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Dynamic Environmental Photosynthetic Imaging Reveals Emergent Phenotypes
Jeffrey A Cruz1, Linda J Savage2, Robert Zegarac2
1MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA; Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
Cell Systems
|June 24, 2016
Summary
High-throughput plant phenotyping is advanced by the dynamic environmental photosynthesis imager (DEPI). This platform reveals transient "emergent phenotypes" under dynamic conditions, crucial for understanding plant robustness.
Area of Science:
- Plant Biology
- Photosynthesis Research
- Environmental Stress Physiology
Background:
- Improving plant productivity and robustness necessitates high-throughput phenotyping under field-relevant conditions.
- Current phenotyping methods often lack the ability to capture plant responses under dynamic environmental fluctuations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To introduce the dynamic environmental photosynthesis imager (DEPI) platform for high-throughput, continuous measurement of photosynthetic parameters.
- To investigate plant phenotypes that emerge specifically under dynamic environmental conditions, which are missed by static assays.
Main Methods:
- Development and application of the DEPI platform, utilizing parallel imagers for simultaneous, non-invasive measurements.
- Conducting experiments with Arabidopsis mutants under reproducible yet dynamic environmental conditions, including varying illumination.
- Analyzing transient and heterogeneous "emergent phenotypes" in relation to environmental dynamics and plant developmental age.
Main Results:
- DEPI enables high-throughput, continuous measurement of photosynthetic parameters under dynamic conditions.
- The platform revealed "emergent phenotypes" in Arabidopsis mutants that are transient, heterogeneous, and condition-dependent.
- These phenotypes appear in different leaves, under varying conditions, and are influenced by plant age.
Conclusions:
- Dynamic environmental photosynthesis imager (DEPI) is a powerful tool for uncovering previously unseen plant responses.
- Emergent phenotypes highlight critical, yet often overlooked, plant processes essential for adapting to dynamic environments.
- This approach is vital for understanding and enhancing plant productivity and robustness in changing conditions.
Keywords:
abiotic stressbiotic stresschlorophyll fluorescenceimagingphenometricsphenomicsphotosynthesisMore Related Videos
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