title: A novel tracking tool for the analysis of plant-root tip movements.
abstract: The growth process of roots consists of many activities, such as exploring the soil volume, mining minerals, avoiding obstacles and taking up water to fulfil the plant's primary functions, that are performed differently, depending on environmental conditions. Root movements are strictly related to a root decision strategy, which helps plants to survive under stressful conditions by optimizing energy consumption. In this work, we present a novel image-analysis tool to study the kinematics of the root tip (apex), named analyser for root tip tracks (ARTT). The software implementation combines a segmentation algorithm with additional software imaging filters in order to realize a 2D tip detection. The resulting paths, or tracks, arise from the sampled tip positions through the acquired images during the growth. ARTT allows work with no markers and deals autonomously with new emerging root tips, as well as handling a massive number of data relying on minimum user interaction. Consequently, ARTT can be used for a wide range of applications and for the study of kinematics in different plant species. In particular, the study of the root growth and behaviour could lead to the definition of novel principles for the penetration and/or control paradigms for soil exploration and monitoring tasks. The software capabilities were demonstrated by experimental trials performed with Zea mays and Oryza sativa.
authors: The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna SSSA, I-56025 Pontedera, PI, Italy.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Russino
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Ascrizzi
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Popova
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Tonazzini
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Mancuso
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Mazzolai
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D001185:Artificial Intelligence; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D010363:Pattern Recognition, Automated / Q000379:methods*; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D012984:Software; D013382:Subtraction Technique