Roots are central to the function of natural and agricultural ecosystems by driving plant acquisition of soil resources and influencing the carbon cycle. Root characteristics like length, diameter and volume are critical to measure to understand plant and soil functions. RhizoVision Explorer is an open-source software designed to enable researchers interested in roots by providing an easy-to-use interface, fast image processing and reliable measurements. The default broken roots mode is intended for roots sampled from pots and soil cores, washed and typically scanned on a flatbed scanner, and provides measurements like length, diameter and volume. The optional whole root mode for complete root systems or root crowns provides additional measurements such as angles, root depth and convex hull. Both modes support providing measurements grouped by defined diameter ranges, the inclusion of multiple regions of interest and batch analysis. RhizoVision Explorer was successfully validated against ground truth data using a new copper wire image set. In comparison, the current reference software, the commercial WinRhizo™, drastically underestimated volume when wires of different diameters were in the same image. Additionally, measurements were compared with WinRhizo™ and IJ_Rhizo using a simulated root image set, showing general agreement in software measurements, except for root volume. Finally, scanned root image sets acquired in different labs for the crop, herbaceous and tree species were used to compare results from RhizoVision Explorer with WinRhizo™. The two software showed general agreement, except that WinRhizo™ substantially underestimated root volume relative to RhizoVision Explorer. In the current context of rapidly growing interest in root science, RhizoVision Explorer intends to become a reference software, improve the overall accuracy and replicability of root trait measurements and provide a foundation for collaborative improvement and reliable access to all.

中文翻译：

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RhizoVision Explorer：用于根图像分析和测量标准化的开源软件

通过推动植物获取土壤资源和影响碳循环，根对自然和农业生态系统的功能至关重要。长度、直径和体积等根系特征对于测量了解植物和土壤功能至关重要。RhizoVision Explorer 是一款开源软件，旨在通过提供易于使用的界面、快速的图像处理和可靠的测量来帮助对根感兴趣的研究人员。默认的断根模式适用于从花盆和土芯中采样的根，经过清洗并通常在平板扫描仪上扫描，并提供长度、直径和体积等测量值。用于完整根系或根冠的可选全根模式提供额外的测量，例如角度、根深和凸包。两种模式都支持提供按定义的直径范围分组的测量，包括多个感兴趣区域和批量分析。RhizoVision Explorer 使用新的铜线图像集成功验证了地面实况数据。相比之下，当不同直径的电线位于同一图像中时，当前的参考软件（商业 WinRhizo™）大大低估了体积。此外，使用模拟根图像集将测量结果与 WinRhizo™ 和 IJ_Rhizo 进行了比较，结果显示软件测量结果基本一致，但根体积除外。最后，使用在不同实验室获得的作物、草本植物和树种的扫描根图像集，将 RhizoVision Explorer 与 WinRhizo™ 的结果进行比较。两个软件显示一致，除了 WinRhizo™ 相对于 RhizoVision Explorer 大大低估了根体积。在当前对根科学的兴趣迅速增长的背景下，RhizoVision Explorer 打算成为一个参考软件，提高根性状测量的整体准确性和可复制性，并为协作改进和对所有人的可靠访问提供基础。