it makes it possible to identify descriptors and clustering algorithms that shall be used as preprocessing in other learning processes, accelerating and improving the classification process of key agricultural problems.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods大豆種子画像から損傷とその程度を分類するため、複数のクラスタリング手法・特徴量・評価指標を比較検証しており、種子状態の表現・抽出手法が中心である。

titleAssessment of clustering techniques to support the analyses of soybean seed vigor.

SpykProps: An Imaging Pipeline to Quantify Architecture in Unilateral Grass Inflorescences →

Background: Inflorescence properties such length, spikelet number, and their spatial distribution across the rachis, are fundamental indicators of fitness and seed productivity in grasses, and have been a target of selection throughout domestication and crop improvement. However, quantifying such complex morphology is laborious, time-consuming, and commonly limited to human-perceived traits. These limitations can be exacerbated by unfavorable trait correlations between inflorescence architecture and seed yield that can be unconsciously selected for. Computer vision offers an alternative to conventional phenotyping, enabling higher throughput and reducing subjectivity. These approaches provide valuable insights into the determinants of seed yield, and thus, aid breeding decisions. Results Here, we described SpykProps, an inexpensive Python-based imaging system to quantify morphological properties in unilateral inflorescences, that was developed and tested on images of perennial grass ( Lolium perenne L.) spikes. SpykProps is able to rapidly and accurately identify spikes (RMSE < 1), estimate their length (R 2 = 0.96), and number of spikelets (R 2 = 0.61). It also quantifies color and shape from hundreds of interacting descriptors that are accurate predictors of architectural and agronomic traits such as seed yield potential (R 2 = 0.94), rachis weight (R 2 = 0.83), and seed shattering (R 2 = 0.85). Conclusions SpykProps is an open-source platform to characterize inflorescence architecture in a wide range of grasses. This imaging tool generates conventional and latent traits that can be used to better characterize developmental and agronomic traits associated with inflorescence architecture, and has applications in fields that include breeding, physiology, evolution, and development biology.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ科花序の形態形質を画像から抽出するPythonベースの画像解析システムを開発・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ある。

abstractHere, we described SpykProps, an inexpensive Python-based imaging system to quantify morphological properties in unilateral inflorescences

Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy Phenomic and Genomic Prediction of Maize Agronomic and Composition Traits Across Environments →

For nearly two decades, genomic selection has supported efforts to increase genetic gains in plant and animal improvement programs. However, novel phenomic strategies helping to predict complex traits in maize have proven beneficial when integrated into across– and within-environment genomic prediction models. One phenomic data modality is near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), which records reflectance values of biological samples (e.g., maize kernels) based on chemical composition. Predictions of seven maize agronomic traits and three kernel composition traits across two years (2011-2012) and two management conditions (water stressed and well-watered) were conducted using combinations of NIRS and genomic data within four different cross-validation prediction scenarios. In aggregate, models incorporating NIRS data alongside genomic data improved predictive ability over models using only genomic data in 5 of 28 trait/cross-validation scenarios for across-environment prediction and 15 of 28 trait/environment scenarios for within-environment prediction, while the model with NIRS data alone had the highest prediction ability in only 1 of 28 scenarios for within-environment prediction. Potential causes of the surprisingly lower phenomic than genomic prediction power in this study are discussed, including sample size, sample homogenization, and low G×E. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) implicated known (i.e., MADS69 , ZCN8, sh1, wx1, du1 ) and unknown candidate genes linked to plant height and flowering-related agronomic traits as well as compositional traits such as kernel protein and starch content. This study demonstrated that including NIRS with genomic markers is a viable method to predict multiple complex traits with improved predictive ability and elucidate underlying biological causes. Key message Genomic and NIRS data from a maize diversity panel were used for prediction of agronomic and kernel composition traits while uncovering candidate genes for kernel protein and starch content.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsNIRSを用いた植物試料の表現型推定と、ゲノム予測との比較検証が研究の中心であり、複数のトウモロコシ農業形質・種子組成形質を対象としているため。

abstractOne phenomic data modality is near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), which records reflectance values of biological samples (e.g., maize kernels) based on chemical composition.

CAM-YOLO: tomato detection and classification based on improved YOLOv5 using combining attention mechanism. →

Background One of the key elements in maintaining the consistent marketing of tomato fruit is tomato quality. Since ripeness is the most important factor for tomato quality in the viewpoint of consumers, determining the stages of tomato ripeness is a fundamental industrial concern with regard to tomato production to obtain a high quality product. Since tomatoes are one of the most important crops in the world, automatic ripeness evaluation of tomatoes is a significant study topic as it may prove beneficial in ensuring an optimal production of high-quality product, increasing profitability. This article explores and categorises the various maturity/ripeness phases to propose an automated multi-class classification approach for tomato ripeness testing and evaluation. Methods Object detection is the critical component in a wide variety of computer vision problems and applications such as manufacturing, agriculture, medicine, and autonomous driving. Due to the tomato fruits' complex identification background, texture disruption, and partial occlusion, the classic deep learning object detection approach (YOLO) has a poor rate of success in detecting tomato fruits. To figure out these issues, this article proposes an improved YOLOv5 tomato detection algorithm. The proposed algorithm CAM-YOLO uses YOLOv5 for feature extraction, target identification and Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM). The CBAM is added to the CAM-YOLO to focus the model on improving accuracy. Finally, non-maximum suppression and distance intersection over union (DIoU) are applied to enhance the identification of overlapping objects in the image. Results Several images from the dataset were chosen for testing to assess the model's performance, and the detection performance of the CAM-YOLO and standard YOLOv5 models under various conditions was compared. The experimental results affirms that CAM-YOLO algorithm is efficient in detecting the overlapped and small tomatoes with an average precision of 88.1%.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトマト果実の成熟度という植物器官の状態を画像から自動推定する改良YOLO手法を開発し、標準手法と性能比較しているため、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThis article explores and categorises the various maturity/ripeness phases to propose an automated multi-class classification approach for tomato ripeness testing and evaluation.

Data on three-year flowering intensity monitoring in an apple orchard: A collection of RGB images acquired from unmanned aerial vehicles. →

There is a growing body of literature that recognises the importance of UAVs in precision agriculture tasks. Currently, flowering thinning tasks in orchard management rely on the decisions derived from time-consuming manual flower cluster counting in the field by an agrotechnician. Yet it is hard to guarantee the counting accuracy due to numerous human factors. The present dataset contains UAV images during the full blooming period of an apple orchard for three consecutive years, 2018, 2019, and 2020. It is directly linked to a research article entitled "Feasibility assessment of tree-level flower intensity quantification from UAV RGB imagery: A triennial study in an apple orchard". The data collection site was an apple orchard located at Randwijk, Overbetuwe, The Netherlands (51.938, 5.7068 in WGS84 UTM 31U). Moreover, the flower cluster number and floridity ground truth are also provided in one row from the orchard. The UAV flights were conducted with different flying altitudes, camera resolutions, and lighting conditions. This dataset aims to support researchers focussing on remote sensing, machine vision, deep learning, and image classification, and the stakeholders interested in precision horticulture and orchard management. It can be used for flowering intensity estimation and prediction, and spatial and temporal flowering variability mapping by using digital photogrammetry and 3D reconstruction.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリンゴ樹の開花強度という植物形質をUAV RGB画像から推定するための3年間の画像・地上真値データセットであり、再利用可能なフェノタイピング基盤として中心的です。

abstractThe present dataset contains UAV images during the full blooming period of an apple orchard for three consecutive years, 2018, 2019, and 2020.

CropQuant-Air: an AI-powered system to enable phenotypic analysis of yield- and performance-related traits using wheat canopy imagery collected by low-cost drones. →

As one of the most consumed stable foods around the world, wheat plays a crucial role in ensuring global food security. The ability to quantify key yield components under complex field conditions can help breeders and researchers assess wheat’s yield performance effectively. Nevertheless, it is still challenging to conduct large-scale phenotyping to analyse canopy-level wheat spikes and relevant performance traits, in the field and in an automated manner. Here, we present CropQuant-Air, an AI-powered software system that combines state-of-the-art deep learning (DL) models and image processing algorithms to enable the detection of wheat spikes and phenotypic analysis using wheat canopy images acquired by low-cost drones. The system includes the YOLACT-Plot model for plot segmentation, an optimised YOLOv7 model for quantifying the spike number per m2(SNpM2) trait, and performance-related trait analysis using spectral and texture features at the canopy level. Besides using our labelled dataset for model training, we also employed the Global Wheat Head Detection dataset to incorporate varietal features into the DL models, facilitating us to perform reliable yield-based analysis from hundreds of varieties selected from main wheat production regions in China. Finally, we employed the SNpM2and performance traits to develop a yield classification model using the Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) ensemble and obtained significant positive correlations between the computational analysis results and manual scoring, indicating the reliability of CropQuant-Air. To ensure that our work could reach wider researchers, we created a graphical user interface for CropQuant-Air, so that non-expert users could readily use our work. We believe that our work represents valuable advances in yield-based field phenotyping and phenotypic analysis, providing useful and reliable toolkits to enable breeders, researchers, growers, and farmers to assess crop-yield performance in a cost-effective approach.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsドローン画像からコムギ穂数や収量関連形質を抽出・検証するAIソフトウェア／表現型解析システムが研究の中心であり、植物フェノタイピング手法に該当する。

abstractwe present CropQuant-Air, an AI-powered software system that combines state-of-the-art deep learning (DL) models and image processing algorithms to enable the detection of wheat spikes and phenotypic analysis using wheat canopy images acquired by low-cost drones.

Detection and characterization of spike architecture based on deep learning and X-ray computed tomography in barley →

Background: The cereal spike is the main harvested plant organ determining the grain yield and quality, and its dissection provides the basis to estimate yield- and quality-related traits, such as grain number per spike and kernel weight. Phenotypic detection of spike architecture has potential for genetic improvement of yield and quality. However, manual collection and analysis of phenotypic data is laborious, time-consuming, low-throughput and destructive. Results We used a barley model to develop a non-invasive, high-throughput approach through combining X-ray computed tomography (CT) and deep learning model (UNet) to phenotype spike architectural traits. We used an optimized 3D image processing methods by point cloud for analyzing internal structure and quantifying morphological traits of barley spikes. The volume and surface area of grains per spike can be determined efficiently, which is hard to be measured manually. The UNet model was trained based on two types of spikes (wheat cultivar D3 and two-row barley variety S17350), and the best model accurately predicted grain characteristics from CT images. The spikes of ten barley varieties were analyzed and classified into three categories, namely wild barley, barley cultivars and barley landraces. The results showed that modern cultivated barley has shorter but thicker grains with larger volume and higher yield compared to wild barley. The X-ray CT reconstruction and phenotype extraction pipeline needed only 5 minutes per spike for imaging and traits extracting. Conclusions The combination of X-ray CT scans and a deep learning model could be a useful tool in breeding for high yield in cereal crops, and optimized 3D image processing methods could be valuable means of phenotypic traits calculation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsX線CT、深層学習、3D画像処理を組み合わせ、オオムギ穂の内部形態・粒形質を非破壊かつ高スループットに抽出する手法を開発しており、フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心である。

abstractWe used a barley model to develop a non-invasive, high-throughput approach through combining X-ray computed tomography (CT) and deep learning model (UNet) to phenotype spike architectural traits.

CocoaMFDB: A dataset of cocoa pod maturity and families in an uncontrolled environment in Côte d'Ivoire. →

Cocoa cultivation is the basis for chocolate production; it has a unique aroma that makes it useful in the production of snacks and usable for cooking or baking. The maximum harvest period of cocoa is normally once or twice a year and spread over several months, depending on the country. Determining the best harvesting period for cocoa pods plays a major role in the export process and the pods quality. The degree of ripening of the pods affects the quality of the resulting beans. Also, unripe pods do not have enough sugar and may prevent proper bean fermentation. As for too-mature pods, they are usually dry, and their beans may germinate inside the pods, or they may develop a fungal disease and cannot be used. Computer-based determination of the ripeness of cocoa pods throughout image analysis could facilitate massive cocoa ripeness detection. Recent technological advances in computing power, communication systems, and machine learning techniques provide opportunities for agricultural engineering and computer scientists to meet the demands of the manual. The need for diverse and representative sets of pod images is essential for developing and testing automatic cocoa pod maturity detection systems. In this perspective, we collected images of cocoa pods to set up a database of cocoa pods of the Côte d'Ivoire named CocoaMFDB. We performed a pre-processing step using the CLAHE algorithm to improve the quality of the images since the effect of the light was not controlled on our data set. CocoaMFDB allows the characterization of cocoa pods according to their maturity level and provides information on the pod family for each image. Our dataset comprises three large families, namely Amelonado, Angoleta, and Guiana, grouped into two maturity categories: the ripe and unripe pods. It is, therefore, perfect for developing and evaluating image analysis algorithms for future research.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsカカオ果実の成熟度という植物器官形質を対象とする画像データセットを構築し、画像解析アルゴリズムの開発・評価用に提供しているため、フェノタイピング手法・データセットが中心です。

abstractwe collected images of cocoa pods to set up a database of cocoa pods of the Côte d'Ivoire named CocoaMFDB.

Identifying yield-related genes in maize based on ear trait plasticity. →

Background Phenotypic plasticity is defined as the phenotypic variation of a trait when an organism is exposed to different environments, and it is closely related to genotype. Exploring the genetic basis behind the phenotypic plasticity of ear traits in maize is critical to achieve climate-stable yields, particularly given the unpredictable effects of climate change. Performing genetic field studies in maize requires development of a fast, reliable, and automated system for phenotyping large numbers of samples. Results Here, we develop MAIZTRO as an automated maize ear phenotyping platform for high-throughput measurements in the field. Using this platform, we analyze 15 common ear phenotypes and their phenotypic plasticity variation in 3819 transgenic maize inbred lines targeting 717 genes, along with the wild type lines of the same genetic background, in multiple field environments in two consecutive years. Kernel number is chosen as the primary target phenotype because it is a key trait for improving the grain yield and ensuring yield stability. We analyze the phenotypic plasticity of the transgenic lines in different environments and identify 34 candidate genes that may regulate the phenotypic plasticity of kernel number. Conclusions Our results suggest that as an integrated and efficient phenotyping platform for measuring maize ear traits, MAIZTRO can help to explore new traits that are important for improving and stabilizing the yield. This study indicates that genes and alleles related with ear trait plasticity can be identified using transgenic maize inbred populations.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsMAIZTROという自動化・高スループットのトウモロコシ穂形質フェノタイピング基盤の開発と適用が研究の中心であり、複数の穂形質を測定する方法論的貢献が明示されている。

abstractwe develop MAIZTRO as an automated maize ear phenotyping platform for high-throughput measurements in the field.

