Title |
Elliptic Fourier Analysis (EFA) of leaflet outline differences in thirteen species of weed legumes |
Authors |
MAJ Torres, MME Manting, CG Demayo |
Publication date |
2008 |
Journal |
formerly Nature's Bulletin |
Abstract |
The purpose of this study is to showcase an application of an automatic procedure
of leaflet shape characterization using advances in image analysis techniques and elliptical
Fourier methods. Leaflets outlines of a total of thirteen species of weed legumes were
automatically extracted and characterized using available image processing tools and
stored as chain codes. Step by step reconstruction of outlines were performed to determine
salient features of the leaflets using Elliptic Fourier analysis. Principal component analysis of
the elliptic descriptors and step by step reconstructions of the shapes of the leaflets allowed
a considerably easier documentation of intra-and inter specific variations among the species
of legumes. The results of this study are discussed in the light of how these new tools could
open interesting perspectives in the unending inquiry into the biology of weeds. |