Fluorescence-Based Whole Plant Imaging and Phenomics

Reverse genetics approaches have revolutionized plant biology and agriculture. Phenomics has the prospects of bridging plant phenotypes with genes, including transgenes, to literally transform agricultural fields. Genetically-encoded fluorescent proteins are powerful tools to study gene expression, protein trafficking and plant physiology. While the first instance of canopy imaging of green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression in plants was performed over 20 years ago, modern phenomics has largely ignored fluorescence as a transgene indicator in spite of the tremendous color palette of fluorescent proteins available to plant biologists . Here we show a new platform for standoff imaging whole plants expressing a wide variety of fluorescent proteins (FPs) in leaves. The platform, the fluorescence-inducing laser projector (FILP), uses compact diode lasers of various colors and emission filters to phenotype transgenic plants expressing multiple FPs. Of over 20 FPs screened, we selected top performing variants for standoff phenomics at 3 m using a laboratory-based laser range. While FILP is an unprecedentedly versatile laboratory platform, we envisage making minor modifications for automated greenhouse use and even drone-fielded versions of the platform.