Limitations and current applications of Near Infrared Spectroscopy for single seed analysis

Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) analysis at the single seed level is a useful tool for breeders, farmers, feeding facilities, and food companies according to current researches. As a non-destructive technique, NIRS allows for the selection and classification of seeds according to specific traits and attributes without alteration of their properties. Critical aspects in using NIRS for single seed analysis such as reference method, sample morphology, and spectrometer suitability are discussed in this review. A summary of current applications of NIRS technologies at single seed level is also presented.