Phenotypic data of soybean germination image

Seed quality has become increasingly important in seed management and operation. Seed germination testing is one of the crucial methods for seed quality assessment, as the development quality of seeds, including germination rate and growth speed of seedlings, is an important indicator of seed quality. The germination rate of soybeans is one of the criteria for identifying high-quality soybeans. By measuring phenotypic changes during the germination process of soybeans, such as the onset of germination and root length, the vitality of soybeans can be determined, thus selecting high-quality soybeans. Therefore, accurate determination of soybean seed germination rate, seedling length, and morphological features can achieve the goal of evaluating soybean seed quality.

Traditional methods of measuring germination rate and phenotypic changes rely heavily on manual observations, measurements, and data recording, which are tedious, time-consuming, subjective, and prone to low measurement accuracy and poor repeatability. The collection of phenotypic data requires significant human and material resources, resulting in high time costs, and the obtained data is often limited. Due to the inaccurate measurement of seedling length, quantitative judgments on growth speed and integrity are not possible, leading to qualitative assessments only. These unfavorable characteristics limit the widespread application and standardization of soybean seed quality determination. Therefore, there is a need for an objective, fast, repeatable, low-cost, and reliable method of measurement.