Phenotyping Toolbox
Explore the different methods and tools to phenotype plants and find the most suitable approach for your purpose
Field-based
Digital Analysis
Lab-based
Controlled Environment Microbiome & Rhizosphere
Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), a key component of the plant microbiome, have been widely shown to enhance plant health and growth. This is why measuring it accurately is so important.
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Exudation
Plant roots release exudates, plant derived metabolites that shape the surrounding soil and drive plant-soil-microbe interactions. They play a key role in soil health, water and nutrient dynamics supporting plant development.
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Microbiome
The plant microbiome: bacteria, fungi, and other microbes living in, on, and around plants shapes plant health, growth, nutrient uptake, and resilience, playing a crucial role in plant-soil interactions
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Phenotyping Platform
Phenofield
The Phenofield platform, studies over 300 crop varieties annually using high-throughput sensors, mobile shelters, and precision irrigation. It enables real-time, non-destructive monitoring of plant traits under controlled conditions
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PhysioTron
PhysioTron, an advanced high-throughput phenotyping platform combines automated gravimetric lysimeters with precision imaging technologies to study plant performance under controlled water stress conditions.
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The Seedling Root Screen
The Seedling Root Screen is a high-throughput system for the study of seedling root architecture. Early root trait measurements reveal seedling vigor, genotype differences, and responses to diseases, nutrients, or treatments
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Rhizotron
This method evaluates root traits by sampling plants with a spade. This simple and accessible approach provides insight into the 3D structure of roots
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Root Trait Measurement Methods
MINIRHIZOTRON
Minirhizotron method scans roots through transparent tubes. It allows the study of root interactions and physical traits.
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Root Washing
Root washing allows measuring root length, thickness, and biomass to understand how well a crop plant performed in the soil environment it was grown in
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SHOVELOMICS
This method evaluates root traits by sampling plants with a spade. This simple and accessible approach provides insight into the 3D structure of roots
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Soil coring
Using this approach, a soil core up to 90 cm deep is sampled to extract roots at multiple depths. It provides detailed root measurements but requires specialized equipment
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Soil Pit
It enables in-situ observation of root depth and distribution down to 1-2 m. Despite being a disruptive method, it provides a direct way to evaluate rooting patterns and depths under real field conditions
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Various Methods
Four methods were evaluated to assess their capacity to measure traits in different crops and their accessibility helping users choose the most suitable method
Root Traits & Breeding
ideotypes
An ideotype is a combination of traits tailored for a specific environment. Root2Res ideotypes are designed to target particular stress conditions in cereals, legumes, and tubers
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Root Plasticity
Plasticity is a plant’s ability to adjust its traits in response to different environments. Root plasticity can enhance resilience to stress and help maintain crop production under challenging conditions
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Root System
The root system includes architectural traits (root depth, angle…) and morphological traits (root hairs, diameter…). Root systems vary between crops and influence how plants respond
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Phenotyping Toolbox