Looking behind occlusions: A study on amodal segmentation for robust on-tree apple fruit size estimation →

The detection and sizing of fruits with computer vision methods is of interest because it provides relevant information to improve the management of orchard farming. However, the presence of partially occluded fruits limits the performance of existing methods, making reliable fruit sizing a challenging task. While previous fruit segmentation works limit segmentation to the visible region of fruits (known as modal segmentation), in this work we propose an amodal segmentation algorithm to predict the complete shape, which includes its visible and occluded regions. To do so, an end-to-end convolutional neural network (CNN) for simultaneous modal and amodal instance segmentation was implemented. The predicted amodal masks were used to estimate the fruit diameters in pixels. Modal masks were used to identify the visible region and measure the distance between the apples and the camera using the depth image. Finally, the fruit diameters in millimetres (mm) were computed by applying the pinhole camera model. The method was developed with a Fuji apple dataset consisting of 3925 RGB-D images acquired at different growth stages with a total of 15,335 annotated apples, and was subsequently tested in a case study to measure the diameter of Elstar apples at different growth stages. Fruit detection results showed an F1-score of 0.86 and the fruit diameter results reported a mean absolute error (MAE) of 4.5 mm and R2 = 0.80 irrespective of fruit visibility. Besides the diameter estimation, modal and amodal masks were used to automatically determine the percentage of visibility of measured apples. This feature was used as a confidence value, improving the diameter estimation to MAE = 2.93 mm and R2 = 0.91 when limiting the size estimation to fruits detected with a visibility higher than 60%. The main advantages of the present methodology are its robustness for measuring partially occluded fruits and the capability to determine the visibility percentage. The main limitation is that depth images were generated by means of photogrammetry methods, which limits the efficiency of data acquisition. To overcome this limitation, future works should consider the use of commercial RGB-D sensors. The code and the dataset used to evaluate the method have been made publicly available at https://github.com/GRAP-UdL-AT/Amodal_Fruit_Sizing.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods果実の遮蔽に頑健な画像ベースのアモーダル分割と、リンゴ果径という植物形質の推定手法を開発・検証しており、方法が研究の中心である。

abstractThe predicted amodal masks were used to estimate the fruit diameters in pixels.

Self-supervised maize kernel classification and segmentation for embryo identification. →

Introduction Computer vision and deep learning (DL) techniques have succeeded in a wide range of diverse fields. Recently, these techniques have been successfully deployed in plant science applications to address food security, productivity, and environmental sustainability problems for a growing global population. However, training these DL models often necessitates the large-scale manual annotation of data which frequently becomes a tedious and time-and-resource- intensive process. Recent advances in self-supervised learning (SSL) methods have proven instrumental in overcoming these obstacles, using purely unlabeled datasets to pre-train DL models. Methods Here, we implement the popular self-supervised contrastive learning methods of NNCLR Nearest neighbor Contrastive Learning of visual Representations) and SimCLR (Simple framework for Contrastive Learning of visual Representations) for the classification of spatial orientation and segmentation of embryos of maize kernels. Maize kernels are imaged using a commercial high-throughput imaging system. This image data is often used in multiple downstream applications across both production and breeding applications, for instance, sorting for oil content based on segmenting and quantifying the scutellum's size and for classifying haploid and diploid kernels. Results and discussion We show that in both classification and segmentation problems, SSL techniques outperform their purely supervised transfer learning-based counterparts and are significantly more annotation efficient. Additionally, we show that a single SSL pre-trained model can be efficiently finetuned for both classification and segmentation, indicating good transferability across multiple downstream applications. Segmentation models with SSL-pretrained backbones produce DICE similarity coefficients of 0.81, higher than the 0.78 and 0.73 of those with ImageNet-pretrained and randomly initialized backbones, respectively. We observe that finetuning classification and segmentation models on as little as 1% annotation produces competitive results. These results show SSL provides a meaningful step forward in data efficiency with agricultural deep learning and computer vision.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシ穀粒画像から胚の向き分類と分割を行う自己教師あり画像解析手法を開発・評価しており、植物器官の表現型抽出が研究の中心である。

abstractwe implement the popular self-supervised contrastive learning methods of NNCLR Nearest neighbor Contrastive Learning of visual Representations) and SimCLR (Simple framework for Contrastive Learning of visual Representations) for the classification of spatial orientation and segmentation of embryos of maize kernels.

GrapesNet: Indian RGB & RGB-D vineyard image datasets for deep learning applications. →

In most of the countries, grapes are considered as a cash crop. Currently huge research is going on in development of automated grape harvesting systems. Speedy and reliable grape bunch detection is prime need for various deep learning based automated systems which deals with object detection and object segmentation tasks. But currently very few datasets are available on grape bunches in vineyard, because of which there is restriction to the research in this area. In comparison to the vineyard in outside countries, Indian vineyard structure is more complex, so it becomes hard to work in real-time. To overcome these problems and to make vineyard dataset for suitable for Indian vineyard scenarios, this paper proposed four different datasets on grape bunches in vineyard. For creating all datasets in GrapesNet, natural environmental conditions have been considered. GrapesNet includes total 11000+ images of grape bunches. Necessary data for weight prediction of grape cluster is also provided with dataset like height, width and real weight of cluster present in image. Proposed datasets can be used for prime tasks like grape bunch detection, grape bunch segmentation, and grape bunch weight estimation etc. of future generation automated vineyard harvesting technologies.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsブドウ果房画像データセットを構築し、果房の検出・セグメンテーションに加えて重量推定用の寸法と実重量を提供することが中心で、再利用可能な植物表現型データセットに該当する。

abstractthis paper proposed four different datasets on grape bunches in vineyard.

GenoDrawing: An autoencoder framework for image prediction from SNP markers →

Abstract Advancements in genome sequencing have facilitated whole genome characterization of numerous plant species, providing an abundance of genotypic data for genomic analysis. Genomic selection and neural networks, particularly deep learning, have been developed to predict complex traits from dense genotypic data. Autoencoders, a neural network model to extract features from images in an unsupervised manner, has proven to be useful for plant phenotyping. This study introduces an autoencoder framework, GenoDrawing, for predicting and retrieving apple images from a low-depth single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array, potentially useful in predicting traits that are difficult to define. GenoDrawing demonstrated proficiency in its task while using a small dataset of shape-related SNPs, and multiple experiments were conducted to evaluate the impact of SNP selection and shape relation. Results indicated that the correct relationship of SNPs with visual traits had a significant impact on the generated images, consistent with biological interpretation. While using significant SNPs is crucial, incorporating additional, unrelated SNPs results in performance degradation for simple NN architectures that cannot easily identify the most important inputs. The proposed GenoDrawing method is a practical framework for exploring genomic prediction in fruit tree phenotyping, particularly beneficial for small to medium breeding companies to predict economically significant heritable traits. Although GenoDrawing has limitations, it sets the groundwork for future research in image prediction from genomic markers. Future studies should focus on using stronger models for image reproduction, SNP information extraction, and improved dataset balance in terms of shape for more precise outcomes.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsSNPからリンゴ画像を予測・再構成するオートエンコーダ手法自体が中心であり、果実形状などの植物表現型推定に直接関係する。

abstractThis study introduces an autoencoder framework, GenoDrawing, for predicting and retrieving apple images from a low-depth single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array

A hierarchical dataset of vegetative and reproductive growth in apple tree organs under conventional and non-limited carbon resources. →

A monitoring of apple fruit, shoot and trunk growth was performed on 15 trees, equally split according to three treatments, which determined heavily contrasting carbon assimilate availability: unmanipulated trees (FRU), thinned trees (THI) and defruited trees (DEF). Several variables describe the vegetative growth on FRU and DEF trees (shoot length, base diameter, number of fruits on shoot, and height, diameter, pruning intensity and number of fruits of the branch carrying the shoot; trunk circumference), as well as the fruit growth on FRU and THI trees (3 fruit diameters). Additional measurements from ancillary shoots (apical diameter, number of leaves, leaf dry weight, stem dry weight, fresh mass, volume) and fruits (3 diameters, dry weight) from trees undergoing the same treatments, provide a more complete (destructive) characterization of organs growth, thanks to several measurements performed across the growing season. Organs are provided with categorical variables indicating the treatment, tree, canopy height, orientation (for both shoots and fruit), as well as branch and shoot identifiers, so that hierarchical modeling of the dataset can be performed. The dataset is completed with dates and day of the year of the measurements and the accumulated growing degree days from full bloom. Data can be used to calculate apple tree absolute and relative growth rates, maximum potential growth rates, as well as shoot growth responses to thinning and pruning. The dataset can also be used to calibrate allometric relationships, estimate structural apple tree growth parameters and their variability.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリンゴ器官の成長形質を階層的・反復的に収録した再利用可能なデータセットであり、成長率やアロメトリーの推定・モデル較正に用いるデータ資源として方法論的価値がある。

titleA hierarchical dataset of vegetative and reproductive growth in apple tree organs under conventional and non-limited carbon resources.

New Growth-Related Features of Wheat Grain Pericarp Revealed by Synchrotron-Based X-ray Micro-Tomography and 3D Reconstruction →

Wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important crops as it provides 20% of calories and proteins to the human population. To overcome the increasing demand in wheat grain production, there is a need for a higher grain yield, and this can be achieved in particular through an increase in the grain weight. Moreover, grain shape is an important trait regarding the milling performance. Both the final grain weight and shape would benefit from a comprehensive knowledge of the morphological and anatomical determinism of wheat grain growth. Synchrotron-based phase-contrast X-ray microtomography (X-ray µCT) was used to study the 3D anatomy of the growing wheat grain during the first developmental stages. Coupled with 3D reconstruction, this method revealed changes in the grain shape and new cellular features. The study focused on a particular tissue, the pericarp, which has been hypothesized to be involved in the control of grain development. We showed considerable spatio-temporal diversity in cell shape and orientations, and in tissue porosity associated with stomata detection. These results highlight the growth-related features rarely studied in cereal grains, which may contribute significantly to the final grain weight and shape.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsシンクロトロンX線マイクロCTと3D再構成を中核に、発達中コムギ粒の3D形状・細胞形態・組織空隙を抽出しており、植物器官の形態表現型取得が中心である。

abstractSynchrotron-based phase-contrast X-ray microtomography (X-ray µCT) was used to study the 3D anatomy of the growing wheat grain during the first developmental stages.

Three-dimensional fruit growth analysis clarifies developmental mechanisms underlying complex shape diversity in persimmon fruit →

How fruit size and shape are determined is of research interest in agriculture and developmental biology. Fruit typically exhibits three-dimensional structures with genotype-dependent geometric features. Although minor developmental variations have been recognized, little research has fully visualized and measured these variations throughout fruit growth. In this study, a high-resolution 3D scanner was used to investigate the fruit development of 51 persimmon ( Diospyros kaki ) cultivars with various complex shapes. We obtained 2,380 3D fruit models that fully represented fruit appearance, and enabled precise and automated measurements of unique geometric features throughout fruit development. The 3D fruit model analysis identified key stages that determined the shape attributes at maturity. Typically, genetic diversity in vertical groove development was found, and such grooves can be filled by tissue expansion in the carpal fusion zone during fruit development. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis of fruit tissues from groove/non-groove tissues revealed gene co-expression networks that were highly associated with groove depth variation. The presence of YABBY homologs was most closely associated with groove depth and indicated the possibility that this pathway is a key molecular contributor to vertical groove depth variation. These results demonstrate the validity of fruit 3D growth analysis, which is a powerful tool for identifying the developmental mechanisms of fruit shape variation and the molecular basis of this diversity.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods高解像度3Dスキャナと自動3Dモデル解析により、果実形状を発達期間 boyunca定量化する方法が研究の中心であり、果実形状の表現型解析手法として妥当です。

abstracta high-resolution 3D scanner was used to investigate the fruit development of 51 persimmon ( Diospyros kaki ) cultivars with various complex shapes

Viral infection impacts the 3D subcellular structure of the abundant marine diatom Guinardia delicatula →

Viruses are key players in marine ecosystems where they infect abundant marine microbes. RNA viruses are emerging as key members of the marine virosphere. They have recently been identified as a potential source of mortality in diatoms, a group of microalgae that accounts for roughly 40% of the primary production in the ocean. Despite their likely importance, their impacts on host populations and ecosystems remain difficult to assess. In this study, we introduce an innovative approach that combines automated 3D confocal microscopy with quantitative image analysis and physiological measurements to expand our understanding of viral infection. We followed different stages of infection of the bloom-forming diatom Guinardia delicatula by the RNA virus GdelRNAV-04 until the complete lysis of the host. From 20h after infection, we observed quantifiable changes in subcellular host morphology and biomass. Our microscopy monitoring also showed that viral infection of G. delicatula induced the formation of auxospores as a probable defense strategy against viruses. Our method enables the detection of discriminative morphological features on the subcellular scale and at high throughput for comparing populations, making it a promising approach for the quantification of viral infections in the field in the future.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods自動3D共焦点顕微鏡と定量画像解析を組み合わせ、感染に伴う珪藻の細胞形態・バイオマスを高スループットに定量する手法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe introduce an innovative approach that combines automated 3D confocal microscopy with quantitative image analysis and physiological measurements

In-Orchard Sizing of Mango Fruit: 1. Comparison of Machine Vision Based Methods for On-The-Go Estimation →

Estimation of fruit size on-tree is useful for yield estimation, harvest timing and market planning. Automation of measurement of fruit size on-tree is possible using RGB-depth (RGB-D) cameras, if partly occluded fruit can be removed from consideration. An RGB-D Time of Flight camera was used in an imaging system that can be driven through an orchard. Three approaches were compared, being: (i) refined bounding box dimensions of a YOLO object detector; (ii) bounding box dimensions of an instance segmentation model (Mask R-CNN) applied to canopy images, and (iii) instance segmentation applied to extracted bounding boxes from a YOLO detection model. YOLO versions 3, 4 and 7 and their tiny variants were compared to an in-house variant, MangoYOLO, for this application, with YOLO v4-tiny adopted. Criteria developed to exclude occluded fruit by filtering based on depth, mask size, ellipse to mask area ratio and difference between refined bounding box height and ellipse major axis. The lowest root mean square error (RMSE) of 4.7 mm and 5.1 mm on the lineal length dimensions of a population (n = 104) of Honey Gold and Keitt varieties of mango fruit, respectively, and the lowest fruit exclusion rate was achieved using method (ii), while the RMSE on estimated fruit weight was 113 g on a population weight range between 180 and 1130 g. An example use is provided, with the method applied to video of an orchard row to produce a weight frequency distribution related to packing tray size.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB-D画像と物体検出・インスタンスセグメンテーションを用いて樹上マンゴー果実のサイズ・重量を推定し、複数手法を比較検証しているため、植物表現型取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractThree approaches were compared, being: (i) refined bounding box dimensions of a YOLO object detector; (ii) bounding box dimensions of an instance segmentation model (Mask R-CNN) applied to canopy images, and (iii) instance segmentation applied to extracted bounding boxes from a YOLO detection model.

