Plant phenotypes are fundamental measures for the assessment of complex plant traits such as growth, development, tolerance, resistance, structure, physiology, ecology, yield, and the individual quantitative parameters that form the basis for complex trait assessment. In contrast, genes are nucleotide sequences that encode polypeptide chains or functional RNAs, and are therefore the basic units of inheritance that regulate the expression of traits. Plant phenotypes are influenced by both the genotype and the environment, and are collections of three-dimensional spatio-temporal expression information of genotypes interacting with environmental factors. Selective expression of plant genetic information under different environmental conditions forms different phenotypes. In recent years, great progress has been made in sequencing plant genomes, which has facilitated crop improvement research by combining genotyping and phenotyping. However, traditional phenotyping methods rely heavily on manual measurements, which are labor-intensive and time-consuming, impede the acquisition of comprehensive phenotypic data from large populations of individuals, and phenotypic changes cannot be fully tracked throughout the plant life cycle. High-throughput phenotyping overcomes these shortcomings of traditional methods and becomes a powerful tool for evaluating plant phenotypes.

Fig. 1. Phenotyping roots, from identification of target traits to prebreeding with phenotyping to breeding. (Watt et al., 2020)

Our plant phenotyping service

Phenotyping is the foundation of any breeding selection process. CD Genomics provides automated, non-destructive, and precise plant phenotyping for agricultural sciences. Our highly skilled team utilizes methods that link phenotype and genotype to identify genetic structures that regulate important traits, such as quantitative trait loci (QTL) targeting, candidate gene association studies, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS), to study various aspects of plant structure, development, and response to environmental factors. The combination of GWAS and high-throughput phenotyping can help improve your understanding of plant growth and facilitate crop breeding. Our services meet a variety of research needs, including academic research, plant breeding programs, and agricultural companies seeking to optimize crop performance.

Our high-throughput phenotyping platform combines imaging, spectroscopy, and robotics to automate the phenotyping process, enabling the efficient study of thousands of plant species. Our high-throughput phenotyping platforms are versatile and can be customized for specific plant organs such as cells, seeds, shoots, leaves, roots, monocots, and canopies. By utilizing these platforms, we provide researchers with comprehensive phenotypic data to help identify genetic markers associated with desired traits such as yield, disease resistance, and stress tolerance.

Technical characteristics

• The high-throughput phenotyping platform integrates a data acquisition device, a control terminal, and a data analysis platform.
• Phenotyping data are collected primarily through non-invasive imaging and spectroscopic techniques, and high-performance computing devices are used to rapidly analyze plant growth activities and physiological states.
• Compared with traditional phenotyping methods, high-throughput phenotyping can simultaneously acquire data for multiple traits in a large population, as well as allow dynamic observation of different growth stages of plants.
• Spectral or image-based characterization of traits is more objective than traditional methods such as visual scoring that are prone to subjective interpretation.
• It allows non-destructive estimation of biochemical parameters based on modeling, thus avoiding laborious manipulations.

Our services can be applied to the following research areas

• Crop breeding and improvement. By analyzing and comparing the phenotypic characteristics of different genotypes, breeders can identify plants with improved yield potential, disease resistance, drought tolerance, and nutritional quality.
• Abiotic and biotic stress responses. Plant phenotyping can characterize stress-induced changes in plant morphology, physiology, and metabolism.
• Plant physiology and development. By monitoring plant growth dynamics, leaf expansion, flowering time, and fruit development, researchers can reveal potential genetic and environmental factors affecting these processes to further optimize growth conditions, nutrient management, and crop management practices.
• Precision agriculture. Plant Phenotyping By accurately assessing plant health, nutritional status, and stress levels, farmers can make informed decisions about resource allocation and crop management strategies.

Service workflow

Fig. 2. CD Genomics' GWAS equipped with high-throughput phenotyping service process.

Our advantages and features

• Cutting-edge technology. Our tools are precise, efficient, and adaptable to a wide range of research and breeding needs.
• Scientific expertise. Our team consists of experts in plant biology, genetics, and data science. We combine scientific rigor with practical applications to provide meaningful insights.
• Scalability. We understand the need for large-scale phenotyping. Our devices can handle high-throughput evaluations, making them suitable for a wide range of projects and research goals.
• Collaboration and data management. We work closely with our clients to provide not only phenotyping services but also robust data management solutions.

CD Genomics has a wide range of data acquisition equipment and methods that can be adapted to your needs, budget, crop, and desired traits, allowing for large-scale high-throughput plant phenotyping. Our plant phenotyping services accelerate genetic gain within the breeding cycle in addition to continuing to deliver novel traits through discovery. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.

Reference

1. Watt, Michelle, et al. "Phenotyping: new windows into the plant for breeders." Annual review of plant biology. 71 (2020): 689-712.