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Agronomy
Volume 15
Issue 7
10.3390/agronomy15071575
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Enhanced Multi-Threshold Otsu Algorithm for Corn Seedling Band Centerline Extraction in Straw Row Grouping

by
Yuanyuan Liu
1,
Yuxin Du
1,
Kaipeng Zhang
2,
Hong Yan
2,
Zhiguo Wu
3,
Jiaxin Zhang
1,
Xin Tong
1,
Junhui Chen
1,
Fuxuan Li
1,
Mengqi Liu
1,
Yueyong Wang
3 and
Jun Wang
3,*
1
College of Information and Technology & Smart Agriculture Research Institute, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
2
Jilin Provincial Academy of Forestry Sciences, Changchun 130033, China
3
College of Engineering and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun 130118, China
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Agronomy 2025, 15(7), 1575; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15071575 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 30 May 2025 / Revised: 22 June 2025 / Accepted: 25 June 2025 / Published: 27 June 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Facility Agriculture Robots and Autonomous Unmanned Management for Crops)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Straw row grouping is vital in conservation tillage for precision seeding, and accurate centerline extraction of the seedling bands enhances agricultural spraying efficiency. However, the traditional single-threshold Otsu segmentation struggles with adaptability and accuracy under complex field conditions. To overcome these issues, this study proposes an adaptive multi-threshold Otsu algorithm optimized by a Simulated Annealing-Enhanced Differential Evolution–Whale Optimization Algorithm (SADE-WOA). The method avoids premature convergence and improves population diversity by embedding the crossover mechanism of Differential Evolution (DE) into the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) and introducing a vector disturbance strategy. It adaptively selects thresholds based on straw-covered image features. Combined with least-squares fitting, it suppresses noise and improves centerline continuity. The experimental results show that SADE-WOA accurately separates soil regions while preserving straw texture, achieving higher between-class variance and significantly faster convergence than the other tested algorithms. It runs at just one-tenth of the time of the Grey Wolf Optimizer and one-ninth of that of DE and requires only one-sixth to one-seventh of the time needed by DE-GWO. During centerline fitting, the mean yaw angle error (MEA) ranged from 0.34° to 0.67°, remaining well within the 5° tolerance required for agricultural navigation. The root-mean-square error (RMSE) fell between 0.37° and 0.73°, while the mean relative error (MRE) stayed below 0.2%, effectively reducing the influence of noise and improving both accuracy and robustness.
Keywords: straw row grouping; multi-thresholding; differential evolutionary algorithm; whale optimization algorithm; least squares; centerline straw row grouping; multi-thresholding; differential evolutionary algorithm; whale optimization algorithm; least squares; centerline

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Liu, Y.; Du, Y.; Zhang, K.; Yan, H.; Wu, Z.; Zhang, J.; Tong, X.; Chen, J.; Li, F.; Liu, M.; et al. Enhanced Multi-Threshold Otsu Algorithm for Corn Seedling Band Centerline Extraction in Straw Row Grouping. Agronomy 2025, 15, 1575. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15071575

AMA Style

Liu Y, Du Y, Zhang K, Yan H, Wu Z, Zhang J, Tong X, Chen J, Li F, Liu M, et al. Enhanced Multi-Threshold Otsu Algorithm for Corn Seedling Band Centerline Extraction in Straw Row Grouping. Agronomy. 2025; 15(7):1575. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15071575

Chicago/Turabian Style

Liu, Yuanyuan, Yuxin Du, Kaipeng Zhang, Hong Yan, Zhiguo Wu, Jiaxin Zhang, Xin Tong, Junhui Chen, Fuxuan Li, Mengqi Liu, and et al. 2025. "Enhanced Multi-Threshold Otsu Algorithm for Corn Seedling Band Centerline Extraction in Straw Row Grouping" Agronomy 15, no. 7: 1575. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15071575

APA Style

Liu, Y., Du, Y., Zhang, K., Yan, H., Wu, Z., Zhang, J., Tong, X., Chen, J., Li, F., Liu, M., Wang, Y., & Wang, J. (2025). Enhanced Multi-Threshold Otsu Algorithm for Corn Seedling Band Centerline Extraction in Straw Row Grouping. Agronomy, 15(7), 1575. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy15071575

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