PhenoRob is a platform promoting technology-driven approaches towards sustainable crop production. In Phase 1 the Cluster was structured around six closely linked Core Projects, complemented by further large-scale field experiments at Campus Klein-Altendorf and in other areas of Germany. Through five demonstrator projects, the Cluster focused on integrating basic research findings into practical systems, combining research from several core projects within an interdisciplinary approach.
Core Projects and Field Experiments
CP 1: In-Field 4D Crop Reconstruction
To make good decisions, it is vital to know the current condition of the field. Core Project 1 develops novel ground and aerial vehicles that operate autonomously and provide precisely georeferenced, phenotypic data from single plant organs over the experimental plot to the field scale.
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CP 2: Relevance Detection of Crop Features
Based on aboveground data collected in the field that display crop development, Core Project 2 identifies unknown correlations towards realizing new expressive features for crop science.
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CP 3: The Soil-Root Zone
Core Project 3 measures the soil-root zones of crops with minimally or non-invasive sensors and robotic technology concentrating on sensing and predicting root performance in the field.
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CP 4: Autonomous In-Field Intervention
Core Project 4 aims at converting the collected data into robotic actions in the fields, exploiting digital avatars.
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CP 5: New Field Arrangements
Crop mixtures offer multiple advantages over mono-cropping. Newly developed advanced data acquisition and data analysis tools provide new insights into interactions and mechanisms in crop mixtures.
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CP 6: Technology Adoption and Impact
Core Project 6 analyzes the potential impact of robotics and phenotyping technologies on agricultural development, welfare, the environment, the landscape, as well as on the farm level.
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Field Experiments
We operate a large number of field experiments across Germany. These field experiments provide a test field to develop PhenoRob technology under realistic agricultural conditions.
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Demonstrator Projects
In PhenoRob Phase 1, the Cluster’s commitment to knowledge and technology transfer was demonstrated by five demonstrator projects centered around PhenoRob technologies. These projects combined research from several core initiatives through an interdisciplinary approach, focusing on the integration of fundamental research into practical systems. This integration was critical for applications in the agricultural sector, translating research into real-world impact. These technologies demonstrated tangible solutions that actively involved stakeholders.
Determining the “Inflection Point” of Plant Response to Drought and Nutrient Stress for Efficient Crop Management under Field Conditions
Existing sensor technology and hyperspectral imaging are leveraged to redefine crop management under stress conditions caused by changing climate conditions.
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Automated Leaf-Level Inspection
The integration of automated aerial and ground robotic systems into plant inspection processes can enhance the efficiency in field monitoring tasks.
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Diseases Protection and Site-Specific Control
Site-specific control of plant diseases provides potential to improve the efficacy in disease control while reducing negative impact on agricultural ecosystems.
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Bee Demonstrator – Detect Pollinators in the Field
Applying machine learning to data collected with low-cost RGB cameras offers a new way to study, evaluate, and optimize the attractiveness of such cropping systems for beneficial insects.
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PhenoRob Digital Agricultural Avatar
The DAA facilitates access and usability of process based simulation agro-models used within PhenoRob under one roof to provide information. It is a usage platform to make process based agro-models available in an appealing way both for users as well as for the public.
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