Seed vigor testing traditionally requires large sample sizes and extended durations. The biospeckle laser (BSL) technique offers a faster, image-based alternative for seed analysis though the standardization of set protocols. This study evaluated the efficiency of local and global BSL analyses in bean seeds (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). Two groups of seeds (872 in total) were classified into high- and low-vigor seeds using the emergence test over 800 samples. The BSL test was then applied to 72 seeds (36 per group), analyzing biological activity locally (vascular and embryonic areas) and globally (whole image). BSL analysis detected significant differences between the groups (p < 0.05). Among the methods, the local analysis of the embryonic axis was most effective (F = 44.252, p = 0.000), showing a clearer distinction than the global analysis (F = 19.484, p = 0.000). The vascular area analysis did not yield significant results. These findings highlight the efficiency of the local BSL analysis at the embryonic axis for vigor tests compared to the global analysis. However, it was observed that the selected point in the local analysis affects the reliability of the vigor test. It was a relevant step toward standardization demanding additional tests in other species and varieties.

The biological activity assessment using the dynamic laser speckle (DLS) technique is recognized as a feasible methodology to analyze seeds vigor. Nevertheless, the technique presents the accessibility as a restriction to final users, and the large size of the equipment is a key limitation to allow the portability of the DLS. This work aimed to propose a reduced and portable configuration of the image capture system adopted in the DLS technique for seed analysis applications. A compacted digital camera with an embedded magnification, known by mini microscope, was tested associated with adapted diaphragm as an alternative to the traditional CCD camera, macro zoom and integrated diaphragm. The tests of the proposed adapted mini microscope, in comparison to the traditional configuration, were carried out in the monitoring of drying a paint and in the separation of high-vigor from early-aged seeds. Diaphragms with three different apertures (3, 4 and 5 mm) were evaluated. The results using the 3 mm diameter aperture presented the best performance, like in the case of the traditional CCD camera set. It was possible to follow the drying of a paint activity compared to its loss of weight and to distinguish statistically high-vigor from early-aged seeds at a significance level of 5%. The reliable results of the proposed configuration offered a compact and portable version for using the DLS in seed analysis laboratories.

The biospeckle laser (BSL) technique is recognized as a sensitive method for detecting biological activity and has been successfully applied for seed vigor testing. Given these achievements, whether the integration of BSL into automated systems can provide complementary information on the seed imbibition process remains limited. Addressing this gap represents a significant challenge with strong potential for technological innovation. This study presents an automated laser-optical system designed to monitor the imbibition process of multiple seeds over time using a mechanized carousel. The developed apparatus integrates all necessary components for the illumination and image acquisition of eight seeds across programmable time intervals, controlled by an industrial-grade programmable controller. Validation using maize seeds (Zea mays L.) over a 36-h period confirmed the system’s reliability. BSL indices enabled the characterization of internal biological activity throughout imbibition, revealing dynamic processes that remained undetected in previous discrete-time analyses. These results highlight the potential of the proposed system for more comprehensive and continuous seed monitoring. The successful automated laser-optical system with relative humidity control opens great potential in seeds research and daily industrial analysis. The test of the proposed system in other seeds is the next challenge, regarding the thick and colored coats. The design of larger carousels is a possible step forward, which will demand studies of the limits linked to the illumination and image acquisition time performed in each seed.

Plant tissue culture enables the controlled evaluation of plant responses under in vitro conditions, whereas biospeckle laser analysis (BSL) provides a non-invasive approach for assessing dynamic responses in living tissues. However, its application in plant tissue culture requires methodological standardization, particularly in the selection of the illuminated region. This study aimed to standardize BSL acquisition in in vitro grown A. obesum seedlings by comparing the basal, middle, and tip root regions under two contrasting culture medium conditions. Biospeckle responses were quantified using the Absolute Value of the Differences (AVD) index and graphical AVD (GAVD). A significant culture medium × root region interaction was detected for AVD. In MS medium, the basal region showed the highest AVD values, followed by the middle and tip regions, whereas no significant differences among root regions were observed in the medium without mineral salts. The mean root AVD was positively correlated with dry mass, leaf number, fresh mass, leaf length, leaf width, and root length, indicating an association with seedling performance. These findings support the basal region as a suitable candidate for standardized BSL acquisition in A. obesum under the evaluated conditions and demonstrate that root-region selection should be considered during the methodological optimization.

Knowledge of the physical and mechanical properties of coffee plants is essential to the development of mechanisms that perform the harvesting of their fruits by the principle of mechanical vibrations; however, these properties have yet to be determined in the laboratory. In this context, the present study aimed to determine the mechanical and physical properties of coffee plants through tensile and compression tests by means of a universal testing machine. Elasticity modulus, Poisson’s ratio, and specific mass were determined for specimens developed from the trunks and branches of 20 samples whole coffee plants, Coffea arabica variety, Catuaí Vermelho cultivar. The elasticity modulus was determined by the slope of the secant line in the elastic region of the stress-strain curve. Poisson’s ratio was determined by direct measurements in regions previously marked on the specimens. The conventional specific mass was obtained by the ratio between the mass of specimens and their volume. The methodology allowed the studied properties and a database to be obtained, and they can be used as a basis for the development and operation of the mechanism used in the mechanical and semi mechanical harvesting of coffee fruits. The results obtained indicate the following values for elasticity modulus of the trunk, performed from compression tests: 1090.94 MPa in the longitudinal direction and 108.60 MPa in the cross-sectional direction. For elasticity modulus of the branches, performed from tensile tests in the longitudinal direction: 507.72 MPa. For Poisson’s ratio, determined by direct measurements: 0.25 for the trunk and 0.09 for the branches. And for specific mass: 1070.05 kg.m-3 for the trunk and 1036.33 kg.m-3 for the branches. Key words: Elasticity modulus; Poisson’s ratio; Specific mass; Geometrical properties.