FlowerPhenoNet: Automated Flower Detection from Multi-View Image Sequences Using Deep Neural Networks for Temporal Plant Phenotyping Analysis →

A phenotype is the composite of an observable expression of a genome for traits in a given environment. The trajectories of phenotypes computed from an image sequence and timing of important events in a plant’s life cycle can be viewed as temporal phenotypes and indicative of the plant’s growth pattern and vigor. In this paper, we introduce a novel method called FlowerPhenoNet, which uses deep neural networks for detecting flowers from multiview image sequences for high-throughput temporal plant phenotyping analysis. Following flower detection, a set of novel flower-based phenotypes are computed, e.g., the day of emergence of the first flower in a plant’s life cycle, the total number of flowers present in the plant at a given time, the highest number of flowers bloomed in the plant, growth trajectory of a flower, and the blooming trajectory of a plant. To develop a new algorithm and facilitate performance evaluation based on experimental analysis, a benchmark dataset is indispensable. Thus, we introduce a benchmark dataset called FlowerPheno, which comprises image sequences of three flowering plant species, e.g., sunflower, coleus, and canna, captured by a visible light camera in a high-throughput plant phenotyping platform from multiple view angles. The experimental analyses on the FlowerPheno dataset demonstrate the efficacy of the FlowerPhenoNet.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods花の検出と時系列表現型の抽出を行う深層学習手法を開発し、ベンチマークデータセットと評価も提示しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractwe introduce a novel method called FlowerPhenoNet, which uses deep neural networks for detecting flowers from multiview image sequences for high-throughput temporal plant phenotyping analysis.

Using phenomics to identify and integrate traits of interest for better-performing common beans: A validation study on an interspecific hybrid and its Acutifolii parents →

Introduction Evaluations of interspecific hybrids are limited, as classical genebank accession descriptors are semi-subjective, have qualitative traits and show complications when evaluating intermediate accessions. However, descriptors can be quantified using recognized phenomic traits. This digitalization can identify phenomic traits which correspond to the percentage of parental descriptors remaining expressed/visible/measurable in the particular interspecific hybrid. In this study, a line of P. vulgaris , P. acutifolius and P. parvifolius accessions and their crosses were sown in the mesh house according to CIAT seed regeneration procedures. Methodology Three accessions and one derived breeding line originating from their interspecific crosses were characterized and classified by selected phenomic descriptors using multivariate and machine learning techniques. The phenomic proportions of the interspecific hybrid (line INB 47) with respect to its three parent accessions were determined using a random forest and a respective confusion matrix. Results The seed and pod morphometric traits, physiological behavior and yield performance were evaluated. In the classification of the accession, the phenomic descriptors with highest prediction force were Fm', Fo', Fs', LTD, Chl, seed area, seed height, seed Major, seed MinFeret, seed Minor, pod AR, pod Feret, pod round, pod solidity, pod area, pod major, pod seed weight and pod weight. Physiological traits measured in the interspecific hybrid present 2.2% similarity with the P. acutifolius and 1% with the P. parvifolius accessions. In addition, in seed morphometric characteristics, the hybrid showed 4.5% similarity with the P. acutifolius accession. Conclusions Here we were able to determine the phenomic proportions of individual parents in their interspecific hybrid accession. After some careful generalization the methodology can be used to: i) verify trait-of-interest transfer from P. acutifolius and P. parvifolius accessions into their hybrids; ii) confirm selected traits as "phenomic markers" which would allow conserving desired physiological traits of exotic parental accessions, without losing key seed characteristics from elite common bean accessions; and iii) propose a quantitative tool that helps genebank curators and breeders to make better-informed decisions based on quantitative analysis.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsインタースペシフィック雑種の形質を定量化・分類し、ランダムフォレストと混同行列で親由来のフェノミック形質割合を検証する方法論が研究の中心である。

abstractThis digitalization can identify phenomic traits which correspond to the percentage of parental descriptors remaining expressed/visible/measurable in the particular interspecific hybrid.

Characterization of a Collection of Colored Lentil Genetic Resources Using a Novel Computer Vision Approach. →

The lentil ( Lens culinaris Medik.) is one of the major pulse crops cultivated worldwide. However, in the last decades, lentil cultivation has decreased in many areas surrounding Mediterranean countries due to low yields, new lifestyles, and changed eating habits. Thus, many landraces and local varieties have disappeared, while local farmers are the only custodians of the treasure of lentil genetic resources. Recently, the lentil has been rediscovered to meet the needs of more sustainable agriculture and food systems. Here, we proposed an image analysis approach that, besides being a rapid and non-destructive method, can characterize seed size grading and seed coat morphology. The results indicated that image analysis can give much more detailed and precise descriptions of grain size and shape characteristics than can be practically achieved by manual quality assessment. Lentil size measurements combined with seed coat descriptors and the color attributes of the grains allowed us to develop an algorithm that was able to identify 64 red lentil genotypes collected at ICARDA with an accuracy approaching 98% for seed size grading and close to 93% for the classification of seed coat morphology.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods画像解析を用いてレンズマメ種子のサイズ、形状、種皮形態、色を非破壊測定・分類する手法を開発し、精度も評価しているため、植物表現型取得が中心です。

abstractwe proposed an image analysis approach that, besides being a rapid and non-destructive method, can characterize seed size grading and seed coat morphology.

The global spectrum of plant form and function: enhanced species-level trait dataset. →

Here we provide the 'Global Spectrum of Plant Form and Function Dataset', containing species mean values for six vascular plant traits. Together, these traits -plant height, stem specific density, leaf area, leaf mass per area, leaf nitrogen content per dry mass, and diaspore (seed or spore) mass - define the primary axes of variation in plant form and function. The dataset is based on ca. 1 million trait records received via the TRY database (representing ca. 2,500 original publications) and additional unpublished data. It provides 92,159 species mean values for the six traits, covering 46,047 species. The data are complemented by higher-level taxonomic classification and six categorical traits (woodiness, growth form, succulence, adaptation to terrestrial or aquatic habitats, nutrition type and leaf type). Data quality management is based on a probabilistic approach combined with comprehensive validation against expert knowledge and external information. Intense data acquisition and thorough quality control produced the largest and, to our knowledge, most accurate compilation of empirically observed vascular plant species mean traits to date.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物形質の大規模再利用可能データセットを構築し、確率的品質管理と外部情報による検証を実施しており、形質データ基盤が研究の中心である。

abstractHere we provide the 'Global Spectrum of Plant Form and Function Dataset', containing species mean values for six vascular plant traits.

3D Reconstruction-Based Seed Counting of Sorghum Panicles for Agricultural Inspection →

In this paper, we present a method for creating high-quality 3D models of sorghum panicles for phenotyping in breeding experiments. This is achieved with a novel reconstruction approach that uses seeds as semantic landmarks in both 2D and 3D. To evaluate the performance, we develop a new metric for assessing the quality of reconstructed point clouds without having a ground-truth point cloud. Finally, a counting method is presented where the density of seed centers in the 3D model allows 2D counts from multiple views to be effectively combined into a whole-panicle count. We demonstrate that using this method to estimate seed count and weight for sorghum outperforms count extrapolation from 2D images, an approach used in most state of the art methods for seeds and grains of comparable size.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsソルガム穂の3D再構成と種子計数という植物形質取得手法を開発し、再構成品質評価指標と種子数・重量推定を検証しており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractwe present a method for creating high-quality 3D models of sorghum panicles for phenotyping in breeding experiments

Tracing Back the History of Pepper (Capsicum annuum) in the Iberian Peninsula from a Phenomics Point of View →

The Iberian Peninsula was the place where pepper (Capsicum annuum) entered Europe and dispersed to other continents but was also an important secondary center for its diversification. The current work evaluated the phenotypic diversity existing in this region and investigated how that evolved from Capsicum native areas (Mexico and Andean Region). For that purpose, the high-throughput phenotyping tool Tomato Analyzer was employed. Descriptors related to size and shape were the most distinctive among fruit types, reflecting a broad diversity for Iberian peppers. These traits likely reflected those suffering from more intensive human selections, driving the worldwide expansion of C. annuum. Iberian peppers maintained close proximity to the American accessions in terms of fruit phenomics. The highest similarities were observed for those coming from the southeastern edge of the Peninsula, while northwestern accessions displayed more significant differences. Common fruit traits (small, conical) suggested that Portuguese and Spanish landraces may have arisen from an ancient American population that entered the south of Spain and promptly migrated to the central and northern territories, giving rise to larger, elongated, and blocky pods. Such lineages would be the result of adaptations to local soil–climate factors prevailing in different biogeographic provinces.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsTomato Analyzerを用いた高スループット表現型解析が、ペッパー果実のサイズ・形状多様性を評価する研究の中心であり、方法の実質的な適用に該当する。

abstractFor that purpose, the high-throughput phenotyping tool Tomato Analyzer was employed.

Machine learning-based tassel detection for time-series high throughput plant phenotyping →

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based imagery has become widely used in collecting agronomic traits, enabling a much greater volume of data to be generated in a time-series manner. As one of the cutting-edge imagery analysis tools, machine learning-based object detection provides automated techniques to analyze these imagery data. In our previous study, UAVs have been used to collect aerial photography for field trials of 233 diverse inbred lines, grown under different nitrogen treatments. Images were collected during different plant developmental stages throughout the growing season. This dataset of images has here been used in developing machine learning techniques to obtain automated tassel counts at the plot level through the season. To improve detection accuracy, we have developed an image segmentation method to remove non-tassel pixels and then feed these filtered images into machine learning algorithms. As a result, our method showed a significant improvement in the accuracy of maize tassel detection. This method can be used in future research to produce time-series counts of tassels at the plot level, and will allow for accurate estimates of flowering-related traits, such as the earliest detected flowering date and the duration of each plot's flowering period. This phenotypic data and the trait-associated genes provide new opportunities for crop improvement and to facilitate future plant breeding.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAV画像からトウモロコシの雄穂数と開花関連形質を自動推定する画像分割・機械学習手法の開発が中心であり、植物表現型測定法に該当する。

abstractThis dataset of images has here been used in developing machine learning techniques to obtain automated tassel counts at the plot level through the season.

Precision Phenotyping of Nectar-Related Traits Using X-ray Micro Computed Tomography →

Flower morphologies shape the accessibility to nectar and pollen, two major traits that determine plant-pollinator interactions and reproductive success. Melon is an economically important crop whose reproduction is completely pollinator-dependent and, as such, is a valuable model for studying crop-ecological functions. High-resolution imaging techniques, such as micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), have recently become popular for phenotyping in plant science. Here, we implemented micro-CT to study floral morphology and honey bees in the context of nectar-related traits without a sample preparation to improve the phenotyping precision and quality. We generated high-quality 3D models of melon male and female flowers and compared the geometric measures. Micro-CT allowed for a relatively easy and rapid generation of 3D volumetric data on nectar, nectary, flower, and honey bee body sizes. A comparative analysis of male and female flowers showed a strong positive correlation between the nectar gland volume and the volume of the secreted nectar. We modeled the nectar level inside the flower and reconstructed a 3D model of the accessibility by honey bees. By combining data on flower morphology, the honey bee size and nectar volume, this protocol can be used to assess the flower accessibility to pollinators in a high resolution, and can readily carry out genotypes comparative analysis to identify nectar-pollination-related traits.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsマイクロCTを用いて花、蜜腺、蜜、ハナバチの3D形態・体積を取得し、花粉媒介関連形質を高精度に評価するプロトコルを実装・提示しており、表現型取得法が中心である。

abstractHere, we implemented micro-CT to study floral morphology and honey bees in the context of nectar-related traits without a sample preparation to improve the phenotyping precision and quality.

Contrasted reaction norms of wheat yield in pure vs mixed stands explained by tillering plasticities and shade avoidance →

Abstract Context Mixing cultivars is an agroecological practice of crop diversification, increasingly used for cereals. The yield of such cereal mixtures is higher on average than the mean yield of their components in pure stands, but with a large variance. The drivers of this variance are plant- plant interactions leading to different plant phenotypes in pure and mixed stands, i.e phenotypic plasticity. Objectives The objectives were (i) to quantify the magnitude of phenotypic plasticity for yield in pure versus mixed stands, (ii) to identify the yield components that contribute the most to yield plasticity, and (iii) to link such plasticities to differences in functional traits, i.e. plant height and flowering earliness. Methods A new experimental design based on a precision sowing allowed phenotyping each cultivar in mixture, at the level of individual plants, for above-ground traits throughout growth. Eight commercial cultivars of Triticum aestivum L. were grown in pure and mixed stands in field plots repeated for two years (2019-2020, 2020-2021) with contrasted climatic conditions and with nitrogen fertilization, fungicide and weed removal management strategies. Two quaternary mixtures were assembled with cultivars contrasted either for height or earliness. Results Compared to the average of cultivars in pure stands, the height mixture strongly underyielded over both years (-29%) while the earliness mixture overyielded the second year (+11%) and underyielded the first year (-8%). The second year, the magnitude of cultivar’s grain weight plasticity, measured as the difference between pure and mixed stands, was significantly and positively associated with their relative yield differences in pure stands (R 2 =0.51). When grain weight plasticity, measured as the log ratio of pure over mixed stands, was partitioned as the sum of plasticities in each yield component, its strongest contributor was the plasticity in spike number per plant (∼56% of the sum), driven by even stronger but opposed underlying plasticities in both tiller emission and regression. For both years, the plasticity in tiller emission was significantly, positively associated with the height differentials between cultivars in mixture (R 2 =0.43 in 2019-2020 and 0.17 in 2020-2021). Conclusions Plasticity in the early recognition of potential resource competitors is a major component of cultivar strategies in mixtures, as shown here for tillering dynamics. Our results also highlighted a link between plasticity in tiller emission and height differential in mixture. Both height and tillering dynamics displayed plasticities typical of the shade avoidance syndrome. Implications Both the new experimental design and decomposition of plasticities developed in this study open avenues to better study plant-plant interactions in agronomically-realistic conditions. This study also contributed a unique, plant-level data set allowing the calibration of process-based plant models to explore the space of all possible mixtures.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods精密播種による個体レベルの生育形質フェノタイピング実験デザインと、形質可塑性の分解手法が明示的な技術的貢献であり、単なる収量測定にとどまらない。

abstractA new experimental design based on a precision sowing allowed phenotyping each cultivar in mixture, at the level of individual plants, for above-ground traits throughout growth.

