Measuring volume and density of a barley grain using ellipsoid approximation from a 2-D digital image

Abstract

A digital imaging method was developed to determine the size, weight, volume and density of individual barley grains. Calibrations were developed using morphological measurements based on 2-D digital images, and were validated using a range of bulk barley samples.The validation of the grain diameter (minor) and grain weight algorithms gave high correlation coefficients (r = 0.93 and 0.97, respectively, P < 0.01), with low standard errors (0.09 mm and 1.37 mg, respectively) when compared to physical measurements.Estimated grain volume and density from image data, using three different mathematical approaches were compared: Model 1, a general ellipsoid; Model 2, a combination of two cone frust..