DigiRoot (TM): New Software for Root Studies

摘要

The study of root growth and development is a difficult branch of research due to the lack of accurate methodologies. All the approaches used until now to study root dynamics involve a profound disruption of the root environment causing approximations that compromise research goals. Before the technique reported here was developed, there were few commercially available software packages able to identify, measure and report root parameters as extensively. The scope of our work was to design software that would generate accurate and comprehensive data sets of root parameters such as number, length, diameter, area, volume, and branch number, angle, and hierarchy. Our aim was to generate accurate data at a lower resolution than the 12 pixels mm(-1) (300 dots per inch) currently considered the minimum from several authors. DigiRoot (TM) is software for measurement of roots in any digital image format. The effects of resolution, orientation of the roots and method of image acquisition (scanned or photographed) on the software's accuracy were tested using objects of known diameters, lengths and angles. of the previously mentioned test parameters, the only statistically significant effect was that of image resolution on root diameter. With minimal user interaction, DigiRoot (TM) accurately detects and analyzes roots as narrow as one pixel. The accuracy of the software decreases with decreased resolution, however its accuracy is still adequate at 1 pixel mm(-1) (26 dpi). DigiRoot (TM) is new software available to researchers for the study of digital images of roots requiring a high level of accuracy even at low resolution. The software also provides results on branching hierarchy and angle of branch insertion.