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The high trhoughput area entirely equipped with conveyors comprises:

Automated precision cultivation

The irrigation system comprises retractable poles with watering nozzles, and it can be configured in various ways to accommodate different types of containers, including pots and RhizoTubes®.

The system includes balances that perform weighings before and after watering, and all data are recorded.

For RhizoTubes®, weighing stations with drainage facilities are available to remove excess nutrient solution.

 

 

Climate characterisation

4PMI is equipped with over 80 climate sensors distributed throughout the automated greenhouses. Several climate variables are measured, including temperature (ventilated at canopy level), incident light (PAR - Photosynthetically Active Radiation), and relative humidity.

These data are recorded in real-time and can be accessed through user-specific interfaces that have been specifically developed for this purpose.

Phenotyping of shoot and Root Systems

Automated imaging of shoot and root systems is conducted using high-definition cameras.

• Aerial Phenotyping

 

The culture containers (pots or RhizoTubes) are conveyed into the phenotyping chambers via conveyors. Three chambers are dedicated to aerial phenotyping, with each equipped with a specific camera (visible, NIR - Near-Infrared, fluorescence). For each container, the system acquires 12 lateral images (rotated every 30°) and one top-view image.

• Root Phenotyping

Two root imaging systems are available:

1. The first system operates at low throughput but provides very high-definition images.
2. The second system operates at high throughput while still offering high-definition images

The RhizoCab® HR (High Resolution) enables root system phenotyping of plants grown in RhizoTubes®. The precision is adjustable and can reach up to 3600 dpi (1 pixel = 7 microns). The imaging is done in three wavelengths (465 nm, 525 nm, 625 nm). A zoom mode allows tracking of specific areas of interest.

A second chamber named RhizoCab® HD (High Throughput) is also dedicated to root phenotyping. It follows the same operating principle as RhizoCab® HR but is mounted on a conveyor system.

 

 

 

 

The obtained images are analyzed to measure various morphometric parameters of both above-ground and root systems, such as projected surface area, height and width, exploration area, root length, and root diameters