Statistical mapping of maize bundle intensity at the stem scale using spatial normalisation of replicated images

Area of Science:

• Plant anatomy
• Botanical imaging
• Quantitative biology

Background:

• Cellular structure influences plant tissue properties.
• Spatial distribution of tissues within plant organs is understudied.
• Variability in plant size complicates statistical analysis of tissue distribution.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a method for quantifying average spatial organization of vascular bundles in maize stems.
• To integrate data from multiple images for robust statistical analysis.
• To enable comparison of tissue distribution across stems of varying sizes.

Main Methods:

• Spatial normalization strategy using an average stem contour model.
• Projection of vascular bundle point patterns onto the normalized stem.
• Group-wise analysis via average intensity maps.
• Construction of a 3D model of vascular bundle distribution.

Main Results:

• A quantitative description of average vascular bundle organization in maize internodes was achieved.
• The method successfully normalized spatial data from stems of different dimensions.
• Average intensity maps revealed spatial distribution patterns of vascular bundles.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method provides a robust way to analyze and visualize spatial tissue organization.
• This technique is adaptable for studying other plant organs and organisms.
• It facilitates a deeper understanding of plant morphology and development.