Whole Body Scans of Plants (E)

How a plant behaves depends both on the genetic make-up of the plant and on the environment in which it is growing. This study of trying to capture the secret information of plants using whole body scans is the field called phenomics. Today scientists at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) are using a highly automated facility and use many cameras for imaging so that plants reveal their health status, without researchers having to destroy them. The Nanaji Deshmukh Plant Phenomics Center at IARI also specializes in trying to identify how crop plants will behave as the globe warms up. In the sophisticated green-houses of this massive facility, scientists can simulate conditions of the warmer globe by testing plants under high carbon dioxide levels, high humidity and by varying plant nutrition. The conveyor belt in the facility, the computerised control and automatic imaging almost makes the facility look like a mini car manufacturing plant. For a full analysis, scientists also image plants under field conditions using drones and special mobile imaging systems. This research is being done to make sure India is ready to face the brunt of global warming, giving climate resilient plant varieties is the expected outcome.

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