Field Systems

PlantScreen TM Field Systems are autonomous, semi-autonomous and manual mobile platforms for fast and accurate crop phenotyping in the field. The systems consists of drive mechanisms and integrate multiple sensors for non-invasive analysis of plant physiological and morphological features. The autonomous system can traverse field automatically at a steady rate and tag acquired recordings to individual plots by using high-precission determination of the position in the field.

Multi-functional sensor platform

Integrated environmental sensors

PlantScreen TM Field System PlantScreen TM Field Phenotyping Systems are mobile platform for fast and accurate crop phenotyping in the field. PlantScreen TM Field System is an drive pivot tower with multiple sensor modules mounted on XZ-robotic arm. System is automatically moving over field plots at speed that ensures high throughput. Active sensors are used for accurate monitoring of numerous physiological and morphological plant parameters that are time- and location- referenced. Configurable environmental monitoring system is integrated. A comprehensive software package , with remote accessibility, is used to control all aspects of the system and sensor modules, as well as for data acquisition, image analysis and data base configuration.

The sensor platform may include devices for hyperspectral imaging, fluorescence imaging, thermal imaging and for morphometric and canopy analysis. These active sensors are used for accurate monitoring of numerous physiological and morphological plant parameters that are time- and location- referenced Environmental sensors monitor irradiance, air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and other conditions at each position in the plot where phenotyping measurements are made.

Rover FluorCam is smaller-scale manually transported mobile unit for fast and accurate crop phenotyping in the field. The system consists of drive mechanisms and integrates multiple sensors for non-invasive analysis of plant physiological and morphological features. Rover FluorCam is customized fluorescence imaging system for physiological screening in the greenhouse and in the field. Its wheels provide exceptional stability and easy movement among plants in the field. Large plants, such as corn, soybean etc. may be studied in situ without physical disturbance.

PSI's PlantScreen TM software allows the user to program movement of the system for automated deployment in the field. All measured morphometric, biochemical and physiological measurements are collated with environmental measurements at each screening location, and may be accessed and analyzed remotely.

PSI's PlantScreen TM field systems allow the user to monitor numerous aspects of plant growth, development and response to biotic and abiotic stresses in the plants' natural environment.

The field systems are designed and configured to meet the users' specific requirements with respect to the size and morphology of plants screened. Every component of the field systems is designed to withstand the severest weather conditions, and to operate flawless.

Software control Comprehensive software package has been developed for system control, data acquisition, image analysis and data base configuration. User friendly graphical interface is designed to control all hardware system components actions, to control and monitor environmental conditions and to design experiments with an extremely high level of flexibility. High-end industrial PC with touch screen is used for system control. Scheduling assistant with calendar function allows running multiple experiments simultaneously, provides different modes for experiment randomization, for treatment per plant or group of plants with different experimental protocols and regimes.

All acquired imaging, environmental and watering/weighing data are stored in an SQL database, processed and available for inspection and further analysis in range of seconds after recording via user-friendly graphical interface. PlantScreen TM Analyser provides tools for data browsing, grouping, analysis, user-defined reprocessing and export. Multiple clients can be connected to the database, with different privileges assigned based on a built-in authentication mechanism. An SMS and mail notification service is integral part of the complete phenotyping system. 24-hour online support service is key component of the PlantScreen TM phenotyping solution.

Key features of IT solution: Comprehensive software package for system control, data acquisition, image analysis and data base configuration Randomization of measurements Species-specific analysis Open database structure Remote access Automatic SMS and email notification service 24-hour online support service Online environmental monitoring

Comprehensive software package for system control, data acquisition, image analysis and data base configuration

Randomization of measurements

Species-specific analysis

Automatic SMS and email notification service

24-hour online support service

Online environmental monitoring

Imaging sensors Over past two decades PSI has pioneered numerous techniques for non-invasive measurements of plant physiological processes, which have been integrated into our unique line of PlantScreenTM phenotyping systems and optimized for the controlled environment and greenhouse applications. Our systems can be equipped with imaging technologies for RGB and morphometric analysis, thermal analysis, hyperspectral analysis and, critically, in-depth analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence kinetics. The latter technique, as a rapid tool for monitoring photosynthetic processes, is key to the identification of early onset of stress, and recovery from stress after amelioration.

All data acquired from imaging sensors are in raw format and processed format stored in an SQL database and are in range of seconds after recording available for further analysis. All raw and processed data files are directly accessible and therefore can be easily analyzed by user-defined processing scripts.

Range of non-invasive plant imaging technologies was developed for PlantScreen TM Phenotyping Systems to study different aspects of plant growth and physiological performance:

Sensors available for the PlantScreen TM Field System are: Stereoscopic RGB visible light imaging - for plant height evaluation and leaf overlap detection Kinetic chlorophyll fluorescence imaging - for rapid non-invasive measurement of photosystem II activity Hyperspectral imaging in VNIR and SWIR region - for analysis of plant reflective indices across the entire surface of the imaged sample in spectral range from 400 to 2500 nm Thermal Imaging - for image based analysis of plant's responses to heat load and water deprivation Laser distance sensor - for plant height and optionally for 3D reconstruction IP camera - for online monitoring of the system during operation Environmental monitoring sensors

Stereoscopic RGB visible light imaging - for plant height evaluation and leaf overlap detection

Kinetic chlorophyll fluorescence imaging - for rapid non-invasive measurement of photosystem II activity