基于改进SIFT算法的田间作物根系图像拼接方法研究

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1006.2025.53008

摘要/Abstract

摘要：

获取根系信息对研究作物养分吸收和水分利用效率具有重要意义。目前常用的微根管方法虽然能够获取根系图像，但难以将分散拍摄的局部根系图像整合为连续的根系分布图，限制了根系表型特征的连续提取和定量分析。因此，本文基于课题组自主研制的根系图像自动监测管道机器人，提出了一种高效、快速的根系图像拼接方法，实现对根系全景图像的构建。首先，利用机器人系统自动采集根系图像，并采用Gamma校正和CLAHE算法增强图像的亮度和局部对比度；然后基于改进SIFT算法设置重叠区域边界，并利用自适应阈值筛选高响应特征点，同时引入PCA降维方法降低计算复杂度；最后，使用多波段融合技术实现无缝拼接。试验选取3组玉米不同生长阶段的根系图像，并将改进SIFT算法与传统特征提取算法(ORB、SURF、SIFT)进行对比。结果显示，预处理图像的平均对比度和平均信息熵分别提升19%和15%；改进SIFT算法的正确匹配率较ORB、SURF、SIFT算法分别提升91.7%、35.9%和24.3%，平均时间效率提升1.12倍、11.57倍和1.11倍。此外，为验证本文所提方法的稳定性和鲁棒性，设置了5组不同放缩比例的尺度变换试验。结果表明，改进SIFT算法在平均重叠面积和百分比2项指标上均达到最高值。综上，该方法应用于根系图像自动监测管道机器人系统中，可高效拼接根系图像，为后续根系表型分析奠定基础。

关键词: 图像拼接, SIFT算法, 特征提取, 特征匹配, 管道机器人

Abstract: Obtaining accurate information on crop root systems is essential for studying nutrient uptake and water use efficiency. While the widely used minirhizotron method can capture root images in situ, it remains challenging to integrate these localized images into a continuous map of root distribution, thereby limiting the ability to extract and analyze root phenotypic traits comprehensively. To address this limitation, we propose an efficient and rapid root image stitching method based on a root system image acquisition pipeline robot independently developed by our research group. The method consists of four main steps. First, the robotic system automatically captures root images, and image quality is enhanced using Gamma correction and the CLAHE algorithm to improve brightness and local contrast. Next, an improved SIFT algorithm is employed to define the overlapping boundaries, while adaptive thresholding is applied to filter high-response feature points. Simultaneously, PCA-based dimensionality reduction is introduced to lower computational complexity. Finally, multi-band fusion technology is used to achieve seamless image stitching. To evaluate performance, three sets of maize root images at different growth stages were tested, and the improved SIFT algorithm was compared with conventional feature extraction methods (ORB, SURF, and SIFT). Results showed that the average contrast and information entropy of the pre-processed images increased by 19% and 15%, respectively. The improved SIFT algorithm achieved correct matching rate improvements of 91.7%, 35.9%, and 24.3% over ORB, SURF, and SIFT, respectively, and enhanced time efficiency by factors of 1.12, 11.57, and 1.11. Additionally, to assess the robustness and stability of the proposed method, five groups of experiments involving different scaling ratios were conducted. The results demonstrated that the improved SIFT algorithm consistently achieved the highest average overlapping area and percentage. In conclusion, this method can be effectively integrated into automated root image monitoring systems, providing a reliable foundation for subsequent phenotypic analysis of crop root systems.

Key words: image stitching, SIFT algorithm, feature extraction, feature matching, pipeline robot

向梓薇, 王韵博, 颜小飞. 基于改进SIFT算法的田间作物根系图像拼接方法研究[J]. 作物学报, 2025, 51(7): 1861-1873.

XIANG Zi-Wei, WANG Yun-Bo, YAN Xiao-Fei. Image stitching method for crop roots based on an improved SIFT algorithm[J]. Acta Agronomica Sinica, 2025, 51(7): 1861-1873.

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