Working title
Modern Plant Phenotyping: From Roots and Fields to Genomics and Breeding
Date and Time
08 June 2026
09:00 – approximately 14:00
General Information
This workshop is planned as a satellite event to the ILS Conference 5, Dubrovnik 2026 and will take place on 08 June 2026.
The workshop is primarily targeted at MSc and PhD students, as well as postdoctoral researchers, who are interested in modern plant phenotyping approaches and the analysis of complex phenotypic datasets.
Aims of the Workshop
The overall aim of the workshop is to provide participants with:
- an overview of state-of-the-art plant phenotyping technologies,
- insights into selected phenotyping domains (root and field phenotyping), and
- a conceptual and practical understanding of the integration of high-throughput phenotyping (HTP) data with genomic data for trait discovery, quantitative genetic analyses, and plant breeding applications.
Structure and Format
The workshop will combine theoretical lectures with discussion sessions.
- Registration: 08:30 – 09:00
- Start: 09:00
- End: approximately 14:00
- Format:
- 5 lectures
- Each lecture: 30–40 minutes presentation + 10–15 minutes discussion
- Coffee break: 30 minutes (after the second lecture)
Tentative programme and topics
1. Introduction to Phenotyping Technologies (09:00-09:40 + 10 min discussion)
Speaker: Boris Lazarević, University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture
This introductory lecture will provide a general overview of phenotyping technologies used in plant science. It will cover the basic principles of commonly used approaches, including imaging-based phenotyping, sensor-based measurements, and high-throughput phenotyping platforms, with emphasis on their applications, advantages, and limitations.
2. Root Phenotyping: From Biological Foundations to Field Applications (09:50-10:30 + 10 min discussion)
Speaker: Roberta Rossi, CREA, Italy
This lecture will focus on root phenotyping with a particular emphasis on legumes.
Key topics include:
- Root system architecture, ideotypes and fitness landscape
- Overview of indoor and field-based root phenotyping methodologies,
- Case studies including protein pea under drought stress and lupin in intercropping conditions.
Coffee Break (10:40 -11:10 h)
3. Field Phenotyping under Real-World Conditions (tentative) (11:10-11:50 + 10 min discussion)
Speaker: Jing Zhang, NC State University
This lecture will address phenotyping under field conditions, including:
- Sensor technologies and UAV-based phenotyping,
- Environmental variability and its impact on data quality,
- Challenges related to data acquisition, processing, and interpretation in field experiments.
4. Phenomics Meets Quantitative Genetics (12:00-12:40 + 10 min discussion)
Speaker: Nelson Nazzicari, CREA, Italy
This lecture will discuss how modern phenotyping technologies interface with quantitative genetic analyses such as GWAS and genomic prediction, and what this integration means for trait discovery and plant breeding.
5. Industry & Technology Showcase: Practical Phenotyping Solutions (12:50 – 13:30 + 10 min discussion)
Speaker: To be confirmed (Industry representative; e.g. PhenoVation)
This session is intended to provide an industry perspective on modern phenotyping technologies, focusing on commercially available phenotyping solutions, their capabilities, typical applications, and key considerations when implementing such technologies in plant phenotyping research.
The exact content and scope of this lecture will be defined in discussion with the invited industry partner.
*The number of participants is limited to 25.