Infrastructures and facilities at Helmholtz-Zentrum Munich, HMGU

The Institute of Biochemical Plant Pathology (BIOP) of the Helmholtz Zentrum München (HMGU) explores natural defense mechanisms, growth and fitness of plants, as well as the efficient use of resources in response to environmental cues. Focus is placed on the molecular mechanisms that allow plants to respond and adapt to biotic as well as abiotic factors. The associated Research Unit of Environmental Simulation, EUS, acts as a research platform for controlled environment simulations in exposure chambers, solar simulators, research greenhouse within the institute and in external collaborations. EUS’s scientific focus is on the functional identity and role of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by plants, especially in plant defense and stress response.

Luftaufnahme vom Helmholtz Zentrum MünchenLuftaufnahme vom Helmholtz Zentrum München in Neuherberg
Copyright:  Helmholtz Zentrum München


BIOP is also a partner and offers its facilities in the European Plant Phenotyping Network (EPPN). Within the DPPN network, novel and medium- to high-throughput phenotyping facilities will be established with focus on plant pathogen interaction. Besides growth and developmental phenotypes, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and intracellular fluorescent markers for plant-pathogen interactions will be analyzed in high resolution.

For further information and Access please contact the following persons:

Uta von Rad, Dr. v.rad@helmholtz-muenchen.de or

Stephan Dräxl, Dr. stephan.draexl@helmholtz-muenchen.de

The different infrastructure equipment is catagorized into following groups:

Technologie Plattform Patho


 
Plant Volatiles
 
  more details
Scope Single Plant / Array
Location of the facility Growth chamber / stationary
Screening object Single plants
Plant size/Species Up to 70 cm in height / diverse
Trait and parameters Profiles of emissions of plant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and photosynthesis
Method Collection (Air samplingsystem) and analysis (PTR-ToF-MS) of plant emissions
Capacity/Throughput 48 air sampling cuvettes in parallel / day
Timeline coming soon

 

 
High-throughput Confocal microscopy
Laser scanning confocal microscope
  
  more details -detailed information will be available soon-
Scope Organ Organ
Location of the facility stationary  
Screening object Single plants Single plants
Plant size/Species Seedlings (up to 2 weeks)/small plants Small test plants and seedlings
Trait and parameters Automated phenotyping of fluorescently labelled plants in 96-well format Detailed analysis of intracellular or tissue-specific signaling transport routes
Method Fluorescence Microscopy  
Capacity/Throughput High throughput Single samples
Timeline in preparation in preparation

 

Technology Platform Root


 
Root Phenotyping
  -detailed information will be available soon-
Scope Organ
Location of the facility 
Screening object Single plants, small up to full grown crop plants
Plant size/Species  
Trait and parameters Automated phenotyping of root architecture
Method 
Capacity/Throughput High throughput
Timeline in preparation

 

Technology Platform Root/Shoot


 
Sensor-to-Plant
  -detailed information will be available soon-
Scope Organ
Screening object Single plants, small up to full grown crop plants
Plant size/Species  
Trait and parameters Automated phenotyping of shoot and root architectures in parallel
Method 
Capacity/Throughput High throughput
Timeline in preparation