Optimal antioxidant enzyme activity estimation in melon plant leaves based on microhyperspectral imaging technique

[Display omitted] •The antioxidant enzyme activity (SOD, POD, CAT) in melon leaves was detected by microhyperspectral imaging technology.•Different characteristic wavelengths were extracted by ACO, IRIV, UVE and GAPLS.•The CNN regression model has been proposed for antioxidant enzyme activity of melon leaf. In order to select the most suitable type of light for plant growth, we have developed a quantitative model for the detection of antioxidant enzyme activities on melon leaves, which allows us to monitor plant growth in a timely and accurate manner. Leaf of melon ‘M5147’ and ‘M5346’ were used as test material. Six treatments have been established with different illuminance ratios. By the measurement of leaf superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT) activities, the varying response of melons leaf to different grades of light have been studied using microscopic hyperspectral imaging at the plant factory. The original spectrum has been pre-processed and optimized. And then the characteristic wavelengths were extracted by ant colony optimization (ACO), iterative retained information variable (IRIV), un-information variable elimination (UVE) and genetic partial least squares (GAPLS). Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), least squares support vector machine (LSSVM) and convolutional neural network (CNN) are built based on the optimal feature wavelengths. T4 treatment (Light ratio: 7R/3B/5W/1UVa, Flux: μmol (m2-s), photoperi 12 h) was found to be optimum. In the pre-processing of the raw spectral data, orthogonal signal correction (OSC) methods were selected for SOD, POD and CAT. The best performance of SOD prediction model was constructed based on GAPLS-CNN (Rc = 0.751, Rp = 0.638); The best performance of POD prediction model was constructed based on UVE-CNN (Rc = 0.753, Rp = 0.530); The best performance of CAT prediction model constructed based on ACO-CNN (Rc = 0.742, Rp = 0.504). The aim of this study was to provide technical support for the dynamic monitoring of antioxidant enzyme activity in the leaves of other plants by establishing a quantitative detection model for antioxidant enzyme activity in melon leaves by combining chemical methods with microscopic hyperspectral imaging technology. This work provides data and a theoretical basis for screening light ratios in other plants and offers technical guidance for dynamically monitoring antioxidant enzyme activities in their leaves.