Rapid detection method of moldy maize kernels based on color feature

In order to find the moldy maize kernels quickly, a method based on machine vision was proposed in this paper. Firstly, images of maize kernels were taken by the moldy maize sorting equipment, and three parts of every kernel, that is, moldy plaques, healthy endosperm and healthy embryo, were selected from these images. Then a threshold was set in R channel by analyzing color features of those three parts in RGB model. In this method, moldy plaques can be identified roughly. After that the location of the moldy plaques on the kernels was studied, a circle, whose centre was approximately the centroid of a maize kernel and diameter was about the width of embryos, was set to exclude the interference caused by shadow. This method, with the accuracy of 92.1%, laid a good foundation for the further study of moldy maize sorting equipment.