What is the Digital Phenotyping Laboratory?
The Digital Phenotyping Laboratory is a cutting-edge, multifaceted service facility serving the agri-tech community based at the Rothamsted campus in Harpenden, home to Rothamsted Enterprises and Rothamsted Research. Rothamsted is a thriving innovation campus where world-leading scientists collaborate with visionary entrepreneurs, global investors and agile startups to tackle agriculture’s most pressing problems.
Rothamsted Enterprises was established in 2015 to bring together science, entrepreneurship, and industry in one of Europe’s most dynamic agritech ecosystems. It uses a range of advanced imaging equipment to automate the quantification and remote detection of plant traits with a particular focus on traits related to pathogens, pests and weeds.
The facility’s imaging capabilities provide the opportunity to:
- Conduct fine phenotyping tasks under controlled environment conditions
Distinguish and quantify subtle features that may not be visible to the naked eye
Non-destructively monitor the impact of disease on plant growth
Determine the unique spectral signatures of pests and diseases for remote sensing applications
The facility provides developers of pesticides and other new control measures a resource to assess the effectiveness of their products under carefully controlled conditions using a range of criteria. Our multi-spectral imaging capability will be of interest to developers of remote sensing platforms who need to determine the ‘spectral signatures’ of the diseases/pests /traits they wish to target.
With the emergence of pesticide resistant strains and the removal of plant protection products from the market, there is a need to explore the whole range of available control options including conventional breeding, conventional pesticides, bio-control agents, and enhanced agronomic practices. A common requirement for all these approaches is the effective assessment of control measures.
You can use the Digital Phenotyping Laboratory lab to:
- Evaluate plant protection products, including new chemistries or biocontrol products
Screen germplasm for novel disease resistance traits
Determine the spectral signature for specific diseases for use in remote sensing development and applications
Assess the impact of beneficial soil microbes, bio-stimulants and other agricultural products, on plant health
In collaboration with:
The Digital Phenotyping Laboratory is based at Rothamsted Enterprises, Harpenden. Rothamsted Enterprises, formerly known as Rothamsted Centre for Research and Enterprises (RoCRE), was set up in 2015 to achieve a positive global impact on agriculture, by harnessing the world-renowned scientific expertise of Rothamsted Research to the disruptive power wielded by true agri-food visionaries, creating one of the most dynamic, vibrant and well-connected R&D communities found anywhere in Europe.
Soil and Crop Health
Our soil and crop health capabilities empower innovators to develop novel technologies. We integrate advanced technologies, like precision-controlled environments, multi-sensor phenotyping, and advanced imaging equipment to generate real-time data. Our facilities enable the study of plant-soil-water relationships and plant physiological changes to stressors such as nutrients, pests and disease, heat and drought. These capabilities aim to maximise yields, support integrated crop management, increase nutrient efficiency, and comprehensively evaluate crop and soil systems.
