A tobacco seedling root crown integrated information collector

Abstract

The utility model relates to a tobacco seedling root crown integration information collector, aims at solving the problem that the collection of tobacco seedling root system information must adopt destructive sampling in prior art, and cannot be synchronized with crown information, nondestructive acquisition problem. The collector includes the transparent seedling loading cylinder filled with transparent culture medium, crown information acquisition unit, root information acquisition unit and a support frame. The inside of the seedling loading cylinder is additionally provided with a transparent root guide structure for guiding the tobacco seedling root system to grow along the transparent inner wall, thereby exhibiting the three-dimensional root system form in two dimensions. The support frame fixes the seedling loading cylinder and the two information acquisition units in space, so that the crown information acquisition unit shoots the crown from top to bottom, and the root information acquisition unit shoots the root from the side horizontally. The collector provides a standardized observation platform, realizes the synchronous, nondestructive and continuous collection of the same tobacco seedling root and crown information, effectively eliminates environmental random interference, and provides reliable data support for precision breeding.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model relates to the field of agricultural breeding and phenotypic analysis technology, and in particular to a device for synchronously and non-destructively collecting information on the root system and crown growth of tobacco seedlings. Background Technology

[0002] The root development and crown growth morphology of tobacco seedlings are important criteria for evaluating their overall growth and selecting superior varieties. Existing methods for collecting information on the crown of tobacco seedlings usually involve overhead or multi-angle photography, which are relatively mature techniques. However, for collecting information on the roots, the root washing method is often used, which involves completely removing the tobacco seedling from the cultivation substrate, washing away the soil attached to the roots, and then scanning or photographing them.

[0003] This method is destructive sampling; the tobacco seedlings measured cannot continue to grow, thus making it impossible to continuously track and observe the growth process of a single seedling. Furthermore, in traditional soil cultivation, the heterogeneity of the soil environment leads to significant randomness in root growth, resulting in poor comparability of root data between different samples.

[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need for equipment that can simultaneously and non-destructively collect root and crown information from the same tobacco seedling and provide a standardized observation platform. Utility Model Content

[0005] The technical problem to be solved by this utility model is to address the issues of existing tobacco seedling information collection methods, which require destructive sampling, cannot be synchronized with crown information, cannot obtain information non-destructively, and suffer from non-standard observation environments and poor data comparability. This utility model provides an integrated tobacco seedling root and crown information collector.

[0006] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this integrated tobacco seedling root and crown information collector includes a transparent seedling tube filled with transparent culture medium for seedling cultivation, a crown information collection unit for collecting information about the crown of the tobacco seedling, a root information collection unit for collecting information about the roots of the tobacco seedling, and a support frame for fixing the above three components. The seedling tube has a root guide structure inside to guide the roots of the tobacco seedling to grow along its inner wall. The support frame has a support position for placing the seedling tube, and the crown information collection unit and the root information collection unit are fixed directly above and to the side of this support position, respectively, so that they are aligned with the crown and roots of the tobacco seedling inside the seedling tube to collect information.

[0007] Furthermore, the root guide structure consists of at least two root guide plates made of transparent material arranged along the axial direction of the seedling tube, forming a channel between the root guide plates to guide root growth.

[0008] Furthermore, the seedling tube is an independent structure that can be removed and placed from the support frame. The support frame includes a vertically arranged stand and a sliding groove is provided on the stand. The crown information acquisition unit and the root information acquisition unit are respectively mounted on the stand through a slider that slides in the sliding groove. The slider is provided with a locking bolt.

[0009] Furthermore, both the crown information acquisition unit and the root information acquisition unit are high-definition industrial cameras.

[0010] Furthermore, crown supplementary lighting units and root supplementary lighting units are respectively arranged around the lenses of the crown information acquisition unit and the root information acquisition unit for supplementary lighting.

[0011] This integrated tobacco seedling root and crown information collector also includes a data processing terminal electrically connected to the crown information collection unit and the root information collection unit. The data processing terminal is used to receive and analyze the image data collected by the two collection units to obtain the root and crown growth parameters of the tobacco seedling.

