Quantification of Oil Content in Intact Sugar Beet Seed by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy

Sugar beet seed oil reserves play an important role in successful germination and seedling development. The purpose of this study was to establish a non-destructive near-infrared (NIR) methodology with good predictive accuracy to quantify stored seed oil in sugar beet seed. Reflectance NIR spectra were acquired from viable monogerm seeds. Calibration equations were developed using partial least squares. The optimized calibration model reached a Pearson correlation of 0.946; an independent prediction test reached a correlation of 0.919 and a Root Mean Square Error of Prediction of 0.388. The possible role of the outer pericarp in the prediction of oil content was additionally considered. The results indicate that the model is suitable for a rapid and accurate determination of the oil content in both polished and unpolished sugar beet seeds. This NIR application might help to understand the role of seed energy reservoirs in sugar beet germination and further plant growth.