Application of shape analysis to the assessment of geometrical properties of grains in the selected species of spring cereals

The competition in many branches of industry including agriculture has grown as a result of Polish access to the European Union. It resulted in the intense research development in order to intensify production processes and improve the quality of the final product. One of the methods which might be helpful in this process is the shape analysis. This method makes it possible to measure selected properties of materials in a very precise way. The paper presents the possibilities of computer analysis in the research of grain geometrical features of 128 species of cereals. The program ImageJ was used. It enabled us to define surface, perimeter, width, height and circular projection of every caryopsis. Shape analysis also helps to define basic values of the tested features of caryopsis species. Significant differences between the shape of tested cereals species were indicated. However, significant differences between varieties of the same species were not found. Barley grain had the largest average surface while rye grain had the smallest one. Winter barley grain had the largest perimeter and spring wheat had the smallest one. Oat was characterized by the longest average length while spring wheat had the smallest one. Winter barley had the largest grain width and rye had the smallest one. Spring wheat grain is the most circular while oat grain is the less circular one. Taking into consideration the data mentioned above, one can use them in the production of equipment and machines used for seed planting, selection, segregation of cereal seeds both in agriculture as well as in agricultural and food processing industry.