[0012] This utility model discloses an integrated root and crown information collector for tobacco seedlings, which overcomes the shortcomings of existing tobacco seedling information collection methods, such as the need for destructive sampling, inability to synchronize with crown information, non-destructive acquisition, non-standard observation environment, and poor data comparability. By providing a standardized observation platform, it realizes synchronous, non-destructive, and continuous collection of root and crown information of the same tobacco seedling, effectively eliminating random environmental interference and providing reliable data support for precision breeding. Attached Figure Description

[0013] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, further illustrates the integrated root and crown information collector for tobacco seedlings according to this utility model: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the planar structure of the integrated root and crown information collector for tobacco seedlings; Figure 2 yes Figure 1 Isometric three-dimensional structural diagram; Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Exploded view of the structure; Figure 4 yes Figure 1 AA-direction cross-section.

[0014] In the picture: 1-Seedling tube; 11-Root guide structure; 2-Crown information acquisition unit; 21-Crown supplemental lighting assembly; 3-Root information acquisition unit; 31-Root supplementary lighting unit; 4-Support frame; 41-Upright frame; 42-Slide groove; 43-Slider; 44-Locking bolt; 5-Data processing terminal. Detailed Implementation

[0015] In this utility model, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "joining," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. For those skilled in the art, the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model can be understood according to the specific circumstances.

[0016] In the description of this utility model, it should be understood that the terms "left", "right", "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this utility model and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this utility model.

[0017] The present invention will be further described below with specific embodiments, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0018] Implementation method 1: such as Figures 1 to 4As shown, this integrated tobacco seedling crown and root information collector includes a transparent seedling container 1 filled with a transparent culture medium to cultivate and support tobacco seedlings, a crown information collection unit 2 for collecting crown information, a root information collection unit 3 for collecting root information, enabling simultaneous collection of crown and root information, and a support frame 4 for fixing the above three components. The seedling container 1 is made of a high-transmittance material (such as acrylic or high-transmittance glass) and is cylindrical. The inside of the seedling container 1 is provided with a root guide structure 11 for guiding the root system of the tobacco seedlings to grow along its inner wall. The support frame 4 is provided with a support position for placing the seedling container 1, and the crown information collection unit 2 and the root information collection unit 3 are fixed directly above and to the side of the support position, respectively, so that the two are aligned with the crown and root of the tobacco seedlings inside the seedling container 1 to collect information. The combination of a transparent seedling tube and an internal root-guiding structure solves the problem of non-destructive visualization of root information. The support frame and dual-camera fixation structure ensure the synchronicity and standardization of root and crown information acquisition. To provide the tobacco seedlings with the necessary nutrients for growth without affecting root observation, a semi-transparent nutrient gel prepared with agar or carrageenan is used as the culture medium. This provides good support for the roots while allowing the root information acquisition unit 3 to capture root images. Alternatively, hydroponics can be used, injecting liquid nutrient solutions such as Hoagland solution into the seedling tube 1. The upper part of the tobacco seedling is fixed with planting cotton, while the roots are completely suspended in the transparent liquid, resulting in better observation effects.

[0019] Implementation method 2: such as Figures 2 to 4 As shown, the root guide structure 11 of this integrated tobacco seedling root and crown information collector consists of at least two root guide plates made of transparent material arranged along the axial direction of the seedling cylinder 1, forming a channel between the root guide plates to guide root growth. The root guide plates, composed of two or more transparent root guide plates arranged parallel to each other along the axial direction of the seedling cylinder 1, divide the space inside the cylinder and form a narrow channel with the inner wall of the cylinder, thereby effectively guiding the root system to spread out in a two-dimensional plane. The root guide structure formed by the transparent root guide plates ensures that the observation line of the side camera is not obstructed while guiding the root system, facilitating clear imaging of the root distribution, length, and quantity by the lateral root information acquisition unit 3. The remaining structures and components are as described in Embodiment 1 and will not be repeated.

