The significance of X-ray machine in seed detection
Seed health testing is an important part of seed quality testing, with the main purpose of detecting quarantine infectious diseases; Determine the use value of seed batches; Evaluate whether the seed batch needs to undergo seed treatment and the effect after treatment; Assessing the prevalence of a certain infectious disease for the purpose of investigation or research; Identify the reasons for the low germination rate and make up for the shortcomings of the germination test. Now, with the help of seed X-ray machines, it is more convenient to conduct seed health checks, providing the quality and production efficiency of seeds.
Generally speaking, the requirement for seed health testing is to determine whether the seeds carry pathogenic bacteria (such as fungi, bacteria, and viruses), harmful animals (such as nematodes and pests), and other health conditions. Detecting the types and quantities of pests and diseases carried by seeds. Among them, seed borne diseases refer to a type of plant disease that is associated with seeds at a certain stage of the virus infection cycle, and whose pathogens attach, parasitize, or exist on the surface and inside of seeds, or are mixed in between seeds, mainly transmitted through seed carrying. Seed pests refer to pests that infect and harm seeds during their growth and storage in the field.
In the past, when conducting seed health testing, it was often only focused on its surface, that is, observing its health condition with the naked eye. However, this method was relatively crude. In the past, it was also found that the quality of seeds was good on the surface, but after being put into production, the germination rate of seeds was low. After using tweezers to open the inside of the seeds for testing, it was found that there were wormholes or internal pests inside the seeds. Therefore, in modern seed health testing, not only external characteristics need to be observed, but also seed X-ray machines need to be used to check the full, empty, and deformed seeds, determine the vitality, maturity period, and pest infestation inside the seeds.
The application of seed X-ray machines in seed health testing can firstly avoid damage to seeds and maintain their integrity. Secondly, by taking X-ray images, the internal characteristics of seeds can be clearly seen, avoiding the use of harmful or ineffective seeds in agricultural production, greatly reducing the occurrence of seed borne diseases and reducing the risk of agricultural production. Moreover, by using seed X-ray machines for seed health testing, the infection status and degree of pathogenic bacteria can be understood, and targeted measures can be taken to treat seeds, resulting in more significant effects.
The biggest advantage of using a micro focus X-ray machine to capture X-ray images of seeds is that it allows for the observation of internal features that are not visible to the human eye. Moreover, the clearer the image captured, the more people understand about seed related information. Therefore, using micro focus X-ray machines for seed inspection is an important technology in modern seed inspection, which can better display the internal structure of seeds.
In general, to determine the plumpness of seeds, using a micro focus X-ray machine for radiography is just one way. To understand more information about seeds, it is necessary to judge the radiographic images. So, what information about seeds can we see from the images captured by micro focus X-ray machines?
Firstly, micro focus X-ray machines use soft X-rays to penetrate seeds and expose them onto photosensitive materials for imaging. Therefore, the planar projection of the seeds can be displayed on the image. Due to the different textures of different parts of the seeds and their varying absorption of radiation, the color depth of the image varies, which can accurately reflect the internal structure of the seeds. From the images captured by the micro focus X-ray machine, we can clearly see whether the inside of the seed is empty, whether it has been damaged by pests, whether there is mechanical damage, and whether the internal embryo has fully developed. Therefore, through the micro focus X-ray machine, we can determine the development of the seed without damaging it, and determine whether it is empty, insect infested, mechanically damaged, or deformed.
At present, micro focus X-ray machines are widely used in experiments to test seed vitality, as they can observe the development of embryos and endosperm in seeds. For example, in seeds with vitality, the boundary between the embryo and endosperm is blurred, the embryo cavity is not clear, the embryo is vaguely visible, and the endosperm brightness is uniform; And for seeds without vitality, the boundary between the embryo and endosperm is clear, the embryo cavity structure is clear, the embryo protrudes and appears, and the endosperm is dull. Although the internal structure of seeds varies greatly, using a micro focus X-ray machine for detection reduces the difficulty of seed internal inspection and provides more accurate interpretation of seed quality.
