Classification of various grains using optical properties

Majumdar, S., Jayas, D.S., Hehn, J.L. and Bulley, N.R. 1996. Classification of various grains using optical properties. Can. Agric. Eng. 38: 139-144. Rapid identification of the principal constituents of bulk grain samples can be used to automate the movement of grain through a terminal or processing plant and can also be important for quality control. This paper examines the potential of using tristimuIus values, color solid scale values, and reflectance characteristics of grains as discriminating features among various seed types from bulk samples of cereals, pulses, oilseeds, and speciality crops. Visible light between 400 and 700 nm was used to collect data for separation of various grains. Most of the grains could be distinguished from each other using X, Y, and Z tristimulus values; L, a, and b color solid scale values; or percent reflectance ratios and ratios of slopes of the percent reflectance curves at different wavelengths. The bulk reflectance measurement provides a rapid first stage identification and narrows the possibilities for a second, more detailed, identification stage.