Micro computed tomography analysis of barley during the first 24 hours of germination

Background: Grains make up a large proportion of both human and animal diets. With threats to food production, such as climate change, growing sustainable and successful crops is essential to food security in the future. Germination is one of the most important stages in a plant’s lifecycle and is key to the success of the resulting plant as the grain undergoes morphological changes and the development of specific organs. Micro-computed tomography is a non-destructive imaging technique based on the differing x-ray attenuations of materials which we have applied for the accurate analysis of grain morphology during the germination phase. Results: Micro Computed Tomography conditions and parameters were tested to establish an optimal protocol for the 3-dimensional analysis of barley grains. When comparing optimal scanning conditions, it was established that no filter, 0.4 degrees rotation step, 5 average frames, and 2016 × 1344 camera binning is optimal for imaging germinating grains. It was determined that the optimal protocol for scanning during the germination timeline was to scan individual grains at 0 h after imbibition (HAI) and then the same grain again at set time points (1, 3, 6, 24 HAI) to avoid any negative effects from X-ray radiation or disruption to growing conditions. Conclusion: Here we sought to develop a method for the accurate analysis of grain morphology without the negative effects of possible radiation exposure. Several factors have been considered, such as the scanning conditions, reconstruction, and possible effects of X-ray radiation on the growth rate of the grains. The parameters chosen in this study give effective and reliable results for the 3-dimensional analysis of macro structures within barley grains while causing minimal disruption to grain development.