Upgrade of LeasyScan platform (load cells equipment)

Abstract

In 2014 the first phase of the LeasyScan platform was put in place, consisting of the scanning technology to assess leaf canopy development features, together with a prototype of 50 load cells to measure plant transpiration seamlessly. The load cells have turned out to be able to detect our phenotype of interest (the capacity to restrict transpiration under high VPD) (see Vadez et al 2015 – JXB doi:10.1093/jxb/erv251). We have then now expanded the LeasyScan capacity to 1488 load cells to give us the capacity to assess that critical phenotype at a scale and throughput that can match breeding programs and genetic studies.