Investigation of fractality and variation of fractal dimension in germinating seed

Abstract

The fractal analysis has now been recognized as a potential mathematical tool in analyzing complex structures. The present work reports not only the fractal nature of Vigna radiata seed analyzed with the help of Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopic images but also the variation of fractal dimension (FD) in a germinating seed. The variation of FD during germination in different media—water, salt, and diesel soot with carbon nanoparticles (CNPs)—is studied using the box-counting technique. The study is the first report of the fractality of seed. Irrespective of the media, the FD attains a maximum value on the day of germination and decreases after that. The time (T) for achieving maximum FD varies with the nature of stress. In the study, when the CNPs of diesel soot lower the T value, the salt raises the T value with respect to the control set. The Fourier Transform Infrared analysis of the seeds germinating in different media shows an increased rate of protein formation during the initial stage of germination and a steady state after that. In conjunction with the literature, the variation in the amino nitrogen, soluble nucleotide—RNA, and protein content of the seed during the initial days of germination gets reflected in its FD.