Small Model Plant Module
The Small Model Plant Module 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 will interface with destructive robotic sampling and carbon isotope discrimination.
Model Plant HTP Screening Module: Fluorogroscan
High Throughput Arabidopsis Screening :
Fluorogroscan was co-developed by Phytosphere Juelich and HRPPC Canberra. It uses a PAM imaging fluorimeter to measure chlorophyll fluorescence and the image can be background subtracted to give projected leaf area for growth analysis and morphological characterisation. The camera steps across trays of 20 plants using an X-Y-Z robot, illuminating with a flash of very high light then easuring chlorophyll fluorescence. False colour images area produced which represent calculations of chlorophyll fluorescence parameters on a pixel by pixel basis. Regions of interest can be identified for screening in high throughput . Outputs can be false colour images for spatial information or CSV files of calculated values of dark adapted Fv/Fm (gives the “health” of the photosystems), commonly used in abiotic stress screening and for mutant screens (photoinhibition and pigment mutants). Steady state Fm’ and electron transport rate in the light can also be calculated as a surrogate for photosynthesis. |
 
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| Fluorogroscan Measures Growth and Fv/Fm | |
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| Example of metadata on a drought experiment for arabidopsis where water was with-held at the arrow, compared to well watered controls. Note growth rate is more sensitive than fluorescence in this case. | |
Top Camera Growth Imaging
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Two devices are used for high throughput arabidopsis and model plant / seedling growth experiments. Lemnatec scanalyser is an off the shelf system in use at HRPPC and TPA. It can make top camera only or top and 2 side view angles. This will be the platform for the conveyor system in TPA. Other sensors will be included for leaf temp, water etc. In cabinet growth imaging using networked RGB cameras and green LEDs for night measurements of growth have been built and will allow time-lapse growth measurements by image recognition and background subtract. |
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Non-destructive Growth Analysis and Morphological Clustering
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| Images taken with the Lemnatec system and analysed for colour classification to allow quantification of chlorosis and lesions. Currently in use to screen KO lines for fusarium and other pathogen resistance genes. | |
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Morphological "Fingerprinting"
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MAT or Morphological Analysis Tool is a commercial version of image analysis software we also have developed in house. This allows mathematical quantification of morphologies based on standard ontological plant descriptors. These can be graphed using polargrams or entered into a database (outputs CSV files) and PNG image files.
This has been tested to cluster phenotypes of ABA sensing mutants and works well. I will provide you with an example of analysis of heterosis in crosses of LER and C24 and inheritance of rosette architecture. |
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Outputs from Arabidopsis HTP
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Arabidopsis Phenomic Database Relational database linking genotypes of all SALK Homozygous KO’s, transgenics, RIL’s and ecotypes to a defined and quantified set of phenotypic parameters (polar diagrams). Targeted Phenotyping |
| More information than “no visible phenotype”! | |