Macrophotography in seed science of the genus Allium L. (Amaryllidaceae Jaume St.-Hil.)

Relevance. Macrophotography has become a critical tool in seed science, providing deep integration of fundamental botany, digital archives and advanced imaging technologies. Modern scientific macrophotography of seeds has long gone beyond mere aesthetic documentation. It directly ensures the accuracy of research in areas such as ecology, evolutionary biology, archeology and agriculture. The color of Allium L. seeds studied is black or nearly black, while the shape and size vary. The types of seed shapes are classified as oval-flattened, oval-angular, oval-hemispherical, ovalspherical, elliptical-flattened, or elliptical-angular. Allium seeds show a high degree of variability, which may be of taxonomic value. color.
Material and Methods. The macrophotography involved seed samples of 36 different species of the genus Allium L. from the biocollection of the All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Growing – a branch of the Federal Scientific Center for Vegetable Growing. The photographs were taken in the photo laboratory of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution FSVC by a professional photographer using professional equipment: Olympus OM 1 camera, Olympus macro 60 mm photographic lens. Graphic processing of images was carried out in Adobe Photoshop. Results. Based on the obtained images, the external characteristics of seeds were described. The shape of the seeds, the relief of their surface (ribs, edges), the color of the seed surface and the texture were determined. The location of the seed scar and its shape were indicated. As a result of the description, the seeds were grouped into seven groups according to the similar external features, and the general differences between the groups were demonstrated. The greatest differences among the seeds of various Allium L. species were noted in their shape, structure and surface
Conclusion. Macrophotography in seed science of Allium L. has proven to be a reliable tool for species identification and seed quality analysis. Visualization of the external parameters of Allium L. seeds such as shape, surface relief, color, etc., contributes to their better recognition. With the development of photographic technology and computer programming, the information content and accuracy of the macrophotography method will increase.

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