Computer generation of fruit shapes from DNA sequence →

The generation of realistic plant and animal images from marker information could be a main contribution of artificial intelligence to genetics and breeding. Since morphological traits are highly variable and highly heritable, this must be possible. However, a suitable algorithm has not been proposed yet. This paper is a proof of concept demonstrating the feasibility of this proposal using ‘decoders’, a class of deep learning architecture. We apply it to Cucurbitaceae, perhaps the family harboring the largest variability in fruit shape in the plant kingdom, and to tomato, a species with high morphological diversity also. We generate Cucurbitaceae shapes assuming a hypothetical, but plausible, evolutive path along observed fruit shapes of C. melo . In tomato, we used 353 images from 129 crosses between 25 maternal and 7 paternal lines for which genotype data were available. In both instances, a simple decoder was able to recover expected shapes with large accuracy. For the tomato pedigree, we also show that the algorithm can be trained to generate offspring images from their parents’ shapes, bypassing genotype information. Data and code are available at https://github.com/miguelperezenciso/dna2image .

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsDNA配列や親の形状から植物果実形状画像を生成する深層学習手法の概念実証であり、植物形態の取得・推定が研究の中心です。

titleComputer generation of fruit shapes from DNA sequence

A scalable phenotyping approach for female floral organ development and senescence in the absence of pollination in wheat →

In the absence of pollination, female reproductive organs senesce, leading to an irrevocable loss in the reproductive potential of the flower, which directly affects seed set. In self-pollinating crops like wheat (Triticum aestivum), the post-anthesis viability of unpollinated carpels has been overlooked, despite its importance for hybrid seed production systems. To advance our knowledge of carpel development in the absence of pollination, we created a high-throughput phenotyping approach to quantify stigma and ovary morphology. We demonstrate the suitability of the approach, which uses light-microscopy imaging and machine learning, for the analysis of floral organ traits in field-grown plants using fresh and fixed samples. We show that the unpollinated carpel undergoes a well-defined initial growth phase, followed by a peak phase in which stigma area reaches its maximum and the radial expansion of the ovary slows, and a final deterioration phase. These developmental dynamics were consistent across years and could be used to classify male-sterile cultivars. This phenotyping approach provides a new tool for examining carpel development, which we hope will advance research into female fertility of wheat.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsコムギの柱頭・子房形態を定量化する高スループット画像・機械学習手法の開発と適用が研究の中心であり、植物表現型取得法として明確に該当する。

abstractwe created a high-throughput phenotyping approach to quantify stigma and ovary morphology

Interest of phenomic prediction as an alternative to genomic prediction in grapevine. →

Background Phenomic prediction has been defined as an alternative to genomic prediction by using spectra instead of molecular markers. A reflectance spectrum provides information on the biochemical composition within a tissue, itself being under genetic determinism. Thus, a relationship matrix built from spectra could potentially capture genetic signal. This new methodology has been mainly applied in several annual crop species but little is known so far about its interest in perennial species. Besides, phenomic prediction has only been tested for a restricted set of traits, mainly related to yield or phenology. This study aims at applying phenomic prediction for the first time in grapevine, using spectra collected on two tissues and over two consecutive years, on two populations and for 15 traits, related to berry composition, phenology, morphological and vigour. A major novelty of this study was to collect spectra and phenotypes several years apart from each other. First, we characterized the genetic signal in spectra and under which condition it could be maximized, then phenomic predictive ability was compared to genomic predictive ability. Results For the first time, we showed that the similarity between spectra and genomic relationship matrices was stable across tissues or years, but variable across populations, with co-inertia around 0.3 and 0.6 for diversity panel and half-diallel populations, respectively. Applying a mixed model on spectra data increased phenomic predictive ability, while using spectra collected on wood or leaves from one year or another had less impact. Differences between populations were also observed for predictive ability of phenomic prediction, with an average of 0.27 for the diversity panel and 0.35 for the half-diallel. For both populations, a significant positive correlation was found across traits between predictive ability of genomic and phenomic predictions. Conclusion NIRS is a new low-cost alternative to genotyping for predicting complex traits in perennial species such as grapevine. Having spectra and phenotypes from different years allowed us to exclude genotype-by-environment interactions and confirms that phenomic prediction can rely only on genetics.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsブドウのスペクトルを用いたフェノミック予測法を開発・評価し、ゲノム予測との比較や予測能力の検証を行っており、植物形質推定手法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis study aims at applying phenomic prediction for the first time in grapevine, using spectra collected on two tissues and over two consecutive years, on two populations and for 15 traits, related to berry composition, phenology, morphological and vigour.

Detection and localization of citrus fruit based on improved You Only Look Once v5s and binocular vision in the orchard. →

Intelligent detection and localization of mature citrus fruits is a critical challenge in developing an automatic harvesting robot. Variable illumination conditions and different occlusion states are some of the essential issues that must be addressed for the accurate detection and localization of citrus in the orchard environment. In this paper, a novel method for the detection and localization of mature citrus using improved You Only Look Once (YOLO) v5s with binocular vision is proposed. First, a new loss function (polarity binary cross-entropy with logit loss) for YOLO v5s is designed to calculate the loss value of class probability and objectness score, so that a large penalty for false and missing detection is applied during the training process. Second, to recover the missing depth information caused by randomly overlapping background participants, Cr-Cb chromatic mapping, the Otsu thresholding algorithm, and morphological processing are successively used to extract the complete shape of the citrus, and the kriging method is applied to obtain the best linear unbiased estimator for the missing depth value. Finally, the citrus spatial position and posture information are obtained according to the camera imaging model and the geometric features of the citrus. The experimental results show that the recall rates of citrus detection under non-uniform illumination conditions, weak illumination, and well illumination are 99.55%, 98.47%, and 98.48%, respectively, approximately 2-9% higher than those of the original YOLO v5s network. The average error of the distance between the citrus fruit and the camera is 3.98 mm, and the average errors of the citrus diameters in the 3D direction are less than 2.75 mm. The average detection time per frame is 78.96 ms. The results indicate that our method can detect and localize citrus fruits in the complex environment of orchards with high accuracy and speed. Our dataset and codes are available at https://github.com/AshesBen/citrus-detection-localization.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods収穫ロボット向けの位置検出が主目的だが、果実形状・姿勢・3D直径を画像から抽出し、精度を検証する技術開発が中心であり、再利用可能な植物器官形質の推定に該当する。

abstracta novel method for the detection and localization of mature citrus using improved You Only Look Once (YOLO) v5s with binocular vision is proposed.

Earbox, an open tool for high-throughput measurement of the spatial organization of maize ears and inference of novel traits. →

Background Characterizing plant genetic resources and their response to the environment through accurate measurement of relevant traits is crucial to genetics and breeding. Spatial organization of the maize ear provides insights into the response of grain yield to environmental conditions. Current automated methods for phenotyping the maize ear do not capture these spatial features. Results We developed EARBOX, a low-cost, open-source system for automated phenotyping of maize ears. EARBOX integrates open-source technologies for both software and hardware that facilitate its deployment and improvement for specific research questions. The imaging platform consists of a customized box in which ears are repeatedly imaged as they rotate via motorized rollers. With deep learning based on convolutional neural networks, the image analysis algorithm uses a two-step procedure: ear-specific grain masks are first created and subsequently used to extract a range of trait data per ear, including ear shape and dimensions, the number of grains and their spatial organisation, and the distribution of grain dimensions along the ear. The reliability of each trait was validated against ground-truth data from manual measurements. Moreover, EARBOX derives novel traits, inaccessible through conventional methods, especially the distribution of grain dimensions along grain cohorts, relevant for ear morphogenesis, and the distribution of abortion frequency along the ear, relevant for plant response to stress, especially soil water deficit. Conclusions The proposed system provides robust and accurate measurements of maize ear traits including spatial features. Future developments include grain type and colour categorisation. This method opens avenues for high-throughput genetic or functional studies in the context of plant adaptation to a changing environment.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシ雌穂の画像取得・深層学習による形質抽出システムを開発し、手動測定との比較で各形質の信頼性を検証しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心です。

abstractWe developed EARBOX, a low-cost, open-source system for automated phenotyping of maize ears.

An Intelligent Rice Yield Trait Evaluation System Based on Threshed Panicle Compensation. →

High-throughput phenotyping of yield-related traits is meaningful and necessary for rice breeding and genetic study. The conventional method for rice yield-related trait evaluation faces the problems of rice threshing difficulties, measurement process complexity, and low efficiency. To solve these problems, a novel intelligent system, which includes an integrated threshing unit, grain conveyor-imaging units, threshed panicle conveyor-imaging unit, and specialized image analysis software has been proposed to achieve rice yield trait evaluation with high throughput and high accuracy. To improve the threshed panicle detection accuracy, the Region of Interest Align, Convolution Batch normalization activation with Leaky Relu module, Squeeze-and-Excitation unit, and optimal anchor size have been adopted to optimize the Faster-RCNN architecture, termed 'TPanicle-RCNN,' and the new model achieved F1 score 0.929 with an increase of 0.044, which was robust to indica and japonica varieties. Additionally, AI cloud computing was adopted, which dramatically reduced the system cost and improved flexibility. To evaluate the system accuracy and efficiency, 504 panicle samples were tested, and the total spikelet measurement error decreased from 11.44 to 2.99% with threshed panicle compensation. The average measuring efficiency was approximately 40 s per sample, which was approximately twenty times more efficient than manual measurement. In this study, an automatic and intelligent system for rice yield-related trait evaluation was developed, which would provide an efficient and reliable tool for rice breeding and genetic research.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネの収量関連形質を高スループットに取得する統合計測・画像解析システムを開発し、検出精度と測定効率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。

abstracta novel intelligent system, which includes an integrated threshing unit, grain conveyor-imaging units, threshed panicle conveyor-imaging unit, and specialized image analysis software has been proposed to achieve rice yield trait evaluation with high throughput and high accuracy.

Exploring Soybean Flower and Pod Variation Patterns During Reproductive Period Based on Fusion Deep Learning. →

The soybean flower and the pod drop are important factors in soybean yield, and the use of computer vision techniques to obtain the phenotypes of flowers and pods in bulk, as well as in a quick and accurate manner, is a key aspect of the study of the soybean flower and pod drop rate (PDR). This paper compared a variety of deep learning algorithms for identifying and counting soybean flowers and pods, and found that the Faster R-CNN model had the best performance. Furthermore, the Faster R-CNN model was further improved and optimized based on the characteristics of soybean flowers and pods. The accuracy of the final model for identifying flowers and pods was increased to 94.36 and 91%, respectively. Afterward, a fusion model for soybean flower and pod recognition and counting was proposed based on the Faster R-CNN model, where the coefficient of determination R 2 between counts of soybean flowers and pods by the fusion model and manual counts reached 0.965 and 0.98, respectively. The above results show that the fusion model is a robust recognition and counting algorithm that can reduce labor intensity and improve efficiency. Its application will greatly facilitate the study of the variable patterns of soybean flowers and pods during the reproductive period. Finally, based on the fusion model, we explored the variable patterns of soybean flowers and pods during the reproductive period, the spatial distribution patterns of soybean flowers and pods, and soybean flower and pod drop patterns.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsダイズの花・莢数という植物形質を画像から自動認識・計数する深層学習手法を比較、改良、検証しており、表現型取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractthe use of computer vision techniques to obtain the phenotypes of flowers and pods in bulk, as well as in a quick and accurate manner, is a key aspect of the study

Introducing Three-Dimensional Scanning for Phenotyping of Olive Fruits Based on an Extensive Germplasm Survey →

Morphological characterization of olive (Olea europaea L.) varieties to detect desirable traits has been based on the training of expert panels and implementation of laborious multiyear measurements with limitations in accuracy and throughput of measurements. The present study compares two- and three-dimensional imaging systems for phenotyping a large dataset of 50 olive varieties maintained in the National Germplasm Depository of Greece, employing this technology for the first time in olive fruit and endocarps. The olive varieties employed for the present study exhibited high phenotypic variation, particularly for the endocarp shadow area, which ranged from 0.17−3.34 cm2 as evaluated via 2D and 0.32−2.59 cm2 as determined by 3D scanning. We found significant positive correlations (p < 0.001) between the two methods for eight quantitative morphological traits using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The highest correlation between the two methods was detected for the endocarp length (r = 1) and width (r = 1) followed by the fruit length (r = 0.9865), mucro length (r = 0.9631), fruit shadow area (r = 0.9573), fruit width (r = 0.9480), nipple length (r = 0.9441), and endocarp area (r = 0.9184). The present study unraveled novel morphological indicators of olive fruits and endocarps such as volume, total area, up- and down-skin area, and center of gravity using 3D scanning. The highest volume and area regarding both endocarp and fruit were observed for ‘Gaidourelia’. This methodology could be integrated into existing olive breeding programs, especially when the speed of scanning increases. Another potential future application could be assessing olive fruit quality on the trees or in the processing facilities.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsオリーブ果実・内果皮の形態形質を対象に、2D/3Dイメージングを比較・検証し、3Dスキャンによる新規形質を抽出しており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThe present study compares two- and three-dimensional imaging systems for phenotyping a large dataset of 50 olive varieties

High-Precision Wheat Head Detection Model Based on One-Stage Network and GAN Model. →

Counting wheat heads is a time-consuming process in agricultural production, which is currently primarily carried out by humans. Manually identifying wheat heads and statistically analyzing the findings has a rigorous requirement for the workforce and is prone to error. With the advancement of machine vision technology, computer vision detection algorithms have made wheat head detection and counting feasible. To accomplish this traditional labor-intensive task and tackle various tricky matters in wheat images, a high-precision wheat head detection model with strong generalizability was presented based on a one-stage network structure. The model's structure was referred to as that of the YOLO network; meanwhile, several modules were added and adjusted in the backbone network. The one-stage backbone network received an attention module and a feature fusion module, and the Loss function was improved. When compared to various other mainstream object detection networks, our model outperforms them, with a mAP of 0.688. In addition, an iOS-based intelligent wheat head counting mobile app was created, which could calculate the number of wheat heads in images shot in an agricultural environment in less than a second.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsコムギ穂数という植物器官形質を画像から検出・計数するモデルを開発し、性能比較とモバイルアプリ化まで行っており、表現型取得手法が研究の中心である。

abstracta high-precision wheat head detection model with strong generalizability was presented based on a one-stage network structure.

