STARSEED

STARSEED quantifies and compares root system architectures by integrating spatial and texture information using Earth Mover's Distance (EMD) to assess root distribution differences across genotypes and environmental conditions.

Key Features:

• Spatial Information Integration: Integrates spatial data to capture root distribution patterns beyond traditional summary metrics.
• Earth Mover's Distance (EMD) Application: Applies Earth Mover's Distance to quantitatively assess the distribution and texture of roots.
• Quantitative and Visual Outputs: Produces quantitative metrics and visual representations of root architecture changes.
• Generalizability: Demonstrated on sesame root systems and applicable to other plant species.

Scientific Applications:

• Agronomic Research: Identifies genotype-specific root traits that influence crop performance under varying soil moisture levels.
• Ecological Discovery: Captures nuanced root architectural responses to environmental changes to support studies of plant adaptation and ecosystem dynamics.

Methodology:

Integrates spatial data and applies Earth Mover's Distance (EMD) to enable detailed comparisons of root system distributions, producing quantitative metrics and visualizations to reveal variations due to genotypic differences or environmental factors such as soil moisture.