Research on a rapid identification method for counting universal grain crops

PLoS One. 2022 Sep 14;17(9):e0273785. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273785. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Thousand-grain weight is a key indicator of crop yield and an important parameter for evaluating cultivation measures. Existing methods based on image analysis are convenient but lack a counting algorithm that is suitable for multiple types of grains. This research develops an application program based on an Android device to quickly calculate the number of grains. We explore the short axis measurement method of the grains with morphological thought, and determine the relationship between the general corrosion threshold and the short axis. To solve the problem of calculating the number of grains in the connected area, the study proposes a corrosion algorithm based on the short axis and an improved corner point method. After testing a variety of crop grains and equipment, it was found that the method has high universality, supports grain counting with white paper as the background, and has high accuracy and calculation efficiency. The average accuracy rate is 97.9%, and the average time is less than 0.7 seconds. In addition, the difference between the average accuracy for various mobile phones and multiple crops is small. This research proposes a grain counting algorithm with a wide range of applications to meet the requirements of nonglare use in the field. The algorithm provides a fast, accurate, low-cost tool for counting grains of wheat, corn, mung bean, soybean, peanut, rapeseed, etc., which is less constrained by space and power conditions. The algorithm is highly adaptable and can provide a reference for the study of grain counting.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Edible Grain*
  • Image Processing, Computer-Assisted
  • Triticum*
  • Zea mays

Grants and funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China 32172110,31701355 Mr. Tao Liu Fundamental Scientific Research Business Expenses of Central Public Welfare Research Institutes JBYW-AII-2020–29 Mr. Xiaochun Zhong Jiangsu Key Research and Development Program BE2020319-14 Mr. Tao Liu Special Fund for Independent Innovation of Agricultural Science and Technology in Jiangsu CX(21)3065, CX(21)3063 Mr. Tao Liu Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences CAAS-ASTIP-2016-AII Mr. Shengping Liu The funders were involved in the study and they played the following roles: (1)Xiaochun Zhong, conceptualization, funding acquisition, review. (2)Tao Liu, funding acquisition, methodology, resources, editing. (3)Shengping Liu, funding acquisition,supervision, review.