| Arable
Strike a pose - bringing crop analysis into the 21st
Century with automated field phenomics
Scientists from The Genome Analysis Centre (TGAC) and the John Innes Centre (JIC) have received a grant from
Norwich Research Park Translational fund for CropQuant, a computerised infield crop monitoring workstation for
precision agriculture.
ropQuant uses Raspberry Pi
computers to control infield
cameras to capture and
process crop growth images.
In-depth analysis is then
conducted on TGAC’shigh
performance computers (HPC) to enable
scientists across Norwich Research Park to link
environmental data with crop growth and
development to reduce farming costs.
Rising temperatures, drought, nitrogen
uptake, plant disease and crop lodging are
major threats to global crop production. While
experienced breeders or farmers could identify
some issues at early stages, human
observations are expensive, time-consuming
and sometimes subjective.
Advanced DNA sequencing technologies
have made crop genome assembly a reality;
however, these advances are restricted by the
low-throughput and inaccurate field
phenotyping. In order to enable agricultural
practitioners (crop breeders and researchers,
and farmers) to improve crop yields through
field-based phenotyping methods.(1)
Automated phenomics is introduced to
measure phenomes, physical and biochemical
yield traits of organisms, as they change in
response to genetic mutations and
environmental influences.
As an infield phenomics solution –
CropQuant – invented by Dr Ji Zhou (TGACJIC) and Dr Simon Griffiths (JIC), the device
continuously monitors crop growth to quantify
structural features. This compares the crop’s
DNA for early identification of typical genetic
traits - such as drought, heat tolerance, disease
resistance and nutrition; reducing potential
costs.
Currently being utilised in a wheat field trial
project on the Norwich Research Park
CropQuant can automate the capturing of crop
growth and quantify drought adaptation and
colour changes during the growing season by
utilising the workstation’s imagery and
statistical results.
C
“The Agri-Tech industry indicates that the
emerging field phenomics market demands
cost-effective and reliable phenotyping devices,
which can automate crop growth
measurements and extract key yield traits data
in a realistic field environment,” said Dr Ji Zhou,
Phenomics Project Leader at TGAC.
“CropQuant will provide an affordable solution
to prevent crop losses, contributing to food
security, as well as industrial and academic
purposes.”
CropQuant, together with a tailored highthroughput analysis pipeline, surpasses
existing crop phenotyping solutions in cost (2),
mobility and maintenance. Environmentally, to
aid precision agriculture, CropQuant could help
farmers and breeders to control chemical
applications to specific regions identified by
workstations - protecting the quality of
surrounding land and water.
To reliably quantify large crop phenotypic
features, Dr Ji Zhou is developing new
algorithms to conduct data analysis directly in
the field using CropQuant. This function will be
exceptionally beneficial for breeders or growers
to speed-up their crop selection process. The
TGAC/JIC team are currently working with
industrial partners to test CropQuant and
gauge interest from targeted beneficiaries.
CropQuant can also be used in large crop
improvement programmes conducted by
leading biotech companies, agricultural
research institutes, crop insurance companies,
and governments accountable for preventing
crop losses.
Dr Zhou, added: “We have not identified a
comparable commercialised device in both
industry and academia to CropQuant. Some
research groups have placed digital cameras in
the field to perform continuous crop imaging.
However, due to the design limit, those infield
devices could only acquire images and do not
have computation capabilities. Hence, they are
limited in computer controlling and infield crop
quantification, which cannot be easily improved
for automated phenotyping and precision
agriculture.
“The CropQuant device has a real potential
to function as a service for agricultural
practitioners and will benefit precision
agriculture practices in the East Anglia region.”
content of 45.3% bringing in a bonus of
£112/ha, which means that there is not actually
much difference between the varieties in terms
of gross output.”
“The conventional variety Nikita at 108%
seed yield has one of the highest oil contents
on the recommended list at 45.6% and
therefore tops the AHDB official trials for both
the east/west and north regions for oil bonus
payment, bringing in an extra £129/ha and
£118/ha, respectively.
This makes a big difference to the overall
gross output of the variety and puts it right at
the top in terms of profitability.
“It has been recognised for many years that
oil contents are generally lower as you go
further north, which is why Nikita has a slightly
lower bonus in the north than in the east/west –
but it’s still the top variety on the RL
countrywide.”
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July 2016 | Farming Monthly | 13