The Geometry of Seeds: Seed Shape Definition and Quantification Based on Geometrical Diversity
A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Propagation and Seeds".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2020) | Viewed by 20050
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Shape is an important property of plants used for the description of organs and structures, such as leaves (for example, Drosera rotundifolia, Plantago ovata), fruits (Coronilla scorpioides, Eugenia pyriformis), and seeds (Polanisia trachysperma, Punica granatum).
Seed description is based on the similarity to geometrical objects such as the sphere, ovoid, or cardioid. However, seed shape description also needs to be quantitative.
Recent methods for the comparison of seed shapes depend on high-throughput systems based on digital image analysis. These methods use the combination of artificial vision technologies with statistical algorithms and may be very efficient for the discrimination of plant species and varieties. However, often these methods do not take into consideration the similarity of seeds with geometrical figures, missing an important reference point.
This has resulted in a "gap" in the current scientific literature on seed shape. Current methods based on artificial vision, algorithms, and statistical analysis need to go back to the initial seed images, combining geometric models with quantitative and statistical methods to analyze seed shapes.
The objective of this Special Issue is to bring together studies on both classical approaches to determine seed shape, based on the similarity to geometrical objects, and modern statistical methods. We do not search for new sophisticated algorithms or statistical applications but for geometrical models that may be applied for seed shape quantification in diverse plant families, genera, species, and varieties.
In summary, quantification of seed shape may offer advantages in the following aspects:
- Description of plant species
- Phenotypic analysis of mutants
- Analysis of seed quality
- Validation and visual verification of digital image analysis-based methods of seed shape comparison
We welcome submissions on, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Identification of geometric models suitable for the quantification of seed shape.
- Quantification of seed shape in diverse taxonomical groups by the comparison with geometric models.
- Examination of the relationship between seed shape and other biological traits related to life form, life cycle, etc.
- Comparison of geometric models with others based on known techniques of geometric morphometry (i.e., the Elliptical Fourier Descriptors, EFDs).
- Investigation of the relationship between morpho-colorimetric seed features and phenotypic traits (i.e., color of fruit, size, etc.).
- Characterization and identification of archaeological seeds by morpho-colorimetric analysis.
We expect to collect a set of articles that highlight the importance of seed geometry for the description of seed shape and adequately emphasize this technique for taxonomy.
Dr. Emilio Cervantes
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- Ecology
- form
- J index
- life cycles
- morphology
- seed
- shape