A novel high-throughput hyperspectral scanner and analytical methods for predicting maize kernel composition and physical traits. →

Large-scale investigations of maize kernel traits important to researchers, breeders, and processors require high throughput methods, which are presently lacking. To address this bottleneck, we developed a novel flatbed platform that automatically acquires and analyzes multiwavelength near-infrared (NIR hyperspectral) images of maize kernels precisely enough to support robust predictions of protein content, density, and endosperm vitreousness. The upward facing-camera design and the automated ability to analyze the embryo or abgerminal sides of each individual kernel in a sample with the appropriate side-specific model helped to produce a superior combination of throughput and prediction accuracy compared to other single-kernel platforms. Protein was predicted to within 0.85% (root mean square error of prediction), density to within 0.038 g/cm 3 , and endosperm vitreousness percentage to within 6.3%. Kernel length and width were also accurately measured so that each kernel in a rapidly scanned sample was comprehensively characterized.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシ穀粒の組成・物理形質を高スループットに取得・推定するハイパースペクトル画像プラットフォームと解析手法の開発が研究の中心である。

abstractwe developed a novel flatbed platform that automatically acquires and analyzes multiwavelength near-infrared (NIR hyperspectral) images of maize kernels

A protocol for Chenopodium quinoa pollen germination. →

Background Quinoa is an increasingly popular seed crop frequently studied for its tolerance to various abiotic stresses as well as its susceptibility to heat. Estimations of quinoa pollen viability through staining methods have resulted in conflicting results. A more effective alternative to stains is to estimate pollen viability through in vitro germination. Here we report a method for in vitro quinoa pollen germination that could be used to understand the impact of various stresses on quinoa fertility and therefore seed yield or to identify male-sterile lines for breeding. Results A semi-automated method to count germinating pollen was developed in PlantCV, which can be widely used by the community. Pollen collected on day 4 after first anthesis at zeitgeber time 5 was optimum for pollen germination with an average germination of 68% for accession QQ74 (PI 614886). The optimal length of pollen incubation was found to be 48 h, because it maximizes germination rates while minimizing contamination. The pollen germination medium's pH, boric acid, and sucrose concentrations were optimized. The highest germination rates were obtained with 16% sucrose, 0.03% boric acid, 0.007% calcium nitrate, and pH 5.5. This medium was tested on quinoa accessions QQ74, and cherry vanilla with 68%, and 64% germination efficiencies, respectively. Conclusions We provide an in vitro pollen germination method for quinoa with average germination rates of 64 and 68% on the two accessions tested. This method is a valuable tool to estimate pollen viability in quinoa, and to test how stress affects quinoa fertility. We also developed an image analysis tool to semi-automate the process of counting germinating pollen. Quinoa produces many new flowers during most of its panicle development period, leading to significant variation in pollen maturity and viability between different flowers of the same panicle. Therefore, collecting pollen at 4 days after first anthesis is very important to collect more uniformly developed pollen and to obtain high germination rates.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsキノア花粉の生存性を測定するin vitro発芽法を開発・最適化し、PlantCVによる発芽花粉の半自動画像計数も開発しており、植物形質取得法が中心である。

abstractA semi-automated method to count germinating pollen was developed in PlantCV, which can be widely used by the community.

Metabolomic spectra for phenotypic prediction of malting quality in spring barley. →

We investigated prediction of malting quality (MQ) phenotypes in different locations using metabolomic spectra, and compared the prediction ability of different models, and training population (TP) sizes. Data of five MQ traits was measured on 2667 individual plots of 564 malting spring barley lines from three years and two locations. A total of 24,018 metabolomic features (MFs) were measured on each wort sample. Two statistical models were used, a metabolomic best linear unbiased prediction (MBLUP) and a partial least squares regression (PLSR). Predictive ability within location and across locations were compared using cross-validation methods. For all traits, more than 90% of the total variance in MQ traits could be explained by MFs. The prediction accuracy increased with increasing TP size and stabilized when the TP size reached 1000. The optimal number of components considered in the PLSR models was 20. The accuracy using leave-one-line-out cross-validation ranged from 0.722 to 0.865 and using leave-one-location-out cross-validation from 0.517 to 0.817. In conclusion, the prediction accuracy of metabolomic prediction of MQ traits using MFs was high and MBLUP is better than PLSR if the training population is larger than 100. The results have significant implications for practical barley breeding for malting quality.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsメタボロームスペクトルから大麦の麦芽品質形質を予測し、複数モデルと交差検証で予測精度を比較・検証しており、育種利用可能な形質推定法が中心です。

abstractWe investigated prediction of malting quality (MQ) phenotypes in different locations using metabolomic spectra, and compared the prediction ability of different models, and training population (TP) sizes.

Wheat grain width: a clue for re-exploring visual indicators of grain weight. →

Background Mean grain weight (MGW) is among the most frequently measured parameters in wheat breeding and physiology. Although in the recent decades, various wheat grain analyses (e.g. counting, and determining the size, color, or shape features) have been facilitated, thanks to the automated image processing systems, MGW estimations have been limited to using few number of image-derived indices; i.e. mainly the linear or power models developed based on the projected area (Area). Following a preliminary observation which indicated the potential of grain width in improving the predictions, the present study was conducted to explore more efficient indices for increasing the precision of image-based MGW estimations. For this purpose, an image archive of the grains was processed, which were harvested from a 2-year field experiment carried out with 3 replicates under two irrigation conditions and included 15 cultivar mixture treatments (so the archive was consisted of 180 images including more than 72,000 grains). Results It was observed that among the more than 30 evaluated indices of grain size and shape, indicators of grain width (i.e. Minor & MinFeret) along with 8 other empirical indices had a higher correlation with MGW, compared with Area. The most precise MGW predictions were obtained using the Area × Circularity, Perimeter × Circularity, and Area/Perimeter indices. Furthermore, it was found that (i) grain width and the Area/Perimeter ratio were the common factors in the structure of the superior predictive indices; and (ii) the superior indices had the highest correlation with grain width, rather than with their mathematical components. Moreover, comparative efficiency of the superior indices almost remained stable across the 4 environmental conditions. Eventually, using the selected indices, ten simple linear models were developed and validated for MGW prediction, which indicated a relatively higher precision than the current Area-based models. The considerable effect of enhancing image resolution on the precision of the models has been also evidenced. Conclusions It is expected that the findings of the present study, along with the simple predictive linear models developed and validated using new image-derived indices, could improve the precision of the image-based MGW estimations, and consequently facilitate wheat breeding and physiological assessments.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods画像から穀粒形状指標を抽出し、平均穀粒重を推定する手法を開発・検証しており、表現型取得・推定が研究の中心である。

abstractthe present study was conducted to explore more efficient indices for increasing the precision of image-based MGW estimations.

An Intelligent Analysis Method for 3D Wheat Grain and Ventral Sulcus Traits Based on Structured Light Imaging →

The wheat grain three-dimensional (3D) phenotypic characters are of great significance for final yield and variety breeding, and the ventral sulcus traits are the important factors to the wheat flour yield. The wheat grain trait measurements are necessary; however, the traditional measurement method is still manual, which is inefficient, subjective, and labor intensive; moreover, the ventral sulcus traits can only be obtained by destructive measurement. In this paper, an intelligent analysis method based on the structured light imaging has been proposed to extract the 3D wheat grain phenotypes and ventral sulcus traits. First, the 3D point cloud data of wheat grain were obtained by the structured light scanner, and then, the specified point cloud processing algorithms including single grain segmentation and ventral sulcus location have been designed; finally, 28 wheat grain 3D phenotypic characters and 4 ventral sulcus traits have been extracted. To evaluate the best experimental conditions, three-level orthogonal experiments, which include rotation angle, scanning angle, and stage color factors, were carried out on 125 grains of 5 wheat varieties, and the results demonstrated that optimum conditions of rotation angle, scanning angle, and stage color were 30°, 37°, black color individually. Additionally, the results also proved that the mean absolute percentage errors (MAPEs) of wheat grain length, width, thickness, and ventral sulcus depth were 1.83, 1.86, 2.19, and 4.81%. Moreover, the 500 wheat grains of five varieties were used to construct and validate the wheat grain weight model by 32 phenotypic traits, and the cross-validation results showed that the R 2 of the models ranged from 0.77 to 0.83. Finally, the wheat grain phenotype extraction and grain weight prediction were integrated into the specialized software. Therefore, this method was demonstrated to be an efficient and effective way for wheat breeding research.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods構造化光画像から小麦粒の3D表現型と腹溝形質を抽出する手法を開発し、精度評価・条件最適化・ソフトウェア統合まで行っており、表現型取得が中心である。

abstractIn this paper, an intelligent analysis method based on the structured light imaging has been proposed to extract the 3D wheat grain phenotypes and ventral sulcus traits.

A scalable phenotyping approach for female floral organ development and senescence in the absence of pollination in wheat →

Abstract In the absence of pollination, female reproductive organs senesce leading to an irrevocable loss in the reproductive potential of the flower and directly affecting seed set. In self-pollinating crops like wheat ( Triticum aestivum ), the post-anthesis viability of the unpollinated carpel has been overlooked, despite its importance for hybrid seed production systems. To advance our knowledge of carpel development in the absence of pollination, we created a relatively high-throughput phenotyping approach to quantify stigma and ovary morphology. We demonstrate the suitability of the approach, which is based on light microscopy imaging and machine learning, for the detailed study of floral organ traits in field grown plants using both fresh and fixed samples. We show that the unpollinated carpel undergoes a well-defined initial growth phase, followed by a peak phase (in which stigma area reaches its maximum and the radial expansion of the ovary slows), and a final deterioration phase. These developmental dynamics were largely consistent across years and could be used to classify male sterile cultivars, however the absolute duration of each phase varied across years. This phenotyping approach provides a new tool for examining carpel morphology and development which we hope will help advance research into this field and increase our mechanistic understanding of female fertility in wheat.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsコムギの柱頭・子房形態を定量化する高スループット表現型解析法を、光学顕微鏡画像と機械学習で開発・適用しており、表現型取得手法が研究の中心である。

abstractwe created a relatively high-throughput phenotyping approach to quantify stigma and ovary morphology.

Wheat Spike Detection and Counting in the Field Based on SpikeRetinaNet. →

The number of wheat spikes per unit area is one of the most important agronomic traits associated with wheat yield. However, quick and accurate detection for the counting of wheat spikes faces persistent challenges due to the complexity of wheat field conditions. This work has trained a RetinaNet (SpikeRetinaNet) based on several optimizations to detect and count wheat spikes efficiently. This RetinaNet consists of several improvements. First, a weighted bidirectional feature pyramid network (BiFPN) was introduced into the feature pyramid network (FPN) of RetinaNet, which could fuse multiscale features to recognize wheat spikes in different varieties and complicated environments. Then, to detect objects more efficiently, focal loss and attention modules were added. Finally, soft non-maximum suppression (Soft-NMS) was used to solve the occlusion problem. Based on these improvements, the new network detector was created and tested on the Global Wheat Head Detection (GWHD) dataset supplemented with wheat-wheatgrass spike detection (WSD) images. The WSD images were supplemented with new varieties of wheat, which makes the mixed dataset richer in species. The method of this study achieved 0.9262 for mAP50, which improved by 5.59, 49.06, 2.79, 1.35, and 7.26% compared to the state-of-the-art RetinaNet, single-shot multiBox detector (SSD), You Only Look Once version3 (Yolov3), You Only Look Once version4 (Yolov4), and faster region-based convolutional neural network (Faster-RCNN), respectively. In addition, the counting accuracy reached 0.9288, which was improved from other methods as well. Our implementation code and partial validation data are available at https://github.com/wujians122/The-Wheat-Spikes-Detecting-and-Counting.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦穂の検出・計数という植物形質を対象に、改良した画像解析モデルを開発し、データセット上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ある。

abstractThis work has trained a RetinaNet (SpikeRetinaNet) based on several optimizations to detect and count wheat spikes efficiently.

High‐throughput measurement of plant fitness traits with an object detection method using Faster R‐CNN →

Summary Revealing the contributions of genes to plant phenotype is frequently challenging because loss‐of‐function effects may be subtle or masked by varying degrees of genetic redundancy. Such effects can potentially be detected by measuring plant fitness, which reflects the cumulative effects of genetic changes over the lifetime of a plant. However, fitness is challenging to measure accurately, particularly in species with high fecundity and relatively small propagule sizes such as Arabidopsis thaliana . An image segmentation‐based method using the software I mage J and an object detection‐based method using the Faster Region‐based Convolutional Neural Network (R‐CNN) algorithm were used for measuring two Arabidopsis fitness traits: seed and fruit counts. The segmentation‐based method was error‐prone (correlation between true and predicted seed counts, r 2 = 0.849) because seeds touching each other were undercounted. By contrast, the object detection‐based algorithm yielded near perfect seed counts ( r 2 = 0.9996) and highly accurate fruit counts ( r 2 = 0.980). Comparing seed counts for wild‐type and 12 mutant lines revealed fitness effects for three genes; fruit counts revealed the same effects for two genes. Our study provides analysis pipelines and models to facilitate the investigation of Arabidopsis fitness traits and demonstrates the importance of examining fitness traits when studying gene functions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsFaster R-CNNによる種子・果実数という植物形質の画像ベース測定法を開発・比較検証し、解析パイプラインとモデルを提示しているため、フェノタイピング手法が中心的です。

abstractAn image segmentation‐based method using the software I mage J and an object detection‐based method using the Faster Region‐based Convolutional Neural Network (R‐CNN) algorithm were used for measuring two Arabidopsis fitness traits: seed and fruit counts.

