The brown rice rate (BRR), milled rice rate (MRR), and head rice rate (HRR) are important indicators of rice milling quality. The simultaneous detection of these three metrics holds significant economic value for rice milling quality assessments. In this study, hyperspectral imaging was employed to estimate the rice milling quality attributes of two rice varieties (Xiushui121 and Zhehujing26). Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), Support Vector Regression (SVR), Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), and Backpropagation Neural Networks (BPNNs) were used to establish both single-task and multi-task models for the prediction of milling quality attributes. Most multi-task models demonstrated a higher prediction accuracy compared with their corresponding single-task models. Among single-task models, BPNNs outperformed the others in predicting BRR and HRR, with correlation coefficients (r) up to 0.9. SVR excelled in forecasting the MRR. In multi-task learning, BPNNs exhibited relatively better performance, with r values exceeding 0.81 for all three indicators. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis was used to explore the relationship between wavelength and rice milling quality attributes. This study confirmed that this nondestructive detection method for rice milling quality using hyperspectral imaging combined with machine learning and deep learning algorithms could effectively assess rice milling quality, thus contributing to breeding and growth management in the industry.

With the rapid advancement of plant phenotyping research, understanding plant genetic information and growth trends has become crucial. Measuring seedling length is a key criterion for assessing seed viability, but traditional ruler-based methods are time-consuming and labor-intensive. To address these limitations, we propose an efficient deep learning approach to enhance plant seedling phenotyping analysis. We improved the DeepLabv3+ model, naming it DFMA, and introduced a novel ASPP structure, PSPA-ASPP. On our self-constructed rice seedling dataset, the model achieved a mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) of 81.72%. On publicly available datasets, including Arabidopsis thaliana, Brachypodium distachyon, and Sinapis alba, detection scores reached 87.69%, 91.07%, and 66.44%, respectively, outperforming existing models. The model generates detailed segmentation masks, capturing structures such as the embryonic shoot, axis, and root, while a seedling length measurement algorithm provides precise parameters for component development. This approach offers a comprehensive, automated solution, improving phenotyping analysis efficiency and addressing the challenges of traditional methods.

Prolamin and glutelin are the major constituents of rice protein. The rapid and non-destructive detection of prolamin and glutelin content is conducive to the accurate assessment of rice quality. In this study, hyperspectral imaging combined with regression models and feature wavelength selection was employed to detect the rice prolamin and glutelin content. Feature wavelength selection was achieved using the successive projections algorithm (SPA), competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), and convolutional neural network (CNN)-based Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping++ (GradCAM++). Partial least squares regression (PLSR), support vector regression (SVR), back-propagation neural network (BPNN), and CNN models were established using the full spectra and the feature wavelengths. The BPNN models showed the best prediction performance for prolamin and glutelin. The optimal BPNN models achieved a correlation coefficient (r) greater than 0.8 for both proteins. Performance differences were observed between models using feature wavelengths and those using the full spectra. The GradCAM++ method was used to select feature wavelengths with different threshold values, and the performance of different threshold values were compared. The results demonstrated that hyperspectral imaging with multivariate data analysis was feasible for predicting the rice prolamin and glutelin content. This study provided a methodological reference for detecting prolamin and glutelin in rice, as well as the other protein types.