[0020] Implementation method 3: such as Figure 3As shown, the seedling carrier 1 of this integrated tobacco seedling root and crown information collector is an independent structure that can be placed and removed from the support frame 4, which facilitates the rapid replacement and measurement of a large number of tobacco seedling samples in an assembly line manner. The support frame 4 includes a vertically arranged stand 41, and the entire length of the stand 41 is provided with a sliding groove 42. The crown information collection unit 2 and the root information collection unit 3 are respectively connected to the stand 41 through a slider 43 that slides in the sliding groove. The slider 43 can slide freely up and down in the sliding groove 42 and is guided by the two sides of the stand 41. It is also provided with a locking bolt 44 that can pass through the sliding groove 42. When height adjustment is needed, loosen the locking bolt 44 to move the camera along the column 41 to the target position; once reached, tighten the locking bolt 44 again to securely lock the slider 43 at the current height using friction. This allows researchers to easily adjust the height of the two information acquisition units, ensuring the target area always fills the field of view to the maximum extent possible at different growth stages of the tobacco seedlings, achieving the highest effective pixels and measurement accuracy. The seedling holder 1 can be independently placed and removed, enabling replaceability and allowing for rapid, streamlined measurement of large numbers of tobacco seedling samples. This meets the high-throughput requirements of breeding and screening work, improving efficiency. The adjustable height of the information acquisition unit solves the practical problem of changes in plant height and root length during seedling growth, allowing the device to adapt to monitoring the entire growth cycle of tobacco seedlings, greatly enhancing its practicality. The remaining structures and components are as described in Embodiment 1 and will not be repeated.

[0021] Implementation method 4: such as Figure 3 As shown, both the crown information acquisition unit 2 and the root information acquisition unit 3 of this integrated tobacco seedling crown and root information acquisition device are high-definition industrial cameras. To ensure the quality and standardization of the acquired images, the use of high-definition industrial cameras in the information acquisition units guarantees the resolution and low distortion of the acquired images, which is the foundation for subsequent accurate image analysis and data extraction. Around the lenses of the crown information acquisition unit 2 and the root information acquisition unit 3, crown supplementary lighting groups 21 and 31 are respectively arranged for supplementary lighting. Adding supplementary lighting groups to the information sampling units creates a stable and uniform internal lighting environment, eliminating interference from external ambient light and ensuring the consistency of images acquired at different times and in different batches, which is an important measure to ensure data reliability. The remaining structures and components are as described in Embodiment 1 and will not be repeated.

[0022] Implementation method 5: such as Figure 2As shown, this integrated tobacco seedling root and crown information collector also includes a data processing terminal 5 electrically connected to the crown information collection unit 2 and the root information collection unit 3. This data processing terminal 5 receives and analyzes the image data collected by the two collection units to obtain the root and crown growth parameters of the tobacco seedling. Combining the collection hardware with the data processing terminal forms a complete information collection and analysis system, enabling it to perform the entire process from image acquisition to data output. Preferably, in this embodiment, the data processing terminal 5 includes an embedded image acquisition module integrated on the support frame 4. The embedded image acquisition module can be a Raspberry Pi 4B, which has a CSI camera interface and can directly and at high speed read raw image data from two high-definition industrial cameras. Its powerful quad-core ARM Cortex-A72 processor is sufficient to handle real-time image preprocessing and compression tasks. Through its built-in Ethernet or WiFi interface, it stably transmits data to a host analysis computer (which runs professional image analysis software developed based on the existing MATLAB environment or Python OpenCV library to batch process the received crown and root images and automatically calculate a series of key phenotypic parameters such as leaf area, plant height, total root length, and root depth) for analysis. The remaining structures and components are as described in Embodiment 1 and will not be repeated.

[0023] The application process in actual breeding and screening work is as follows: First, the tobacco seedlings to be observed are transplanted into seedling tubes 1 filled with transparent culture medium and cultivated using conventional methods. Due to the presence of the root guide structure 11, the roots of the tobacco seedlings will naturally grow along the transparent tube wall. The seedling tubes 1, which have grown to the predetermined period, are removed from the cultivation rack and placed securely on the support frame 4. The locking bolts 44 are loosened, and the slider 43 carrying the information acquisition unit is moved up and down along the slide groove 42 on the upright frame 41. After adjusting to a suitable height, the locking bolts 44 are tightened to securely lock the slider 43 in the current position, ensuring that the crown and the main body of the root system are both located at the center of their respective shooting fields of view. The acquisition command is triggered through the data processing terminal 5. After receiving the command, the data processing terminal 5 immediately and simultaneously illuminates the crown supplement light group 21 and the root supplement light group 31, and commands the two information acquisition units to expose simultaneously, capturing the top view of the crown and the side view of the root system of the tobacco seedling. After acquisition, the image data is transmitted to data processing terminal 5, and then the supplementary lighting is turned off, completing the information acquisition. Subsequently, data processing terminal 5 sends the data to the host computer analysis software for automatic image processing, calculating preset growth parameters, and storing and displaying the images and results in a format corresponding to the tobacco seedling sample number. After recording the data, the experimenters remove the seedling tube 1 from the support frame 4, return it to the cultivation environment, and replace it with a new seedling tube sample. Steps 2 to 5 are repeated to achieve high-throughput, non-destructive testing of a large number of samples. As the tobacco seedlings grow, the same batch of seedling tubes can be repeatedly measured at different time points to obtain continuous growth dynamic data.

