MAGNETIC RESONANCE TECHNIQUES APPLIED TO SOYBEAN SEED ANALYSIS

• Grant number: 22/12598-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): April 01, 2023
• Effective date (End): February 28, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Crop Science
• Principal Investigator: Francisco Guilhien Gomes Junior
• Grantee: Rafael Mateus Alves
• Host Institution: Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Piracicaba , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The high productivity of soybean is closely related to the use of high quality seeds, which is the result of the interaction between the attributes of genetic, physical, physiological and sanitary nature. Currently, the seed industry is seeking non-invasive methods with less interference from the analyst in the evaluation of seed quality. Thus, the objective of this research is to evaluate the efficiency of the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique to assess different types of injuries in soybean seeds, as well as to use magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to discriminate seed lots regarding vigor. For the MRI experiments, soybean seeds with stink bug injuries, mechanical injuries, moisture injuries, and greenish seeds will be used. For the MRI experiments, soybean seed lots showing differences in vigor and with germination exceeding the standards required for commercialization will be used. Seed samples from each lot will be analyzed in low field magnetic resonance imaging equipment to obtain the resonance signal decay data that will be compared with the results of tests traditionally used to evaluate soybean seed vigor. It is expected that from the images obtained by the MRI technique it will be possible to characterize, on a three-dimensional scale, each type of damage in soybeans. It is also expected that with the use of MRS it will be possible to discriminate soybean seed lots at different levels of vigor and in a manner similar to other vigor tests traditionally used for soybean seed evaluation.