The agronomic characteristics of crops vary greatly according to their environment. Precise measurement of these characteristics (phenotyping) takes a lot of time, effort and cost, making it difficult to obtain large quantities of reliable data. If we are to rapidly develop varieties that are adapted to anticipated environmental changes, improve cultivation techniques, and efficiently accumulate supporting scientific knowledge, these problems must be overcome.
The NARO Phenotyping Centre has been newly established, introducing a cultivation platform that allows strict control of environmental conditions. Technologies are being developed that allow automatic and accurate measurement of crop characteristics both above and below ground. By collecting large amounts of highly accurate data on crop growth and environmental responses, and applying it in a wide range of basic and applied research and development, we aim to achieve stable crop production and further improvements in productivity.
