The High Resolution Plant Phenomics Centre (HRPPC) located in Canberra at CSIRO Plant Industry and the Australian National University is developing next generation research tools to probe plant function and performance, under controlled conditions from growth cabinets to the field. These new technologies include the Phenonet, Phenomobile, Phenotower, Tethered Blimp, Cropatron and the PlantScan.

Phenonet

Motivated by the need to measure environmental variations across an entire field, Phenonet provides real-time physical and environmental conditions including canopy temperature,soil moisture, incoming solar radiation and micrometeorology.

Phenonet consists of spatially distributed autonomous sensors (nodes) equipped with a range of sensors, a wireless communications device, a small computer (micro-controller)and an energy source (both battery and solar panel). The collected data is transmitted over the mobile phone network to a server for real time viewing via the internet. The data is correlated with each plant’s genetic profile and performance. This information can then be used to improve accuracy and speed of plant breeding.

Currently two networks have been deployed: one in Ginninderra Experimental Station (GM wheat trial) and a second one in Yanco (Managed Environmental Field).

Phenomobile

The Phenomobile is designed to integrate a range of remote sensing technologies for phenomics field measurements at the plot scale. A purpose built buggy designed to straddle a plot, the Phenomobile collects measurements from three plots simultaneously gathering data for canopy temperature, canopy volume/biomass and ground cover. A stereo-imaging rig reconstructs a 3D image of the plot providing information pertaining to canopy volume, mean plant height and density.

The Phenomobile was recently completed and is heading into the field later this year.

Phenotower

From 16m above the canopy the Phenotower collects infra-red themography and colour imagery of a field plot. This data is used for spatial comparison of canopy temperature, leaf greenness and groundcover between genotypes at a single point in time.

Tethered Blimp

For imaging an entire field at one point in time a 6m tethered blimp able to lift 3kg is under development. As an aerial imaging platform the blimp will carry both infrared and digital colour cameras operating in a height range of 30-80m above the field. The infra-red thermography and colour images will indentify the relative differences in canopy temperature indicating plant water use, an important trait to understand.

Cropatron

Set to be commissioned in 2012, the Cropatron will provide a “canopy-like” environment in which to examine crops. This Field crop Simulation module brings controlled environments directly to the field enabling scientists to examine the impact of climate change on crops. Two concepts are being explored in the Cropatron’s design. The first includes a static facility with high degree of environmental control, containment and highly instrumented to accurately measure the consequences of environmental perturbations on organisms' physiology. The second concept is a mobile design which would be placed over part of the crop in a field experiment.

PlantScan

In the final stages of construction PlantScan will provide non-invasive analyses of plant morphology and function through digital imaging. Plant development can be monitored over time using two high-resolution cameras and a mechanical system for the accurate positioning of single plants. Additional sensors including infra-red cameras will expand current PlantScan capabilities. Mathematically derived structural and morphological traits from these images can be used in association studies, for example finding new quantitative trait loci (QTLs).

Infrared screening and 3D reconstruction in plant phenomics presentation [1mb PDF]

Cotton demonstration [wmv] or Cotton demonstration [avi]