Inger Martinussen

Head of Department/Head of Research

(+47) 976 78 488
inger.martinussen@nibio.no

Place
Tromsø

Visiting address
Holtvegen 66, 9016 Tromsø

Abstract

The Climate Laboratory in Tromsø offers excellent facilities for controlled growth experiments. In an attempt to provide for future needs to perform qualitative and quantitative analysis of plant growth and plant traits at the laboratory scale, UiT and NIBIO have jointly implemented state-of-the-art monitoring and imaging systems as part of the strategic project ABSORB (https://site.uit.no/absorb/). Here, we present a 3D multi- and 2D hyper-spectral imaging platform, augmented with thermal analysis capabilities, tailored for plant phenotyping in both research and teaching contexts. The 3D imaging component of the PlantEye F600 laser scanner provides effortless and accurate non-invasive assessments of plant architecture and growth dynamics. Three complementary 2D hyperspectral cameras deliver more detailed spectral information across a 400-1700 nm range of wavelengths, supporting in-depth analysis of biochemical composition and stress responses at the macro- and micro-scales. We showcase the platform's versatility through two compelling experiments investigating drought-stress and light-inhibition, respectively. In the drought-stress experiment, we observed plant responses to water scarcity, tracking physiological changes and morphological adaptations with our integrated imaging system. In the light-inhibition experiment, we further explored the impact of light intensity on plant growth and development. We envision collaborative efforts to address the current challenges in plant biology, agriculture, and environmental science.

Abstract

Successful introduction of the new cultivars requires proper pomological, phenological and as well as technological evaluation. It is particularly important at the harsh Norwegian climate conditions. Investigations were conducted with apple cultivar ‘Eden‘ / ‘Wursixo‘ (WUR 6), with the aim to establish an optimal balance between yield, fruit quality and bearing regularity. Four different crop load levels were tested in 3 consecutive years in the orchard planted 3.5 x 1 m and trained as slender spindle. Lower crop load levels guaranteed good return bloom, a very high share of fruits harvested during the first picking, and larger fruits. Increasing crop load led to less intensive return bloom, smaller fruit sizes and higher share of fruits harvested during the second picking. It was found that ‘Eden‘ is strictly alternating cultivar and precise crop load levels according to the tree age and tree vigour were defined. In order to keep ‘Eden‘ trees in regular bearing mode crop load levels should be maintained at 4.5-5 fruits cm-2 of trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA) in the 3rd and 6-7 fruits in the 4th growing season