Discrimination of Urochloa seed genotypes through image analysis: Morphological features

• Published in: Agronomy journal Vol. 113; no. 6; pp. 4930 - 4944
• Main Authors: de Freitas, Marcella Nunes, Dias, Marcos Altomani Neves, Gomes‐Junior, Francisco Guilhien, Abud, Haynna Fernandes, de Araújo, Lúcio Borges, de Moraes, Thiago Finotti
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.11.2021
• ISSN: 0002-1962; 1435-0645
• DOI: 10.1002/agj2.20839

The tropical forage species seed market, including signalgrass (Urochloa), is expanding. There is demand for fast, automated methods that can be implemented for quality control of the seeds produced, with the aim of evaluating physical purity. In this respect, seed morphological features obtained by processing radiographs with the Tomato Analyzer software and of red–green–blue obtained and processed on the Groundeye device were used to test differentiation of materials of the Urochloa genus. Seeds of Urochloa brizantha (A.Rich.) R.D.Webster cvv. BRS Piatã, Marandu, and Xaraés MG‐5; Urochloa ruziziensis (R.Germ. & C.M.Evrard) Crins cv. Ruziziensis; and Urochloa decumbens (Stapf) R.D.Webster cv. Basilisk were evaluated. Morphological features obtained by Tomato Analyzer allowed differentiation of Urochloa seeds at an accuracy level greater than 80% for all the materials evaluated. Seed area was one of the features that allowed this differentiation. The Groundeye system also showed high efficiency in distinguishing Urochloa seeds, except for Piatã and Xaraés, which exhibited morphological similarity, and lower accuracy levels in distinguishing their seeds (<50%). Additional studies should be conducted to evaluate Urochloa seed lots from other origins to validate the use of image analysis techniques for the purpose of obtaining morphological features and to assist in determining the physical purity of the materials. Core Ideas There is demand for methods that can be implemented for controlling Urochloa seed quality. Image analysis was used to identify different genotypes of the Urochloa genus. The morphological features of the seeds of Urochloa materials allowed their differentiation. Image analysis can be used to assist in evaluations of the physical purity of seed lots.