One of the world's most advanced plant phenotyping technologies has made its way to Australia and is poised to revolutionise plant research and agriculture at the University of Southern Queensland (UniSQ).
The PlantEye F600 H-Portal, made by Dutch company Phenospex, is a fully automated system that scans thousands of plants multiple times daily to create 3D models with multispectral information.
UniSQ is the first in Australia to acquire the H-Portal model, opening new possibilities for agricultural and crop health research as scientists tackle global challenges like food security and climate resilience.
Unveiled at a launch event in Toowoomba last week (February 28), the scanner is part of a three-year, $950,000 project that includes upgrades to the glasshouse at the University's Agricultural Science and Engineering Precinct.
UniSQ Research Logistics Manager Lauren Goldspink said the scanner significantly speeds up the process of collecting high-quality data.
"This groundbreaking sensor technology can accurately monitor and analyse plant growth and development in a fraction of the time it would take our researchers," Mrs Goldspink said.
"With its high-throughput and non-destructive data collection capabilities, we no longer face the challenges of manual measurements, which can be slow, costly, subjective, and often harmful to the plants.
"This allows our researchers to dedicate more time to analysing and interpreting data, enabling us to find agricultural solutions that benefit farmers, consumers, and the environment more quickly and efficiently."
The scanner can deliver various measurements and insights related to plant growth and productivity, including plant height, growth rates, biomass, leaf pigmentation and stress responses.
Mrs Goldspink said it had proven highly effective in delivering research outcomes in real-world agricultural settings abroad.
"We've seen the F600 H-Portal applied in various research projects overseas, including crop breeding programs to assess varieties for traits like drought tolerance and yield potential, disease monitoring to detect early physiological changes in plants affected by fungal or bacterial infections, and studies on environmental stressors such as heatwaves and nutrient deficiencies," she said.
"This model supports precision agriculture by providing site-specific, actionable data that helps farmers and researchers optimise water use, nutrient application, and pest management, ultimately reducing waste and minimising environmental impact."
UniSQ Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Innovation) and Acting Executive Director of the Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment Professor John Bell said the scanner supported the University's world-standard agricultural and crop health research.
"With the growing global population and escalating environmental challenges, advanced digital tools and technologies like the PlantEye are shaping decisions in agricultural research and development and playing a crucial role in enhancing sustainable agriculture," Professor Bell said.
"This technology keeps our researchers at the cutting edge of their field, enabling them to address emerging issues affecting farmers and agricultural communities worldwide."
