Tropical seeds analysis by speckle patterns

I. INCIARTE, F. OTÁLORA-LUNA; N. CAP, H. RABAL, E. E. GRUMEL, M.TRIVI

Santiago de Compostela

Congreso; XXIII General Congress International Commission for Optics (ICO-23); 2014

International Commission for Optics ICO

surface. If the surface experiments any deformation or movement, this pattern fluctuates in time and is called dynamic speckle [1]. The study of the speckle patterns, due to their random nature, requires the use of statistical tools. The statistical properties depend on the coherence of the incident light and the characteristics of the diffusing surface. Its dynamical properties are usually analyzed to infer properties of the sample that generates the pattern. Dynamic speckle is a useful tool for the non intrusive and non destructive analysis of some biological and industrial processes and many other applications [2]. In particular, several agricultural applications have been developed to characterize seeds [3], fungi [4], fruit damage [5], among others.In this paper we present an application of the dynamic speckle pattern technique to analyze tropical seeds. We study the hydration and germination processes of the Physalis peruviana L. (cape gooseberry or uchuva) [6] and Erythrina edulis (chachafruto). Both are widely distributed in tropical Andean regions of South America and are appreciated for their multiple properties.