A Non-Invasive Approach in the Assessment of Stress Phenomena and Impairment Values in Pea Seeds Caused by Pea Weevil

Abstract

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is an important leguminous plant worldwide, in which pests trigger significant damage every year. One of the most important pest is pea weevil (Bruchus pisorum, L) which causes covert damage in crops. In the present study, our aim was to obtain precise information pertaining to the extent and the nature of damage in pea caused by B. pisorum by means of non-invasive imaging methods. The infested pea samples were analysed by an infrared thermometer and a bioluminescence plant imaging system as well as a computer tomograph under laboratory conditions. The calculated weight of organic matter destroyed by the developing larvae was 36.46%. The changing of RGB (red, blue, green) codes obtained through thermal imaging and the CPS (counts per second) values originating from bioluminescence imaging in infested samples were statistically verifiable. According to our CT assay, the damage caused by B. pisorum changed the tissue density, volume and shape of the pea seeds by the end of the development of the pest. The results of thermal and bioluminescence imaging contribute to a better understanding of the internal chemical processes and the CT analysis helps to understand the alteration trends of the inner structure of seeds caused by this pest.