Pioneer Hi-bred International, Inc.

Travis A Hanselman

Adda C Sayers

Dean M Tranel

Stephen D Strachan

Neil Jonathan Hausmann

Carlos Messina

Chad Clifford Berghoefer

Dale F Loussaert

Guofu Li

Timothy Michael Moriarty

Rachael Woods

Jacque Hockenson

A method of evaluating one or more kernels of an ear of maize using digital imagery that includes acquiring a digital image of the one or more kernels of the ear of maize without the use of spatial reference points, processing the digital image to estimate at least one physical property of the one or more kernels of the ear of maize from the digital image, and evaluating the at least one kernel of maize using the estimate of the at least one physical property of the at least one kernel of maize. The method includes using one or more such digital images to estimate yield on a plant, management zone, field, county and country level.

Methods of yield assessment with crop photometry

Methods for evaluating one or more immature ears of maize are presented in which digital imagery and image processing are used to assess physical properties of immature maize ears that are correlated with yield and other yield-related traits. Also provided are methods for identifying leads using immature ear photometry.

Immature ear photometry in maize

A method of quantitatively obtaining a measurement of pollen of a plant. A quantitative collection of a sample of pollen is counted. Total pollen of the plant can be calculated. One way of quantitative collection of pre-shed pollen involves blending a part of the plant with pollen in the presence of liquid (e.g. water) in a blender. The action of the blender tends to destroy the non-pollen parts of the plant and release the pollen into the liquid. Extraction of the pollen from the blender can be through a sidewall port that includes a filter or sieve having a mesh size that passes relevant pollen but blocks most non-pollen plant parts. The sample can be efficiently prepared for counting of pollen. One method of counting comprises imaging the sample with the pollen well distributed in the focal plane of the imager.

Apparatus for separating pre-shed pollen from plants

An apparatus and method of quantitatively obtaining a measurement of pollen of a plant. One method of counting comprises imaging the sample with the pollen well-distributed in the focal plane of the imager. Image evaluation software can identify and count objects in the image that are consistent with pollen. Total pollen count for the plant can be derived from the count of pollen of the sample, proportionality of the sample volume to the starting volume, and proportionality of area of sample imaged to total area of sample. Pollen quantification can be used for research or commercial production decisions relative to the plant or its seed.

Method and apparatus of high-throughput pollen extraction, counting, and use of counted pollen for characterizing a plant

Method of high-throughput pollen extraction, counting, and use of counted pollen for characterizing a plant

Growing community of inventors

Johnston, IA, United States of America

Travis A Hanselman