Vegetable Size Measurement Based on Stereo Camera and Keypoints Detection →

This work focuses on the problem of non-contact measurement for vegetables in agricultural automation. The application of computer vision in assisted agricultural production significantly improves work efficiency due to the rapid development of information technology and artificial intelligence. Based on object detection and stereo cameras, this paper proposes an intelligent method for vegetable recognition and size estimation. The method obtains colorful images and depth maps with a binocular stereo camera. Then detection networks classify four kinds of common vegetables (cucumber, eggplant, tomato and pepper) and locate six points for each object. Finally, the size of vegetables is calculated using the pixel position and depth of keypoints. Experimental results show that the proposed method can classify four kinds of common vegetables within 60 cm and accurately estimate their diameter and length. The work provides an innovative idea for solving the vegetable's non-contact measurement problems and can promote the application of computer vision in agricultural automation.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods野菜の長さ・直径という植物器官形質を、ステレオカメラ、深度画像、キーポイント検出で非接触推定する手法が研究の中心であるため。

abstractThis work focuses on the problem of non-contact measurement for vegetables in agricultural automation.

A Protocol For Chenopodium Quinoa Pollen Germination →

Abstract Background: Quinoa is an increasingly popular seed crop frequently studied for its tolerance to various abiotic stresses as well as its susceptibility to heat. Estimations of quinoa pollen viability through staining methods have resulted in conflicting results. A more effective alternative to stains is to estimate pollen viability through in vitro germination. Here we report a method for in vitro quinoa pollen germination that could be used to understand the impact of various stresses on quinoa fertility and therefore seed yield or to identify male-sterile lines for breeding. Results: A semi-automated method to count germinating pollen was developed in PlantCV, which can be widely used by the community. Pollen collected on day 4 after first anthesis at ZT5 was optimum for pollen germination with an average germination of 68% for accession QQ74 (PI 614886). The optimal length of pollen incubation was found to be 48 hours, because it maximizes germination rates while minimizing contamination. The pollen germination medium’s pH, boric acid, and sucrose concentrations were optimized. The highest germination rates were obtained with 16% sucrose, 0.03% boric acid, 0.007% calcium nitrate, and pH 5.5. This medium was tested on quinoa accessions QQ74, and cherry vanilla with 68%, and 64% germination efficiencies, respectively. Conclusions: We provide an in vitro pollen germination method for quinoa with average germination rates of 64 and 68% on the two accessions tested. This method is a valuable tool to estimate pollen viability in quinoa, and to test how stress affects quinoa fertility. We also developed an image analysis tool to semi-automate the process of counting germinating pollen. Quinoa produces many new flowers during most of its panicle development period, leading to significant variation in pollen maturity and viability between different flowers of the same panicle. Therefore, collecting pollen at 4 days after first anthesis is very important to collect more uniformly developed pollen and to obtain high germination rates.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsキノア花粉の生存性を評価するin vitro発芽法を開発・最適化し、PlantCVによる発芽花粉の画像カウントも半自動化しており、植物形質取得法が研究の中心である。

abstractA semi-automated method to count germinating pollen was developed in PlantCV, which can be widely used by the community.

Dynamic Color Transform Networks for Wheat Head Detection. →

Wheat head detection can measure wheat traits such as head density and head characteristics. Standard wheat breeding largely relies on manual observation to detect wheat heads, yielding a tedious and inefficient procedure. The emergence of affordable camera platforms provides opportunities for deploying computer vision (CV) algorithms in wheat head detection, enabling automated measurements of wheat traits. Accurate wheat head detection, however, is challenging due to the variability of observation circumstances and the uncertainty of wheat head appearances. In this work, we propose a simple but effective idea-dynamic color transform (DCT)-for accurate wheat head detection. This idea is based on an observation that modifying the color channel of an input image can significantly alleviate false negatives and therefore improve detection results. DCT follows a linear color transform and can be easily implemented as a dynamic network. A key property of DCT is that the transform parameters are data-dependent such that illumination variations can be corrected adaptively. The DCT network can be incorporated into any existing object detectors. Experimental results on the Global Wheat Detection Dataset (GWHD) 2021 show that DCT can achieve notable improvements with negligible overhead parameters. In addition, DCT plays an important role in our solution participating in the Global Wheat Challenge (GWC) 2021, where our solution ranks the first on the initial public leaderboard, with an Average Domain Accuracy (ADA) of 0.821, and obtains the runner-up reward on the final private testing set, with an ADA of 0.695.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦穂の画像検出による形質取得を目的とし、照明変動に対応する動的色変換ネットワークを開発・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。

abstractIn this work, we propose a simple but effective idea-dynamic color transform (DCT)-for accurate wheat head detection.

Metabolomic selection for enhanced fruit flavor. →

Although they are staple foods in cuisines globally, many commercial fruit varieties have become progressively less flavorful over time. Due to the cost and difficulty associated with flavor phenotyping, breeding programs have long been challenged in selecting for this complex trait. To address this issue, we leveraged targeted metabolomics of diverse tomato and blueberry accessions and their corresponding consumer panel ratings to create statistical and machine learning models that can predict sensory perceptions of fruit flavor. Using these models, a breeding program can assess flavor ratings for a large number of genotypes, previously limited by the low throughput of consumer sensory panels. The ability to predict consumer ratings of liking, sweet, sour, umami, and flavor intensity was evaluated by a 10-fold cross-validation, and the accuracies of 18 different models were assessed. The prediction accuracies were high for most attributes and ranged from 0.87 for sourness intensity in blueberry using XGBoost to 0.46 for overall liking in tomato using linear regression. Further, the best-performing models were used to infer the flavor compounds (sugars, acids, and volatiles) that contribute most to each flavor attribute. We found that the variance decomposition of overall liking score estimates that 42% and 56% of the variance was explained by volatile organic compounds in tomato and blueberry, respectively. We expect that these models will enable an earlier incorporation of flavor as breeding targets and encourage selection and release of more flavorful fruit varieties.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods果実の風味という植物器官形質を、メタボロームから予測する統計・機械学習モデルを開発し、交差検証で性能評価している。育種に利用可能な風味表現型推定法が中心であり、単なる代謝測定ではない。

abstractwe leveraged targeted metabolomics of diverse tomato and blueberry accessions and their corresponding consumer panel ratings to create statistical and machine learning models that can predict sensory perceptions of fruit flavor.

Deep learning based high-throughput phenotyping of chalkiness in rice exposed to high night temperature. →

BACKGROUND: Rice is a major staple food crop for more than half the world's population. As the global population is expected to reach 9.7 billion by 2050, increasing the production of high-quality rice is needed to meet the anticipated increased demand. However, global environmental changes, especially increasing temperatures, can affect grain yield and quality. Heat stress is one of the major causes of an increased proportion of chalkiness in rice, which compromises quality and reduces the market value. Researchers have identified 140 quantitative trait loci linked to chalkiness mapped across 12 chromosomes of the rice genome. However, the available genetic information acquired by employing advances in genetics has not been adequately exploited due to a lack of a reliable, rapid and high-throughput phenotyping tool to capture chalkiness. To derive extensive benefit from the genetic progress achieved, tools that facilitate high-throughput phenotyping of rice chalkiness are needed. RESULTS: We use a fully automated approach based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping (Grad-CAM) to detect chalkiness in rice grain images. Specifically, we train a CNN model to distinguish between chalky and non-chalky grains and subsequently use Grad-CAM to identify the area of a grain that is indicative of the chalky class. The area identified by the Grad-CAM approach takes the form of a smooth heatmap that can be used to quantify the degree of chalkiness. Experimental results on both polished and unpolished rice grains using standard instance classification and segmentation metrics have shown that Grad-CAM can accurately identify chalky grains and detect the chalkiness area. CONCLUSIONS: We have successfully demonstrated the application of a Grad-CAM based tool to accurately capture high night temperature induced chalkiness in rice. The models trained will be made publicly available. They are easy-to-use, scalable and can be readily incorporated into ongoing rice breeding programs, without rice researchers requiring computer science or machine learning expertise.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsCNNとGrad-CAMにより米粒画像から白未熟粒（chalkiness）を検出・定量する高スループット表現型計測手法の開発であり、方法が研究の中心です。

abstractlack of a reliable, rapid and high-throughput phenotyping tool to capture chalkiness

Automatic and Accurate Calculation of Rice Seed Setting Rate Based on Image Segmentation and Deep Learning. →

The rice seed setting rate (RSSR) is an important component in calculating rice yields and a key phenotype for its genetic analysis. Automatic calculations of RSSR through computer vision technology have great significance for rice yield predictions. The basic premise for calculating RSSR is having an accurate and high throughput identification of rice grains. In this study, we propose a method based on image segmentation and deep learning to automatically identify rice grains and calculate RSSR. By collecting information on the rice panicle, our proposed image automatic segmentation method can detect the full grain and empty grain, after which the RSSR can be calculated by our proposed rice seed setting rate optimization algorithm (RSSROA). Finally, the proposed method was used to predict the RSSR during which process, the average identification accuracy reached 99.43%. This method has therefore been proven as an effective, non-invasive method for high throughput identification and calculation of RSSR. It is also applicable to soybean yields, as well as wheat and other crops with similar characteristics.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods画像セグメンテーションと深層学習によりイネ籾の充実・不稔を識別し、種子登熟率という植物形質を自動・高スループット推定する手法が研究の中心である。

abstractThis method has therefore been proven as an effective, non-invasive method for high throughput identification and calculation of RSSR.

'Spikelet stop' determines the maximum yield potential stage in barley. →

Determining the grain yield potential contributed by grain number is a step towards advancing the yield of cereal crops. To achieve this aim, it is pivotal to recognize the maximum yield potential (MYP) of the crop. In barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), the MYP is defined as the maximum spikelet primordia number of a spike. Many barley studies assumed the awn primordium (AP) stage to be the MYP stage regardless of genotypes and growth conditions. From our spikelet-tracking experiments using the two-rowed cultivar Bowman, we found that the MYP stage can be different from the AP stage. Importantly, we find that the occurrence of inflorescence meristem deformation and its loss of activity coincided with the MYP stage, indicating the end of further spikelet initiation. Thus, we recommend validating the barley MYP stage with the shape of the inflorescence meristem and propose this approach (named 'spikelet stop') for MYP staging. To clarify the relevance of AP and MYP stages, we compared the MYP stage and the MYP in 27 barley accessions (two- and six-rowed accessions) grown in the greenhouse and in the field. Our results reveal that the MYP stage can be reached at various developmental stages, which greatly depend on the genotype and growth conditions. Furthermore, we propose that the MYP stage and the time to reach the MYP stage can be used to determine yield potential in barley. Based on our findings, we suggest key steps for the identification of the MYP stage in barley that may also be applied in a related crop such as wheat.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods花序メリステムの形状と活動停止から最大収量ポテンシャル段階を判定する「spikelet stop」手法を提案・検証しており、植物発達形質の取得法が中心である。

abstractThus, we recommend validating the barley MYP stage with the shape of the inflorescence meristem and propose this approach (named 'spikelet stop') for MYP staging.

PFuji-Size dataset: A collection of images and photogrammetry-derived 3D point clouds with ground truth annotations for Fuji apple detection and size estimation in field conditions. →

The PFuji-Size dataset is comprised of a collection of 3D point clouds of Fuji apple trees ( Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Fuji) scanned at different maturity stages and annotated for fruit detection and size estimation. Structure-from-motion and multi-view stereo techniques were used to generate the 3D point clouds of 6 complete Fuji apple trees containing a total of 615 apples. The resulting point clouds were 3D segmented by identifying the 3D points corresponding to each apple (3D instance segmentation), obtaining a single point cloud for each apple. All segmented apples were labelled with ground truth diameter annotations. Since the data was acquired in field conditions and at different maturity stages, the set includes different fruit diameters -from 26.9 mm to 94.8 mm- and different fruit occlusion percentages due to foliage. In addition, 25 apples were photographed 360° in laboratory conditions, obtaining high resolution 3D point clouds of this sub-set. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first publicly available dataset for apple size estimation in field conditions. This dataset was used to evaluate different fruit size estimation methods in the research article titled "In-field apple size estimation using photogrammetry-derived 3D point clouds: comparison of 4 different methods considering fruit occlusion" (Gené-Mola et al., 2021).

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリンゴ果実の3D画像・点群から果径を推定するための公開データセットであり、アノテーション、3Dセグメンテーション、サイズ推定評価が中心的な方法論的貢献である。

abstractThe PFuji-Size dataset is comprised of a collection of 3D point clouds of Fuji apple trees ( Malus domestica Borkh. cv. Fuji) scanned at different maturity stages and annotated for fruit detection and size estimation.

Central Object Segmentation by Deep Learning to Continuously Monitor Fruit Growth through RGB Images. →

Monitoring fruit growth is useful when estimating final yields in advance and predicting optimum harvest times. However, observing fruit all day at the farm via RGB images is not an easy task because the light conditions are constantly changing. In this paper, we present CROP (Central Roundish Object Painter). The method involves image segmentation by deep learning, and the architecture of the neural network is a deeper version of U-Net. CROP identifies different types of central roundish fruit in an RGB image in varied light conditions, and creates a corresponding mask. Counting the mask pixels gives the relative two-dimensional size of the fruit, and in this way, time-series images may provide a non-contact means of automatically monitoring fruit growth. Although our measurement unit is different from the traditional one (length), we believe that shape identification potentially provides more information. Interestingly, CROP can have a more general use, working even for some other roundish objects. For this reason, we hope that CROP and our methodology yield big data to promote scientific advancements in horticultural science and other fields.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB画像から果実をセグメンテーションし、画素数で果実サイズと成長を時系列推定する手法開発が中心である。

abstractIn this paper, we present CROP (Central Roundish Object Painter). The method involves image segmentation by deep learning, and the architecture of the neural network is a deeper version of U-Net.

