The High Resolution Plant Phenomics Centre is located in Canberra at CSIRO Plant Industry and the Australian National University. This Centre focus on "deep phenotyping" (delving into metabolism and physiological processes within the plant) and Reverse Phenomics (dissecting traits to discover their mechanistic basis). Next generation research tools is being developed and applied to probe plant function and performance, under controlled conditions and in the field. Recent advances in robotics, imaging and computing are used in applying these technologies and scaling them from the single plant to the ecosystem level. Two levels of service are provided in the HRPPC. First, projects can be housed in the "Research Hotel" environment where screening systems can be developed using facility staff and resources then deployed in the facility and in the user's home institution. Second, users' material can be screened for specific attributes using one or more of the modules housed at CSIRO or the ANU. This node of the facility focus on flexibility from cereals to dicots and woody perennials at all stages of development.

The High Resolution Plant Phenomics Centre serves as the sister facility to The Plant Accelerator based at the Waite Campus of the University of Adelaide. Together the Canberra and Adelaide developments comprise the Australian Plant Phenomics Facility.

The Centre will provide a suite of analytical tools, packaged into four modules:

Small Model Plant Module. This provides high throughput growth and deep phenotyping of Arabidopsis in trays and other small seedlings using digital growth and morphological analysis, pulse modulated chlorophyll fluorescence and infra-red thermography for photosynthetic measurements under controlled environmental conditions (light, CO2 and humidity). This module interfaces with destructive robotic sampling and carbon isotope discrimination.

Crop Plant Shoot Module. 3-D imaging for plant architecture and growth analysis, allowing multiple images to be overlayed. Hyperspectral reflectance for plant chemical composition and stress detection, pulse modulated chlorophyll fluorescence imaging and gas exchange for non-invasive estimation of photosynthesis, infrared thermography and carbon isotope discrimination for water use efficiency screening. This module is suitable for medium throughput screening and validation of novel screening methods in a wide range of cereals and annual and perennial plants of agricultural importance.

Root Module. This module comprises optical, infra-red and electromagnetic detection of root morphology, structure and function in soil in controlled environments and in the field. Access to MRI and X-ray tomography is available through collaborations nationally and internationally.

Gateway to Field Module. Extension to the field is an important part of validating controlled environment screening technologies and provides a powerful high throughput set of tools. Plant growth and composition in field plots are remote sensed by stereophotography, laser radar and hyperspectral reflectance, combined with thermography, radiative / radar root detection and other developing technologies. These technologies are integrated into spatial, climatic and precision agricultural data bases through researchers across Australia.