United Kingdom
July 13, 2015
A world first for automated measuring of crop growth and health in the field was installed for Rothamsted Research in 2015 by LemnaTec GmbH. This is the world’s largest and most sophisticated facility built today and will revolutionise the way that crop health and growth are monitored in the field. The development of the facility has been supported by Rothamsted Research and BBSRC.
The Field Scanalyzer comprises of a gantry that supports a motorised measuring platform with multiple sensors. Crops within a 10m x 110m area can be monitored throughout the season with a high degree of resolution and reproducibility. The facility is fully automated and can operate 24 hours per day throughout the year. On board illumination facilitates the data collection and sensors include multi-wavelength imaging systems, an imaging sensor to measure chlorophyll fluorescence decay kinetics and a laser system for 3D visualisation and crop height determination. Together these sensors will enable detailed monitoring of crop physiology, plant architecture, crop health and plant function, with unparalleled accuracy, and will contribute to our food security and sustainability programmes.
The Field Scanalyzer. Copyright: Rothamsted Research
Dr Malcolm Hawkesford, co-lead of the 20:20 Wheat programme at Rothamsted Research commented: “We are delighted to have this facility at Rothamsted. As a crop scientist, I believe that this will enable us to collect arguably the most accurate and detailed dataset of crop growth and health ever.”
“Advances in other technologies have provided a wealth of information about the genetic composition of crop plants. This facility will enable us for the first time to monitor plants in terms of growth and their physiology, in real time in the field throughout their life-time. This will revolutionise the way that agricultural research is conducted”, Malcolm added.
Ben Niehaus, Head of the Field Scanalyzer project at LemnaTec commented: “ We are proud to see this world’s first Field Scanalyzer, developed by multi-disciplinary team having been installed at the prestigious Rothamsted Research and are looking forward to jointly improve and develop the revolutionary data set which will be collected. “
The facility will be used initially to understand the development under field conditions of numerous pre-breeding wheat varieties that have been generated through the WGIN programme supported by Defra and the Wheat Initiative Strategic Programme (WISP) funded by BBSRC and led by the John Innes Centre in collaboration with Rothamsted Research and other university partners.
The facility was officially launched on Tuesday 7 July at Rothamsted Research at a special event hosted jointly with LemnaTec GmbH.
We invite you for a press briefing with Dr Malcolm Hawkesford at Rothamsted Research to see the facility on Monday 27 July between 10-12am. Please RSVP Dr Matina Tsalavouta, Head of Communications and Public Engagement, Rothamsted Research matina.tsalavouta@rothamsted.ac.uk by 24 July 2015.
About LemnaTec GmbH
Since 1998 LemnaTec has lead the development of digital phenotyping systems. Now with more than 1000 users across the globe, LemnaTec is the world’s most successful supplier of complete phenotyping solutions for plant research.
About Rothamsted Research
We are the longest running agricultural research station in the world, providing cutting-edge science and innovation for nearly 170 years. Our mission is to deliver the knowledge and new practices to increase crop productivity and quality and to develop environmentally sustainable solutions for food and energy production. Our strength lies in the integrated, multidisciplinary approach to research in plant, insect and soil science.
Rothamsted Research is strategically funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). In 2013-2014 Rothamsted Researched received a total of £32.9M from BBSRC. www.rothamsted.ac.uk
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