New Tools for Automated Image-Based High-Throughput Phenotyping

Non-invasive capturing and interpreting of plant structural and functional phenotypes in controlled or dynamically changing environment is long-standing and necessary requirement for genetic and physiological research by crop breeders, agricultural industry, and academia. To sustain global food security the major challenge global agriculture and plant biology field has been facing is the identification of new high-yielding genotypes of agricultural crops that are adapted to our future climate. PlantScreen Systems developed in PSI (Photon Systems Instruments, Czech Republic) are designed to serve as high-throughput screening platform for plant phenotyping in various species from Arabidopsis to crop plants. PlantScreen is configured for non-destructive measurement and image analysis in automated software operated system. The system contains several modules, which are designed for complex automated phenotypic analysis including chlorophyll fluorescence imaging, thermal imaging, RGB imaging, hyperspectral analysis and automated weighting and watering system.
PlantScreen Data Analyser was developed for automated data processing, statistical analysis and export of the measured parameters for individual plants or traits in time. In the acclimatization chamber which is part of the PlantScreen system, different light, humidity and temperature conditions can be controlled. This offers an opportunity to perform kinetic measurements under various environmental conditions.
We will presentexamples of multidimensional phenotyping approach and show that the integrative concept of PlantScreenTM high-throughput phenotyping platform provides a powerful tool for acquisition and selection of morphological, physiological and biochemical parameters, which can be used for identification of various components underlying early plant responses to various environmental conditions.