Development of a quick-install rapidphenotyping system

摘要

While in recent years platforms for high-throughput plant phenotyping have been developed and used in controlled environments like greenhouses, the need for similar measurements to be taken in open fields remains. The ability to measure plant traits in a fast, on-site, and cheap manner would benefit breeders, growers, and consumers alike. This paper presents the conceptual design for anew quick-install rapid crop phenotyping system, combining multispectral and ultrasonic measurements of the crop canopy with diverse measurements of environmental conditions. The fusion of these sensors allows for collecting and processing complex information at a relatively low cost. The system can be quickly mounted and dismounted on many suitable commercially available agricultural machines. Finally, the system includes machine-vision-based vehicle steering for correcting the location of the sensors above the crop rows. The combination of these features makes for a complete system, analogous to a scouting robot, with the goal of mapping crop status across a field. Proper use of this technology will allow for the determination in situ ofplant response to different treatments or stresses, providing a framework for the comparison of different crop varieties.