INNOPGPLAN: INNOvative Plant Growth Promotion analysis in sustainable agriculture

Our new growth chambers offer highly controlled conditions for fundamental and translational plant research. They allow us to simulate various climatic scenarios (including light, humidity, and diurnal rhythms) to study plant responses to stressors such as drought, heat, pollution, …. This enables us to identify physiological and biochemical pathways involved in plant adaptation.

The chambers support both model species like Arabidopsis thaliana but also more economically relevant crops. Research focuses include a.o. the impacts of biochar, biostimulants, soil contaminants, … bridging lab and field studies to understand how plants respond to environmental challenges.

With the PlantExplorer Pro+, we now monitor plant development non-invasively over time. This imaging platform allows us to assess changes in leaf area, chlorophyll content, and photosynthetic activity (these are key indicators of plant health) without disturbing the plants. The camera system enhances our ability to track plant responses dynamically and detect early stress signals.

While the system is fixed, we are also evaluating the potential of off-site sample imaging (e.g., detached leaves), expanding our analytical reach to field-collected materials.