Variation in the morphometric parameters of seeds of spring and winter genotypes of Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz

Camelina sativa has two distinctive biotypes, spring and winter, cultivated for different purposes using different agrotechnics. The aim of the study was to determine whether the seeds of spring and winter genotypes of camelina can be discriminated based on their morphometric parameters. The shape and color of seeds of 73 (64 spring and 9 winter) accessions and cultivars of Camelina sativa were evaluated by digital image analysis. Image analysis was performed with the ImageJ program. One seed weight highly significantly differentiated spring (1.32 g) and winter (1.14 g) genotypes. The spring and winter genotypes of camelina were also significantly differentiated by most seed shape descriptors. In spring genotypes, highly significant positive correlations were noted between one-seed weight and shape descriptors: area (0.872), perimeter (0.861), Feret diameter (0.822), minimal Feret diameter (0.830) and solidity (0.730). A highly significant negative correlation between one-seed weight and circularity (-0.369) indicates that larger seeds have a more elongated shape. Interestingly, the above correlations were not observed in winter camelina. In spring and winter camelina seeds, the Euclidean distance between shape descriptors (2.043) was greater than between color descriptors (0.639 for the HSI model and 1.005 for the L*a*b model), which indicates that seed shape has greater discriminatory power than seed color in both spring and winter camelina. In principal component analysis, the evaluated genotypes were more effectively differentiated based on shape descriptors than color descriptors, and the first two principal components explained 98% of variance.