Abstract
Measurement of the spatial profile of root elongation needs to determine matching points between time-lapse images and calculate their displacement. These data have been usually obtained by manual methods, which are time-consuming and possibly inaccurate due to arbitrary matching. Recently computer-based programs have been developed to solve such problems, and a notable example is "RootflowRT" (van der Weele et al. 2003). However, this program requires many detailed images for the analysis. To improve the convenience, we have developed "GrowthTracer", a new image-analysis program for kinematic study of root elongation. GrowhTracer employs a multiresolutional nonlinear filter, Critical Point Filter (CPF), which extracts critical points of images of each resolution and can determine precise matching points by analysis of only two images. In addition, a manual input of distinct matching points increases accuracy of the matching. We will report the results of the program analysis on root growth in Arabidopsis thaliana .
