Scientific Objectives and Experimental Design
Last updated
Last updated
The TERRA-REF project is phenotyping the same genotypes of sorghum at multiple locations
Automated Lemnatec Scanalyzer Field System at (MAC)
on parallel plots at and Kansas State University (KSU)
platform on parallel plots at KSU
at the
at all locations
is being carried out on ~ to understand the landscape of genetic variation in the selected germplasm and enable high-resolution mapping of bioenergy traits with genome wide association studies (GWAS). Additionally, ~200 sorghum recombinant inbred lines (RILs) will be characterized with ~400,000 genetic markers using genotyping-by-sequencing () for trait dissection in the RIL population and testcross hybrids of the RIL population.
Three hundred thirty one . Plantings occurred both under and west of the gantry system.
Field layouts and in 2016.
Coming 2017
In progress
RGB imaging allows visualization and quantification of plant color and structural morphology, such as leaf area, stem diameter and plant height.
NIR imaging enables visualization of water distribution in plants in the near infrared spectrum of 900–1700 nm.
Fluorescent imaging uses red light excitation to visualize chlorophyll fluorescence between 680 – 900 nm. The system is equipped with a dark adaptation tunnel preceding the fluorescent imaging chamber, allowing the analysis of photosystem II efficiency.
The LemnaTec software suite is used to program and control the Scanalyzer platform, analyze the digital images and mine resulting data. Data and images are saved and stored on a secure server for further review or reanalysis.
PhenoTractor - Coming 2017
UAV - Coming 2017
Manually collected field data - Coming 2017
Coming 2017
The is the largest field crop analytics robot in the world. This high-throughput phenotyping field-scanning robot has a 30-ton steel gantry that autonomously moves along two 200-meter steel rails while continuously imaging the crops growing below it with a diverse array of .
Twelve sensors are attached to the system. Detailed information for each sensor including name, variable measured, and field of view are . The planned sensor missions and their objectives for 2016 are .
The PhenoTractor at MAC is fitted with a sensor frame that supports a real time kinematic (RTK) satellite navigation antenna, a sonar transducer, an infrared temperature (IRT) scanner, and .
The Scanalyzer 3D platform at the consists of multiple digital imaging chambers connected to the Conviron growth house by a conveyor belt system, resulting in a continuous imaging loop. Plants are imaged from the top and/or multiple sides, followed by digital construction of images for analysis.