An Advanced Photogrammetric Solution to Measure Apples →

This work presents an advanced photogrammetric pipeline for inspecting apple trees in the field, automatically detecting fruits from videos and quantifying their size and number. The proposed approach is intended to facilitate and accelerate farmers’ and agronomists’ fieldwork, making apple measurements more objective and giving a more extended collection of apples measured in the field while also estimating harvesting/apple-picking dates. In order to do this rapidly and automatically, we propose a pipeline that uses smartphone-based videos and combines photogrammetry, deep learning and geometric algorithms. Synthetic, laboratory and on-field experiments demonstrate the accuracy of the results and the potential of the proposed method. Acquired data, labelled images, code and network weights, are available at 3DOM-FBK GitHub account.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsリンゴ果実の数とサイズを動画から自動抽出するフォトグラメトリ手法を開発し、実験で精度を検証しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が中心である。

abstractThis work presents an advanced photogrammetric pipeline for inspecting apple trees in the field, automatically detecting fruits from videos and quantifying their size and number.

Tasselyzer, a machine learning method to quantify maize anther exertion, based on PlantCV →

Summary Male fertility in maize involves complex genetic programming affected by environmental factors. Evaluating the presence and proportion of fertile anthers is crucial for agronomic purposes. Anthers in maize emerge from male-only florets, and quantifying anther exertion is a key indicator of male fertility; however, traditional manual scoring methods are subjective. To address this limitation, we developed an automated method, Tasselyzer , for large-scale analysis. This image-based program uses the PlantCV platform to provide a quantitative assessment of anther exertion, capturing regional differences within the tassel based on the distinct color of anthers. We successfully applied this method to diverse maize lines to demonstrate its utility for research and breeding programs. Significance Statement Tasselyzer is a novel image-based segmentation tool for automated, large-scale measurement of anther exertion and the impact of genetic and environmental variation on male fertility in maize.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsトウモロコシの葯突出を画像ベースで自動定量する手法とソフトウェアを開発し、複数系統への適用も実施しており、植物フェノタイピング手法が研究の中心です。

abstractwe developed an automated method, Tasselyzer , for large-scale analysis.

Combining Local and Global Viewpoint Planning for Fruit Coverage →

Obtaining 3D sensor data of complete plants or plant parts (e.g., the crop or fruit) is difficult due to their complex structure and a high degree of occlusion. However, especially for the estimation of the position and size of fruits, it is necessary to avoid occlusions as much as possible and acquire sensor information of the relevant parts. Global viewpoint planners exist that suggest a series of viewpoints to cover the regions of interest up to a certain degree, but they usually prioritize global coverage and do not emphasize the avoidance of local occlusions. On the other hand, there are approaches that aim at avoiding local occlusions, but they cannot be used in larger environments since they only reach a local maximum of coverage. In this paper, we therefore propose to combine a local, gradient-based method with global viewpoint planning to enable local occlusion avoidance while still being able to cover large areas. Our simulated experiments with a robotic arm equipped with a camera array as well as an RGB-D camera show that this combination leads to a significantly increased coverage of the regions of interest compared to just applying global coverage planning.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods果実の位置・サイズ推定に必要な3Dセンサデータ取得を対象に、局所遮蔽回避と大域的視点計画を組み合わせる視点計画法を開発・評価しており、植物表現型取得が中心である。

abstractespecially for the estimation of the position and size of fruits, it is necessary to avoid occlusions as much as possible and acquire sensor information of the relevant parts

Modeling Carbon Balance and Sugar Content of Vitis vinifera under Two Different Trellis Systems. →

Environmental factors might influence the carbon balance and sugar content in grapevine. In this two-year research, the STELLA software was employed to predict dry matter accumulation in Sangiovese vines, comparing the traditional vertical shoot positioning (VSP) and the single high wire (SHW) trellis systems. Every week, vegetative, eco-physiological and grape quality parameters were collected for 15 tagged vines per trellis system to set up the software. Significant differences in photosynthesis were recorded in 2014, with higher values in VSP (23-25% more). Shoot growth was significantly higher in VSP (20-25% more), whereas higher dry matter (30%) and yield (9-11% more) were detected for SHW. At harvest, berry composition suggested a slower ripening in SHW compared to VSP, which was linked to the shading of clusters in SHW. Finally, for the first time, linear regressions were found between measured berry sugar content and STELLA-estimated dry matter (R 2 = 0.96 in VSP; R 2 = 0.95 in SHW). This latter evidence allowed the estimation of berry sugar content, showing this software to be a practical tool to support winegrowers in decision making. Other studies are already underway to calibrate and validate the model for other varieties, training systems and environments.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsSTELLAモデルによるブドウの乾物蓄積・果実糖含量の推定と、実測値との回帰による検証が研究の中心であり、植物形質の計算推定手法として扱える。

abstractthe STELLA software was employed to predict dry matter accumulation in Sangiovese vines

Image-based size estimation of broccoli heads under varying degrees of occlusion →

The growth and the harvestability of a broccoli crop is monitored by the size of the broccoli head. This size estimation is currently done by humans, and this is inconsistent and expensive. The goal of our work was to develop a software algorithm that can estimate the size of field-grown broccoli heads based on RGB-Depth (RGB-D) images. For the algorithm to be successful, the problem of occlusion must be solved, which is the partial visibility of the broccoli head due to overlapping leaves. This partial visibility causes sizing errors. In this research, we studied the use of deep-learning algorithms to deal with occlusions. We specifically applied the Occlusion Region-based Convolutional Neural Network (ORCNN) that segmented both the visible and the amodal region of the broccoli head (which is the visible and the occluded region combined). We hypothesised that ORCNN, with its amodal segmentation, can improve the size estimation of occluded broccoli heads. The ORCNN sizing method was compared with a Mask R–CNN sizing method that only used the visible broccoli region to estimate the size. The sizing performance of both methods was evaluated on a test set of 487 broccoli images with systematic levels of leaf occlusion. With a mean sizing error of 6.4 mm, ORCNN outperformed Mask R–CNN, which had a mean sizing error of 10.7 mm. Furthermore, ORCNN had a significantly lower absolute sizing error on 161 heavily occluded broccoli heads with an occlusion rate between 50% and 90%. Our software and data set are available on https://git.wur.nl/blok012/sizecnn.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsRGB-D画像と深層学習によりブロッコリー頭部サイズを推定する手法を開発し、Mask R-CNNと比較検証しているため、植物形質取得法が研究の中心です。

abstractThe goal of our work was to develop a software algorithm that can estimate the size of field-grown broccoli heads based on RGB-Depth (RGB-D) images.

High throughput measurement of Arabidopsis thaliana fitness traits using transfer learning →

Summary Revealing the contributions of genes to plant phenotype is frequently challenging because the effects of loss of gene function may be subtle or be masked by genetic redundancy. Such effects can potentially be detected by measuring plant fitness, which reflects the cumulative effects of genetic changes over the lifetime of a plant. However, fitness is challenging to measure accurately, particularly in species with high fecundity and relatively small propagule sizes such as Arabidopsis thaliana . An image segmentation-based (ImageJ) and a Faster Region Based Convolutional Neural Network (R-CNN) approach were used for measuring two Arabidopsis fitness traits: seed and fruit counts. Although straightforward to use, ImageJ was error-prone (correlation between true and predicted seed counts, r 2 =0.849) because seeds touching each other were undercounted. In contrast, Faster R-CNN yielded near perfect seed counts (r 2 =0.9996) and highly accurate fruit counts (r 2 =0.980). By examining seed counts, we were able to reveal fitness effects for genes that were previously reported to have no or condition-specific loss-of-function phenotypes. Our study provides models to facilitate the investigation of Arabidopsis fitness traits and demonstrates the importance of examining fitness traits in the study of gene functions.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods画像分割とFaster R-CNNを用いて種子数・果実数という植物形質を高スループット測定し、精度比較・検証を行うことが中心であるため。

titleHigh throughput measurement of Arabidopsis thaliana fitness traits using transfer learning

Phenotyping Anther Extrusion of Wheat Using Image Analysis →

Phenotyping wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is time-consuming and new methods are necessary to decrease labor. To develop a heterotic pool of male wheat lines for hybrid breeding, there must be an efficient way to measure both anther extrusion and the size of anthers. Five hundred and ninety-four soft red winter wheat lines in two replications of randomized complete block design were phenotyped for anther extrusion, a key trait for hybrid wheat production. A device was constructed to capture images using a mobile device. Four heads were sampled per line when anthesis was evident for half the heads in the plot. The extruded anthers were scraped onto a surface, their image was captured, and the area of the anthers was taken via ImageJ. The number of anthers extruded was estimated by counting the number of anthers per image and dividing by the number of heads sampled. The area per anther was taken by dividing the area of anthers per spike by the number of anthers per spike. A significant correlation (R=0.9, p

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods小麦の葯突出数と葯サイズを画像取得・ImageJ解析で測定する手法を開発し、大規模材料で適用・評価しており、表現型取得法が中心である。

abstractTo develop a heterotic pool of male wheat lines for hybrid breeding, there must be an efficient way to measure both anther extrusion and the size of anthers.

A comprehensive dataset of flax ( Linum uitatissimum L.) phenotypes. →

A collection of flax accessions from Russian Federal Research Center for Bast Fiber Crops was characterised to evaluate its phenotypic diversity. 406 samples representing different morphotypes were selected for thorough quantitative assessment of various agronomic traits. We measured height, length of technical part of the stem, technical part weight, inflorescence length, number of bolls and seeds per plant, 1000 seed weight, the diameter of the stem, the number of internodes and finally, distance between internodes. The fiber quality was estimated by calculating stem slenderness, stem taperingness and elementary fiber length. The dataset was produced in a framework of a project focused on characterization of diversity of flax genotypes and phenotypes, as well as on identification of genomic regions associated with various traits, it is hosted on Figshare.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods植物遺伝資源の多形質表現型を体系的に収集したデータセットであり、表現型データセットとして中心的な対象である。

titleA comprehensive dataset of flax ( Linum uitatissimum L.) phenotypes.

Identification and utilization of genetic determinants of trait measurement errors in image-based, high-throughput phenotyping →

The accuracy of trait measurements greatly affects the quality of genetic analyses. During automated phenotyping, trait measurement errors, i.e. differences between automatically extracted trait values and ground truth, are often treated as random effects that can be controlled by increasing population sizes and/or replication number. In contrast, there is some evidence that trait measurement errors may be partially under genetic control. Consistent with this hypothesis, we observed substantial nonrandom, genetic contributions to trait measurement errors for five maize (Zea mays) tassel traits collected using an image-based phenotyping platform. The phenotyping accuracy varied according to whether a tassel exhibited "open" versus. "closed" branching architecture, which is itself under genetic control. Trait-associated SNPs (TASs) identified via genome-wide association studies (GWASs) conducted on five tassel traits that had been phenotyped both manually (i.e. ground truth) and via feature extraction from images exhibit little overlap. Furthermore, identification of TASs from GWASs conducted on the differences between the two values indicated that a fraction of measurement error is under genetic control. Similar results were obtained in a sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) plant height dataset, demonstrating that trait measurement error is genetically determined in multiple species and traits. Trait measurement bias cannot be controlled by increasing population size and/or replication number.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods画像ベース高スループット表現型測定の自動抽出値を手動測定（ground truth）と比較し、測定誤差と精度を遺伝的に評価しているため、表現型取得法の技術的検証が中心です。

abstractDuring automated phenotyping, trait measurement errors, i.e. differences between automatically extracted trait values and ground truth, are often treated as random effects

Factors Affecting the Number of Pollen Grains per Male Strobilus in Japanese Cedar ( Cryptomeria japonica ). →

Japanese cedar ( Cryptomeria japonica ) is the most important timber species in Japan; however, its pollen is the primary cause of pollinosis in Japan. The total number of pollen grains produced by a single tree is determined by the number of male strobili (male flowers) and the number of pollen grains per male strobilus. While the number of male strobili is a visible and well-investigated trait, little is known about the number of pollen grains per male strobilus. We hypothesized that genetic and environmental factors affect the pollen number per male strobilus and explored the factors that affect pollen production and genetic variation among clones. We counted pollen numbers of 523 male strobili from 26 clones using a cell counter method that we recently developed. Piecewise Structural Equation Modeling (pSEM) revealed that the pollen number is mostly affected by genetic variation, male strobilus weight, and pollen size. Although we collected samples from locations with different environmental conditions, statistical modeling succeeded in predicting pollen numbers for different clones sampled from branches facing different directions. Comparison of predicted pollen numbers revealed that they varied >3-fold among the 26 clones. The determination of the factors affecting pollen number and a precise evaluation of genetic variation will contribute to breeding strategies to counter pollinosis. Furthermore, the combination of our efficient counting method and statistical modeling will provide a powerful tool not only for Japanese cedar but also for other plant species.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods花粉数という植物形質を測定する新開発のセルカウンター法を適用し、統計モデルと組み合わせた再利用可能な計測手法として位置づけているため、方法論的役割が中心的です。

abstractWe counted pollen numbers of 523 male strobili from 26 clones using a cell counter method that we recently developed.

Seed Morphology in Key Spanish Grapevine Cultivars →

Ampelography, the botanical discipline dedicated to the identification and classification of grapevine cultivars, was grounded on the description of morphological characters and more recently is based on the application of DNA polymorphisms. New methods of image analysis may help to optimize morphological approaches in ampelography. The objective of this study was the classification of representative cultivars of Vitis vinifera conserved in the Spanish collection of IMIDRA according to seed shape. Thirty eight cultivars representing the diversity of this collection were analyzed. A consensus seed silhouette was defined for each cultivar representing the geometric figure that better adjusted to their seed shape. All the cultivars tested were classified in ten morphological groups, each corresponding to a new model. The models are geometric figures defined by equations and similarity to each model is evaluated by quantification of percent of the area shared by the two figures, the seed and the model (J index). The comparison of seed images with geometric models is a rapid and convenient method to classify cultivars. A large proportion of the collection may be classified according to the new models described and the method permits to find new models according to seed shape in other cultivars.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods種子画像から形状を抽出し、幾何モデルと面積共有率でブドウ品種を分類する画像解析手法が研究の中心であり、再利用可能な植物形態フェノタイピング法に該当する。

abstractNew methods of image analysis may help to optimize morphological approaches in ampelography.

