Infrastructures and facilities at Leibniz-Institut für Pflanzengenetik und Kulturpflanzenforschung in Gatersleben, IPK

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For further information and Access please contact the following persons:

Thomas Altmann, Prof. Dr. altmann@ipk-gatersleben.de or

Astrid Junker, Dr. junkera@ipk-gatersleben.de

The different infrastructure equipment is catagorized into following groups:

Technology Platform Shoot

High throughput plant phenotyping systems

 
small plants
medium plants
 
  more details more details
Location of the facility Climatized phytochamber glasshouse
Screening object Whole plant Whole plant
Capacity 384 – 4608 plants 520 plants
Plant size/spezies Maximal plant width: 30 cm Maximal plant height: 140 cm e.g. Hordeum vulgare Maximal plant width: 30 cm Maximal plant height: 140 cm e.g. Hordeum vulgare
Method fluorescence imaging (excitation: 400-500 nm, emission: 520-750 nm), visible imaging (390-750 nm), and near infrared imaging (1450-1550 nm) fluorescence imaging (excitation: 400-500 nm, emission: 520-750 nm), visible imaging (390-750 nm), and near infrared imaging (1450-1550 nm)
Traits/parameters to be measured plant architectural traits (plant height and width, projected leaf area (top, side view), estimated volume), physiological traits (color-related, CHL fluorescence, relations to moisture content by NIR) plant architectural traits (plant height and width, projected leaf area (top, side view), estimated volume), physiological traits (color-related, CHL fluorescence, relations to moisture content by NIR)
 
large plants
Phenobot (System under development)
 
  more details more details
Location of the facility glasshouse GH, stationary (relocation possible)
Screening object Whole plant leaf surface (trichomes), automated selection of representative leaf areas
Capacity 396 - 1584 plants Approx. 90 plants per day
Plant size/spezies Maximal plant width: 70 cm Maximal plant height: 230 cm e.g. Zea mays Rosette type plants, single stem plants, grasses (e.g. Arabidopsis, tobacco, barley)
Method fluorescence imaging (excitation: 400-500 nm, emission: 520-750 nm), visible imaging (390-750 nm), and near infrared imaging (1450-1550 nm) Imaging
Traits/parameters to be measured plant architectural traits (plant height and width, projected leaf area (top, side view), estimated volume), physiological traits (color-related, CHL fluorescence, relations to moisture content by NIR) Trichomes per area, trichome types (still in testing stage)

 

Technology Platform Patho

Micro- and Macrophenomics facilities for plant-pathogen interactions

Accurate description of the initial stages on infection by microbial pathogens inevitably requires microscopic techniques. Too meet the challenge of merging these techniques with the high-throughput requirements of a phenomics screen we have developed the Microphenomics platform. It combines high-throughput DNA cloning, single cell transformation protocols, and automated microscopy and image analysis. It was used successfully to address the function of genes in nonhost- and race-nonspecific host resistance of barley interacting with the powdery mildew fungus Blumeria graminis.
Additional phenomics tools aiming to cover the complete asexual interaction cycle of powdery mildew fungi with barley, and to allow quantitative assessment of disease symptoms and host responses are also in progress.
The barley/barley powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei) and wheat/wheat powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f-sp. tritici) are currently the most well established of our patho-systems. Barley/spot blotch (Bipolaris sorokiniana) and Arabidopsis thaliana/Arabidopsis powdery mildew (Golovinomyces orontii) are available as well.

Figure 1. Overview of the Micro- and Macrophenomics platform. The interaction of pathogenic fungi with plants is monitored in three different stages: early (establishment of haustorium), intermediate (secondary hyphae formation and growth) and late (disease symptoms rating).

 
Microphenomics facility
Macrophenomics facility
 
  more details more details
Location of the facility IPK, Genome Center building IPK, Genome Center building
Screening object Detached leaves Detached leaves
Capacity Up to 80 RNAi target genes/week; up to 300 genotypes/week Up to 500 genotypes/experiment (3-4 weeks)
Plant size/spezies Plants: H. vulgare, T. aestivum, A. thaliana Pathogens: B. graminis, G. orontii Plants: H. vulgare, T. aestivum, A. thaliana Pathogens: B. graminis, B. sorokiniana, G. orontii
Method Microscope imaging Multispectral imaging (365-850 nm)
Traits/parameters to be measured Fungal penetration efficiency; fungal hyphae growth Fungal colonies/leaf area; Colony area; Plant responses (melanization, epifluorescence)

 

Technology Platform Field

 
AgRover
 
  more details
Location of the facility Fields or experimental field plots Readily transported between sites
Screening object Field plots/whole plants
Capacity ~ 3 km/day (eg. ~ 600 x 5 m plots)
Plant size/spezies Any plant to a maximum height of 60-80 cm
Method Hyperspectral imaging (1000 - 2500µm) of plants from above or from the side.
Traits/parameters to be measured Physiological status (eg. nutrient content) Root depth (indirectly)