The CBGP has a new automated and robotic system for plant phenotyping (aerial part and root system) installed in the greenhouse space of the Plant Cultivation Laboratory of the  CBGP. This new infrastructure, called Enclosed Ecosystem Phenotyping Platform (E2P2), encompass three greenhouse modules and the corridor between them, in which the equipments for measuring plant phenotypic parameters is installed.

This automated phenotyping platform for E2P2 plants is versatile, and can be used in small model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana or in larger plant species (crops) such as tomato or corn, among others. In addition, the platform will operate under P1 biological safety conditions so that genetically modified organisms (plants and microorganisms) (GMOs) can be analyzed and phenotyped in the E2P2.

The robotic phenotyping system for root and aboveground (aerial) part of plant has the following components and control systems, and associated software:

1. Robust, high-quality motorized flowerpot transport lines, with smooth movement and reduced vibration. This system of motorized transport lines allows the automatic transport of potted plants from the plant storage/cultivation area in the two greenhouse modules to the phenotyping station (dark platform module installed in the corridor), where the acquisition systems take the images and measure parameters of the plants and allow the plants to return to the same greenhouse modules after analyses. The system consists of 2 pot conveyor rails per greenhouse module and allows the coupling of pots with a plant height (including pot) of 700 mm high by 500 mm diameter (weight of material (plant, pot, soil and water) per pot up to 7 kg). The system transports the pots to the phenotyping station (dark module of the platform) where the sensors and cameras are located to take images, parameters and data of the plants to be phenotyped. This dark module consists of automatic locks to allow entry and exit of the module floors automatically according to the programming carried out in the platform control system. of phenotyping.
2. The aerial phenotyping stations (image capture systems and control software) have cameras, lighting systems and sensors, as well as a 360º rotating plate for taking images at all angles and from the aerial part. superior. The camera lens is of high quality which guarantees optimal quality of the plant images. Image sensors have high light sensitivity. The lighting system is capable of taking images of plants in different spectral bands.
3. The root phenotyping system takes reproducible images of plants thanks to an image sensor with high light sensitivity and high contrast resolution. It allows you to analyze images of roots grown in soil and other plant growth media such as transparent agar plates.
4. The phenotyping stations consist of a versatile computer system that allows phenotyping control of both the root and the aerial part of the plant. The computer control system (and associated software) allows the control and supervision of all installed hardware components, including cameras, lighting and automation robotics of the transport lines from the plants to the phenotyping station and the module. dark of the platform. During an experiment data are stored in the central database. A complete experiment, with repeated tasks or specific experiments, can be programmed by manually loading pots into the phenotyping station for measurement in the dark module of the platform. Control of the equipment can be monitored remotely by the operator.

E2P2 has been funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation / State Research Agency / 10.13039/501100011033 and by the European Union NextGenerationEU/PRTR

High Throughput Phenotyping Platform RootPro Phenotyping (modules)