Morphometric Characterization of Hemp Achene and Leaf Trichomes Based on X-Ray Micro-CT

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Plant Biology
• Food Science

Background:

• Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) is gaining importance for functional foods and nutraceuticals due to its nutrient-rich seeds, inflorescences, and trichomes.
• Hemp's nutritional profile is significantly influenced by agronomic practices, environment, and genotype, necessitating research for quality standardization.
• X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is an emerging non-destructive technique for high-resolution plant phenotyping.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate the utility of X-ray micro-CT for quantitative characterization of internal hemp seed structure and trichomes.
• To analyze morphometric traits of different seed parts and trichomes using 3D image analysis.
• To accurately quantify volume ratios of seed components and trichome characteristics in two hemp cultivars.

Main Methods:

• Utilized X-ray micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) for high-resolution imaging of hemp seeds.
• Applied 3D image analysis to quantitatively determine morphometric traits of seed internal structures.
• Characterized density and morphology of trichomes from two industrial hemp cultivars.

Main Results:

• Successfully determined various morphometric traits of hemp seed parts using 3D image analysis.
• Accurately quantified volume ratios within the hemp achene structure.
• Quantified density and morphological characteristics of trichomes from the analyzed cultivars.

Conclusions:

• X-ray micro-CT significantly contributes to the 3D morphometric characterization of hemp achene structure and trichomes.
• Seed morphometric traits and trichome data can be correlated with nutritional/physiological properties for supply chain optimization.
• This approach supports seed quality evaluation, genotype screening, and process improvements like dehulling and protein/oil recovery.