Computer-vision-based System for Plant Growth Analysis

A computer vision system with a CCD camera and an infrared lighting apparatus was developed to conduct noncontact, three-dimensional plant growth analyses. The infrared lighting apparatus was designed to obtain plant images in the dark by exposing plants to wavelengths of 800 nm and greater. Processing algorithms were developed to extract plant outlines, detect node positions, and produce thinned lines from images. The system was capable of resolving interimage differences of 5% of a pixel, or 0.025 mm.