Datasets of seed mucilage traits for Arabidopsis thaliana natural accessions with atypical outer mucilage. →

The seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana become encapsulated by a layer of mucilage when imbibed. This polysaccharide-rich hydrogel is constituted of two layers, an outer layer that can be easily extracted with water and an inner layer that must be examined in situ in order to study its properties and structure in a non-destructive manner or disintegrated through hydrolysis or physical means in order to analyze its constituents. Mucilage production is an adaptive trait and we have exploited 19 natural accessions previously found to have atypical and varied outer mucilage characteristics. A detailed study using biochemical, histological and Time-Domain NMR analyses has been used to generate three related datasets covering 33 traits measured in four biological replicates. This data will be a rich resource for genetic, biochemical, structural and functional analyses investigating mucilage constituent polysaccharides or their role as adaptive traits.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsアラビドプシス種子の粘液形質を対象に、33形質・4反復の再利用可能なデータセットを生成した研究であり、植物形質データセットの構築が中心です。

abstractA detailed study using biochemical, histological and Time-Domain NMR analyses has been used to generate three related datasets covering 33 traits measured in four biological replicates.

Automated Detection and Segmentation of Grain Spikes in Greenhouse Images Using Shallow and Deep Learning Neural Networks: A Comparison of Six Methods →

Abstract Image-based plant phenotyping is the major approach to quantitative assessment of important plant properties. For automated analysis of a large amount of image data from high-throughput greenhouse measurements, efficient techniques for image segmentation are required. However, conventional approaches to whole plant and plant organ segmentation are hampered by high variability of plant and background illumination, and naturally occurring changes in geometry and colors of growing plants. Consequently, application of advanced machine learning techniques for automated image segmentation is required. Here, we investigate six advanced neural network (NN) methods for detection and segmentation of grain spikes in RGB images including three detection deep NNs (SSD, Faster-RCNN, YOLOv3/v4), two deep (U-Net, DeepLabv3+) and one shallow segmentation NNs. Our experimental results show superior performance of deep learning NNs that achieve in average more than 90% accuracy by detection and segmentation of wheat as well as barley and rye spikes. However, different methods demonstrate different performance on matured, emergent and occluded spikes. In addition to comprehensive comparison of six NN methods, a GUI-based tool (SpikeApp) provided with this work demonstrates the application of detection and segmentation NNs to fully automated spike phenotyping. Further improvements of evaluated NN approaches are discussed.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods穀粒穂の画像検出・セグメンテーション手法を比較評価し、SpikeAppによる自動フェノタイピングを実証しており、植物表現型取得手法が中心である。

abstractImage-based plant phenotyping is the major approach to quantitative assessment of important plant properties.

Induction of Acquired Tolerance Through Gradual Progression of Drought Is the Key for Maintenance of Spikelet Fertility and Yield in Rice Under Semi-irrigated Aerobic Conditions. →

Plants have evolved several adaptive mechanisms to cope with water-limited conditions. While most of them are through constitutive traits, certain "acquired tolerance" traits also provide significant improvement in drought adaptation. Most abiotic stresses, especially drought, show a gradual progression of stress and hence provide an opportunity to upregulate specific protective mechanisms collectively referred to as "acquired tolerance" traits. Here, we demonstrate a significant genetic variability in acquired tolerance traits among rice germplasm accessions after standardizing a novel gradual stress progress protocol. Two contrasting genotypes, BPT 5204 (drought susceptible) and AC 39000 (tolerant), were used to standardize methodology for capturing acquired tolerance traits at seedling phase. Seedlings exposed to gradual progression of stress showed higher recovery with low free radical accumulation in both the genotypes compared to rapid stress. Further, the gradual stress progression protocol was used to examine the role of acquired tolerance at flowering phase using a set of 17 diverse rice genotypes. Significant diversity in free radical production and scavenging was observed among these genotypes. Association of these parameters with yield attributes showed that genotypes that managed free radical levels in cells were able to maintain high spikelet fertility and hence yield under stress. This study, besides emphasizing the importance of acquired tolerance, explains a high throughput phenotyping approach that significantly overcomes methodological constraints in assessing genetic variability in this important drought adaptive mechanism.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネの乾燥適応形質を評価するための段階的ストレス付与プロトコルを標準化し、高スループット表現型解析として方法論的制約を克服する手法を提示しているため、表現型取得法が中心的です。

abstractafter standardizing a novel gradual stress progress protocol

SeedExtractor : An Open-Source GUI for Seed Image Analysis. →

Accurate measurement of seed size parameters is essential for both breeding efforts aimed at enhancing yields and basic research focused on discovering genetic components that regulate seed size. To address this need, we have developed an open-source graphical user interface (GUI) software, SeedExtractor that determines seed size and shape (including area, perimeter, length, width, circularity, and centroid), and seed color with capability to process a large number of images in a time-efficient manner. In this context, our application takes ∼2 s for analyzing an image, i.e., significantly less compared to the other tools. As this software is open-source, it can be modified by users to serve more specific needs. The adaptability of SeedExtractor was demonstrated by analyzing scanned seeds from multiple crops. We further validated the utility of this application by analyzing mature-rice seeds from 231 accessions in Rice Diversity Panel 1. The derived seed-size traits, such as seed length, width, were used for genome-wide association analysis. We identified known loci for regulating seed length ( GS3 ) and width ( qSW5/GW5 ) in rice, which demonstrates the accuracy of this application to extract seed phenotypes and accelerate trait discovery. In summary, we present a publicly available application that can be used to determine key yield-related traits in crops.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods種子画像から形状・色などの表現型を抽出するオープンソースGUIを開発し、複数作物およびイネ231アクセッションで有用性を検証しており、表現型取得手法が中心である。

abstractwe have developed an open-source graphical user interface (GUI) software, SeedExtractor that determines seed size and shape (including area, perimeter, length, width, circularity, and centroid), and seed color

Using Genome-Wide Predictions to Assess the Phenotypic Variation of a Barley ( Hordeum sp.) Gene Bank Collection for Important Agronomic Traits and Passport Information. →

Genome-wide predictions are a powerful tool for predicting trait performance. Against this backdrop we aimed to evaluate the potential and limitations of genome-wide predictions to inform the barley collection of the Federal ex situ Genebank for Agricultural and Horticultural Crops with phenotypic data on complex traits including flowering time, plant height, thousand grain weight, as well as on growth habit and row type. We used previously published sequence data, providing information on 306,049 high-quality SNPs for 20,454 barley accessions. The prediction abilities of the two unordered categorical traits row type and growth type as well as the quantitative traits flowering time, plant height and thousand grain weight were investigated using different cross validation scenarios. Our results demonstrate that the unordered categorical traits can be predicted with high precision. In this way genome-wide prediction can be routinely deployed to extract information pertinent to the taxonomic status of gene bank accessions. In addition, the three quantitative traits were also predicted with high precision, thereby increasing the amount of information available for genotyped but not phenotyped accessions. Deeply phenotyped core collections, such as the barley 1,000 core set of the IPK Gatersleben, are a promising training population to calibrate genome-wide prediction models. Consequently, genome-wide predictions can substantially contribute to increase the attractiveness of gene bank collections and help evolve gene banks into bio-digital resource centers.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsゲノムワイド予測によって未表現型化アクセスionsの農業形質を推定し、交差検証で予測性能を評価しており、植物表現型推定手法が研究の中心である。

abstractThe prediction abilities of the two unordered categorical traits row type and growth type as well as the quantitative traits flowering time, plant height and thousand grain weight were investigated using different cross validation scenarios.

Detecting Sorghum Plant and Head Features from Multispectral UAV Imagery. →

In plant breeding, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) carrying multispectral cameras have demonstrated increasing utility for high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) to aid the interpretation of genotype and environment effects on morphological, biochemical, and physiological traits. A key constraint remains the reduced resolution and quality extracted from "stitched" mosaics generated from UAV missions across large areas. This can be addressed by generating high-quality reflectance data from a single nadir image per plot. In this study, a pipeline was developed to derive reflectance data from raw multispectral UAV images that preserve the original high spatial and spectral resolutions and to use these for phenotyping applications. Sequential steps involved (i) imagery calibration, (ii) spectral band alignment, (iii) backward calculation, (iv) plot segmentation, and (v) application. Each step was designed and optimised to estimate the number of plants and count sorghum heads within each breeding plot. Using a derived nadir image of each plot, the coefficients of determination were 0.90 and 0.86 for estimates of the number of sorghum plants and heads, respectively. Furthermore, the reflectance information acquired from the different spectral bands showed appreciably high discriminative ability for sorghum head colours (i.e., red and white). Deployment of this pipeline allowed accurate segmentation of crop organs at the canopy level across many diverse field plots with minimal training needed from machine learning approaches.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsUAVマルチスペクトル画像から反射率を抽出し、圃場区画内の植物数・穂数・穂色を推定するパイプラインの開発と精度評価が中心であり、植物表現型取得手法に該当する。

abstractIn this study, a pipeline was developed to derive reflectance data from raw multispectral UAV images that preserve the original high spatial and spectral resolutions and to use these for phenotyping applications.

GANana: Unsupervised Domain Adaptation for Volumetric Regression of Fruit →

3D reconstruction of fruit is important as a key component of fruit grading and an important part of many size estimation pipelines.Like many computer vision challenges, the 3D reconstruction task suffers from a lack of readily available training data in most domains, with methods typically depending on large datasets of high-quality image-model pairs.In this paper, we propose an unsupervised domain-adaptation approach to 3D reconstruction where labelled images only exist in our source synthetic domain, and training is supplemented with different unlabelled datasets from the target real domain.We approach the problem of 3D reconstruction using volumetric regression and produce a training set of 25,000 pairs of images and volumes using hand-crafted 3D models of bananas rendered in a 3D modelling environment (Blender).Each image is then enhanced by a GAN to more closely match the domain of photographs of real images by introducing a volumetric consistency loss, improving performance of 3D reconstruction on real images.Our solution harnesses the cost benefits of synthetic data while still maintaining good performance on real world images.We focus this work on the task of 3D banana reconstruction from a single image, representing a common task in plant phenotyping, but this approach is general and may be adapted to any 3D reconstruction task including other plant species and organs.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methods果実の3D再構成と体積回帰を対象とする教師なしドメイン適応手法を開発しており、植物器官の形態・サイズ推定に用いるフェノタイピング手法が研究の中心である。

abstractIn this paper, we propose an unsupervised domain-adaptation approach to 3D reconstruction

Scanning the rice Global MAGIC population for dynamic genetic control of seed traits under vegetative drought. →

Abstract Grain size and weight are important yield components in rice ( Oryza sativa L.). There is still uncertainty about the genetic control of these traits under drought stress, the most pressing emerging issue in many rice cultivation areas. To address this lack of knowledge, we investigated the genetic architecture of seed size, shape, and weight using the rice Global Multi-parent Advanced Generation Intercross (MAGIC) population, grown under well-watered and vegetative drought conditions. We measured variation in seed size and shape with a new high-throughput phenotyping method based on a desktop scanner and the open-source package Plant Computer Vision (PlantCV). Besides being affordable, rapid, and accurate, our method captured the phenotypic divergence between drought and well-watered samples, expressed as 12 different traits that include traditional size metrics and new grain shape measures. Overall, under water deficit, the MAGIC lines produced smaller and shorter seeds. We identified ten MAGIC lines with traits that make them good candidates for the release of rice cultivars with high yield potential under vegetative drought stress. We ran a marker-trait association analysis for the measured seed-related traits. Most of the identified marker-trait associations showed strong genotype-by-environment interactions (GxE), with most allele effects being conditionally neutral. These results suggest dynamic genetic control of seed size, shape, and weight under vegetative drought stress in rice, highlighting the importance of understanding the contribution of GxE interactions on trait variation to develop resilient and high-yielding rice varieties. Our study confirms that combining low-cost and high-throughput phenotyping strategies with a diverse genetic material suited for multi-environmental trial provides solutions for adapting rice cultivation to current and future environmental adversities.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsイネ種子の形状・サイズ・重量を、デスクトップスキャナーとPlantCVによる新規かつ高スループットな表現型取得法で測定しており、方法開発と実質的な適用が研究の中心です。

abstractWe measured variation in seed size and shape with a new high-throughput phenotyping method based on a desktop scanner and the open-source package Plant Computer Vision (PlantCV).

High-Throughput Phenotyping of Morphological Seed and Fruit Characteristics Using X-Ray Computed Tomography. →

Traditional seed and fruit phenotyping are mainly accomplished by manual measurement or extraction of morphological properties from two-dimensional images. These methods are not only in low-throughput but also unable to collect their three-dimensional (3D) characteristics and internal morphology. X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanning, which provides a convenient means of non-destructively recording the external and internal 3D structures of seeds and fruits, offers a potential to overcome these limitations. However, the current CT equipment cannot be adopted to scan seeds and fruits with high throughput. And there is no specialized software for automatic extraction of phenotypes from CT images. Here, we introduced a high-throughput image acquisition approach by mounting a specially-designed seed-fruit container onto the scanning bed. The corresponding 3D image analysis software, 3DPheno-Seed&Fruit, was created for automatic segmentation and rapid quantification of eight morphological phenotypes of internal and external compartments of seeds and fruits. 3DPheno-Seed&Fruit is a graphical user interface designed and user-friendly software with an excellent phenotype result visualization function. We described the software in detail and benchmarked it based upon CT image analyses in seeds of soybean, wheat, peanut, pine nut, pistacia nut and dwarf Russian almond fruit. R2 values between the extracted and manual measurements of seed length, width, thickness, and radius ranged from 0.80 to 0.96 for soybean and wheat. High correlations were found between the 2D (length, width, thickness, and radius) and 3D (volume and surface area) phenotypes for soybean. Overall, our methods provide robust and novel tools for phenotyping the morphological seed and fruit traits of various plant species, which could benefit crop breeding and functional genomics.

Why it matches plant phenotyping methodsCT画像取得法と3D解析ソフトウェアを開発し、種子・果実形態形質の自動抽出をベンチマークしており、フェノタイピング手法が中心である。