Plant imaging goes low code

Phenovation, a manufacturer of camera systems for phenotyping, has started a collaboration with software provider Usoft. In a joint effort, they aim to create a low-code database platform to automatically analyze and categorize large amounts of plant images in real time. Scientists in the field can use this platform to expedite their work and determine the best strategy for their research.

Phenovation is a spinoff from Wageningen University & Research. Its high-tech cameras image whole plants on chlorophyll fluorescence, multispectral, color and green/red fluorescence protein (GFP/RFP). They easily integrate into large-scale systems for automatic phenotyping, ie the assessment of the composite observable characteristics of organisms – a vital process in crop improvement programs. At multinationals and universities, the Phenovation systems already analyze thousands of plants a day, taking into account more than a hundred parameters.

Currently, crop images are coded manually into several documents, causing considerable delays in data analysis. Together, Wageningen-based Phenovation and Naarden-based Usoft are going to develop low-code applications to collect image metadata and store it in a single database. The system automatically analyzes the plant pictures, providing researchers continuous insight into their progress. Thus, one source of up-to-date information is created that can be accessed anytime, from anywhere.