Using hyperspectral imaging to determine germination of native Australian plant seeds

Published Date
Journal of Photochemistry and Photobiology B: Biology
April 2015, Vol.145:19–24, doi:10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2015.02.015

• Author 

• Christian Nansen ^a,b,,
• Genpin Zhao ^c
• Nicole Dakin ^d
• Chunhui Zhao ^c
• Shane R. Turner ^d

• aDepartment of Entomology and Nematology, UC Davis Briggs Hall, Room 367, Davis, CA, USA
• bSchool of Animal Biology, The UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth 6009, Australia
• cCollege of Information and Communication Engineering, Harbin Engineering University, Nangang District 150001, China
• dKings Park and Botanic Garden, West Perth, WA 6005, Australia

Received 14 November 2014. Revised 9 February 2015. Accepted 10 February 2015. Available online 26 February 2015. 

Highlights

• •
  We use reflectance profiling to predict the germination of three species of Australian tree seeds.
• •
  Reflectance-based model predict germination with over 80% accuracy.
• •
  The results have broad relevance to improved management of seed banks and the seed crop industry.

Abstract

We investigated the ability to accurately and non-destructively determine the germination of three native Australian tree species, Acacia cowleana Tate (Fabaceae), Banksia prionotes L.F. (Proteaceae), and Corymbia calophylla (Lindl.) K.D. Hill & L.A.S. Johnson (Myrtaceae) based on hyperspectral imaging data. While similar studies have been conducted on agricultural and horticultural seeds, we are unaware of any published studies involving reflectance-based assessments of the germination of tree seeds. Hyperspectral imaging data (110 narrow spectral bands from 423.6 nm to 878.9 nm) were acquired of individual seeds after 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50 days of standardized rapid ageing. At each time point, seeds were subjected to hyperspectral imaging to obtain reflectance profiles from individual seeds. A standard germination test was performed, and we predicted that loss of germination was associated with a significant change in seed coat reflectance profiles. Forward linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to select the 10 spectral bands with the highest contribution to classifications of the three species. In all species, germination decreased from over 90% to below 20% in about 10–30 days of experimental ageing. P₅₀ values (equal to 50% germination) for each species were 19.3 (A. cowleana), 7.0 (B. prionotes) and 22.9 (C. calophylla) days. Based on independent validation of classifications of hyperspectral imaging data, we found that germination of Acacia and Corymbia seeds could be classified with over 85% accuracy, while it was about 80% for Banksia seeds. The selected spectral bands in each LDA-based classification were located near known pigment peaks involved in photosynthesis and/or near spectral bands used in published indices to predict chlorophyll or nitrogen content in leaves. The results suggested that seed germination may be successfully classified (predicted) based on reflectance in narrow spectral bands associated with the primary metabolism function and performance of plants.

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• ⁎ 
  Corresponding author at: Department of Entomology and Nematology, UC Davis Briggs Hall, Room 367, Davis, CA, USA. Tel.: +1 (530) 752 0492; fax: +1 (530) 752 1537.

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