DEEPER: An integrative platform for deeper rootsMolly Hanlon1, Malcolm Bennett2, Kathleen M. Brown1, Alexander Bucksch3, Paul Heinemann4, Shawn Kaeppler5, Natalia de Leon5, Sacha Mooney2, Tony Pridmore2, Jonathan P. Lynch1,2. Email: mth14@psu.edu1. Department of Plant Science, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA. 2. Centre for Plant Integrative Biology, School of Biosciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington, UK. 3. Department of Plant Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, USA. 4. Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA. 5. Department of Agronomy, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI.

Element 1Shallow

Element 2Deep

Tracer element banded at depth

Architectural and anatomical root trait discovery via field work and in silico modeling in SimRoot. Root anatomical traits captured via laser ablation tomography in 3D and analyzed via machine learning algorithms in RootScan3D

Advances in root phenotyping through RootRobot, a tractor-pulled root crown excavator and imaging unit. RootRobotwill excavate 1 plant every 6 seconds. Multiple images will be collected per root crown and analyzed and reconstructed into 3D root models via DIRT3D software.

DEEPER is a multiplatform phenotyping and technology effort to discover traits and genes resulting in deeper rooted maize cultivars that arebetter at obtaining water and nitrogen under limiting conditions. We are advancing current technologies and software, including laser ablationtomography (LAT), xray fluorescence, DIRT3D, and SimRoot, and developing new technologies, including RootRobot, to advance and improvephenotyping. Information about traits and genes will be incorporated into genomic selection models to produce elite lines with deeper roots.

LEADER (leaf elemental accumulation for deep roots) uses handheld xray fluorescence technology to identify deep rooted cultivars in the field in less than two minutes

DeepGenes incorporates genes and traits into genomic selection models, resulting in maize lines with deeper roots.

Trait DiscoveryComparison of

contrasting phenotypes in multiple

environments: in silico, multiple field sites, N stress, water stress

Anatomics• LAT 2.0: high throughput imaging

of root anatomy and composition• RootScan3D: software for 3D

analysis of root anatomy and compositoin

RootRobot/Dirt3D• RootRobot: automatic excavation and

imaging of root architecture in the field

• DIRT3D: software for automated 3D analysis of root architecture

LEADER• Field

phenotyping of root depth

• Nondestructive• 2 min/plant• portable

SimRoot/deep• Model interaction of root anatomy and architecture with deep rooting• Ideotype generation and testing

DeepGenesEvaluation of hybrids

across multiple locations to discover

genes, parents, genomic selection

models for breeding elite lines with deeper roots

New maize lines with deeper rooting

TRAIT DISCOVERY PHENOTYPING TRAITS REGULATING ROOT DEPTH

PHENOTYPING ROOT DEPTH BREEDING TOOLKIT