High-throughput Imaging and Phenotyping of Root Systems

Date: Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Time: 4:40 PM
Room: Pacific Salon 1
Anjali S. Iyer-Pascuzzi , Duke University, Dept. of Biology and IGSP Center for Systems Biology, Durham, NC
Christopher N. Topp , Duke University, Dept. of Biology and IGSP Center for Systems Biology, Durham, NC
Plants depend on their root systems for health and survival. Root system architecture (RSA), the spatial configuration of different types and ages of roots on a single plant, is thus central to plant fitness. Given the importance of root systems, surprisingly little is known regarding the genes responsible for RSA, in part due to the inaccessibility of root systems. We have developed a non-destructive gel-based imaging and analysis system for automated phenotyping of root system architecture in both two and three dimensions. The platform is highly versatile, and can be used to examine the root systems of a wide variety of species under many different environmental conditions. In addition, roots can be imaged once a day for many weeks or every hour for several hours, allowing for analysis of root growth dynamics at different time scales. This system is suitable for high-throughput analyses, including QTL analysis and reverse genetics. Here we describe recent improvements to our system, and show how we have used this platform to examine the RSA of rice, maize and Brachypodium.