TY - JOUR
T1 - High-throughput phenotyping technology for maize roots
AU - Grift, T. E.
AU - Novais, J.
AU - Bohn, M.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to express their appreciation to all students from the University of Illinois that assisted in the root data collection process. We also appreciate the collaboration with Dr. Sherry Flint-Garcia and Dr. Bruce Hibbard, USDA-ARS, Columbia, Missouri. Funding for this project was provided by Pioneer Hi-Bred ® and the college of Agricultural Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES) of the University of Illinois.
PY - 2011/9
Y1 - 2011/9
N2 - This paper describes the development of high-throughput measurement techniques allowing acquisition of phenotypical data describing maize roots. One of a maize root's traits is the level of complexity, which was expressed in a Fractal Dimension (FD) calculated from root images. Another important trait is the Root Top Angle (RTA) that was measured using a new machine vision algorithm. The measurement system consisted of a semi-automated imaging box that provided a highly diffuse lighting scene and allowing imaging of up to 700 roots per day.The measurement techniques were evaluated using roots recovered from a set of 200 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between maize inbreds B73 and CML333. B73 and CML333 are known to have different root characteristics and their progeny are expected to show segregation for root traits.Since standard protocols for the measurement of the two root traits are non-existent, no comparisons could be made. Nevertheless, the data showed that the techniques were capable of confirming significant differences in FD among the two inbred lines and their progeny, as well as measuring variations in RTA that are known for the inbreds and their crosses. In addition, first hypotheses about the inheritance of root complexity (as expressed in the FD) and RTA in maize were derived and tested: initial evidence showed that root complexity is a phenotype probably determined by a multitude of genes with small effects. In contrast, the data indicated that the RTA is additively inherited.
AB - This paper describes the development of high-throughput measurement techniques allowing acquisition of phenotypical data describing maize roots. One of a maize root's traits is the level of complexity, which was expressed in a Fractal Dimension (FD) calculated from root images. Another important trait is the Root Top Angle (RTA) that was measured using a new machine vision algorithm. The measurement system consisted of a semi-automated imaging box that provided a highly diffuse lighting scene and allowing imaging of up to 700 roots per day.The measurement techniques were evaluated using roots recovered from a set of 200 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a cross between maize inbreds B73 and CML333. B73 and CML333 are known to have different root characteristics and their progeny are expected to show segregation for root traits.Since standard protocols for the measurement of the two root traits are non-existent, no comparisons could be made. Nevertheless, the data showed that the techniques were capable of confirming significant differences in FD among the two inbred lines and their progeny, as well as measuring variations in RTA that are known for the inbreds and their crosses. In addition, first hypotheses about the inheritance of root complexity (as expressed in the FD) and RTA in maize were derived and tested: initial evidence showed that root complexity is a phenotype probably determined by a multitude of genes with small effects. In contrast, the data indicated that the RTA is additively inherited.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2011.06.004
DO - 10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2011.06.004
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:80051792199
SN - 1537-5110
VL - 110
SP - 40
EP - 48
JO - Biosystems Engineering
JF - Biosystems Engineering
IS - 1
ER -