A method for quantifying aggregate size distribution from the images of soil samples is introduced. Knowledge of soil aggregate size distribution can help to inform soil management practices for the sustainable growth of crops. While current in-field approaches are mostly subjective, obtaining quantifiable results in a laboratory is labour- and time-intensive. Our goal is to develop an imaging technique for quantitative analysis of soil aggregate size distribution, which could provide the basis of a tool for rapid assessment of soil structure. The prediction accuracy of pattern spectra descriptors based on hierarchical representations from attribute morphology are analysed, as well as the impact of using images of different quality and scales. The method is able to handle greater sample complexity than the previous approaches, while working with smaller samples sizes that are easier to handle. The results show promise for size analysis of soils with larger structures, and minimal sample preparation, as typical of soil assessment in agriculture.

中文翻译：

---

使用模式光谱从图像估计土壤团聚体尺寸分布

介绍了一种从土壤样品图像中量化聚集体尺寸分布的方法。了解土壤团聚体大小分布有助于为作物可持续生长的土壤管理实践提供信息。虽然目前的现场方法大多是主观的，但在实验室中获得可量化的结果是劳动密集型和时间密集型的。我们的目标是开发一种定量分析土壤团聚体尺寸分布的成像技术，为快速评估土壤结构的工具提供基础。分析了基于属性形态分层表示的模式光谱描述符的预测精度，以及使用不同质量和尺度图像的影响。该方法能够处理比以前的方法更大的样本复杂性，同时处理更易于处理的较小样本量。结果显示了对具有较大结构和最少样品制备的土壤进行尺寸分析的前景，这是农业土壤评估的典型特征。