[0024] This integrated root and crown information collector for tobacco seedlings provides a standardized observation platform, enabling synchronous, non-destructive, and continuous collection of root and crown information from the same seedling. This effectively eliminates random environmental interference and provides reliable data support for precision breeding. Specifically, (1) Achieved true non-destructive measurement: By cultivating tobacco seedlings in transparent seedling tubes filled with transparent culture medium, the root morphology can be directly observed and photographed, completely avoiding destructive operations such as root washing, and enabling continuous tracking of a single tobacco seedling throughout its entire growth cycle.

[0025] (2) Integrated acquisition of root and crown information: Through a fixed dual-position (top and side) acquisition unit, the root system and crown image information of the same plant at the same time can be acquired simultaneously in one operation. The data correspondence is strong, providing an accurate basis for analyzing the correlation between root and crown growth.

[0026] (3) Standardized collection, high data comparability: The support frame ensures a constant spatial positional relationship between the seedling tube and the two collection units, ensuring that the images collected each time are at the same scale and angle, providing a standardized guarantee for the longitudinal and lateral comparison of image data in the later stage.

[0027] (4) It provides a standardized observation platform: By guiding root growth from the complex and uncontrollable three-dimensional soil environment to a standardized two-dimensional visible plane, the random interference of the environment is effectively eliminated, making the growth data between different samples highly comparable, and providing a reliable technical means for precise genetic breeding and agronomic research.

[0028] The above description illustrates the main features, basic principles, and advantages of this utility model. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that this utility model is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments or examples described above, and that it can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or basic characteristics of this utility model. Therefore, the above embodiments or examples should be considered exemplary and not restrictive. The scope of this utility model is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description, and therefore all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within this utility model. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. Furthermore, it should be understood that although this specification describes embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This narrative style is merely for clarity. Those skilled in the art should consider the specification as a whole, and the technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other embodiments that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

Claims

1. An integrated information collector for tobacco seedling roots and crowns, characterized in that: The system includes a transparent seedling tray (1) filled with transparent culture medium for seedling cultivation, a crown information collection unit (2) for collecting information about the crown of tobacco seedlings, a root information collection unit (3) for collecting information about the roots of tobacco seedlings, and a support frame (4) for fixing the above three components; wherein, The seedling tube (1) is provided with a root guide structure (11) for guiding the roots of tobacco seedlings to grow along its inner wall; the support frame (4) is provided with a support position for placing the seedling tube (1), and the crown information acquisition unit (2) and the root information acquisition unit (3) are fixed directly above and to the side of the support position, respectively, so that the two are aligned with the crown and root of the tobacco seedlings in the seedling tube (1) to collect information.

2. The integrated tobacco seedling root and crown information collector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The root guide structure (11) consists of at least two root guide plates made of transparent material arranged along the axial direction of the seedling tube (1), forming a channel between the root guide plates to guide root growth.

3. The integrated tobacco seedling root and crown information collector according to claim 2, characterized in that: The support frame (4) includes a vertically arranged stand (41), on which a sliding groove (42) is provided. The crown information acquisition unit (2) and the root information acquisition unit (3) are respectively mounted on the stand (41) through a slider (43) that slides in the sliding groove (42). The slider (43) is provided with a locking bolt (44).

4. The integrated tobacco seedling root and crown information collector according to claim 3, characterized in that: Both the crown information acquisition unit (2) and the root information acquisition unit (3) are high-definition industrial cameras.

5. The integrated root and crown information collector for tobacco seedlings according to claim 4, characterized in that: in Around the lenses of the crown information acquisition unit (2) and the root information acquisition unit (3), crown supplement light group (21) and root supplement light group (31) for supplementary lighting are respectively arranged.

6. The integrated tobacco seedling root and crown information collector according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: It also includes a data processing terminal (5) electrically connected to the crown information acquisition unit (2) and the root information acquisition unit (3). The data processing terminal (5) is used to receive and analyze the image data acquired by the two acquisition units to obtain the root and crown growth parameters of the tobacco seedlings.

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