An automated imaging technique for measuring and analyzing the root systems of mature plants has been developed by researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology and Penn State University.
The overall goal of this technology, believed to be one of its kind, helps develop improved food crops that can feed the growing world population and provide sustainable sources of energy and materials.
The imaging system uses digital photography to create a detailed image of roots from mature plants in the field.
Alexander Bucksch is a postdoctoral fellow at Georgia Tech and his research mainly focuses on how to simulate plant structure. He said this particular imaging system looks at capturing the structure of roots. He explained that until now researchers were not able to analyze roots precisely because they did not have a close enough look at it.
The imaging system allows scientists to measure entire root systems and provide geneticists with the information they need in order to find the genes holding the beneficial characteristics of the roots.
Bucksch said the research also looks at helping improve plant growth, especially in difficult conditions like drought.
“It’s always a problem that we have environmental conditions that limit current plants in their productional field,” Bucksch said.
The idea is also to use the data provided by the technology to understand plants and how they can provide alternative materials.
Bucksch said further research needs to develop technology that would monitor the developmental process of plants in the field in order to understand how plants grow.