Plant Phenotyping

Plant Phenotyping is designed for non-invasive, morphometric and physiological high-throughput phenotyping of small plants (e.g. Arabidopsis) and mid-size crop plants (e.g. wheat, barley).

The system available at PHENOPlant at the Austria BioImaging Node can process samples on agar-plates and different type of pots ranging from 250mL up to 5L and is fully integrated into a state-of-the-art walk-in phytotron providing highly controlled plant growth conditions. Furthermore, the platform facilitates precise environmental (live) simulations across different climate zones as well as controlled plant stress experiments (cold- or heat stress).

Plants are transported on conveyor belts from the growth area to the imaging cabinets equipped with a wide range of sensors, including multi-excitation PAM kinetic chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, RGB, hyperspectral imaging (VNIR & SWIR), thermal imaging and 3D scanning.

Following the imaging process, the soil water content is adjusted by an automated, gravimetric watering system, facilitating highly controlled drought stress experiments.

Potential applications are basic and applied plant research questions where objective, reproducible and high-throughput phenotype assessment (morphology and physiology) is requested.  This includes abiotic- and biotic stress response (e.g. drought, cold, heat light, salt, pathogens), plant breeding, but also testing of e.g. fertiliser, biostimulants, herbicides.