Switzerland

nathalie.wuyts@agroscope.admin.ch (national coordinator)

The Swiss Plant Phenotyping Network (SPPN) was initiated by Agroscope and ETH Zurich to establish a national node of EMPHASIS. It now encompasses the wider scientific community involved in plant phenotyping, as well as industry partners. The SPPN aims to contribute to EMPHASIS by providing access to its research infrastructure (RI) in intensive and lean field conditions, as well as under controlled conditions. It also intends to provide access to research data and train the next generation of phenotyping specialists and practitioners.

The SPPN recognises the importance of EMPHASIS in providing access to quality RI, including open science-driven data management. The SPPN aims to promote Swiss research, both fundamental and applied, and development in collaboration with industry, by enabling access to innovation, training, and collaborative projects through EMPHASIS.

Fundamental research in ecology and biology makes use of a diverse range of tools, from remote sensing involving satellite data and spectral cameras attached to aeroplanes and UAVs, to proximal sensing devices used for growth and physiological measurements. Growth conditions include landscapes and fields, as well as (semi-) controlled environments for model plants and crops. Automated imaging and data processing for trait extraction is in place.

Plant phenotyping is also intrinsically associated with breeding and variety testing. High-quality intensive field phenotyping has been in place for several years, and lean phenotyping is currently gaining momentum with an increasing number of sensors and carriers available for plant phenotyping. Envirotyping is now an integral part of many research experiments and field trials. A major strength is the availability of several multi-environment trial networks for field crops, which are mostly associated with the establishment of new management practices, quantitative genetics, breeding and variety testing. These networks cover cereals (including maize), oilseed crops and legumes, and include both conventional and organic production.

With an important ELIXIR research organisation active in training for data management and processing, a university competence centre educating the next generation of plant scientists, and an agricultural school training practitioners among its members, the SPPN is well-placed to contribute to EMPHASIS’s training and education activities.

Switzerland is known for its excellent timekeeping, versatile army knife, indulgent chocolate and delicious cheese, but above all for its breathtaking mountain landscapes. While some SPPN members conduct research in alpine conditions, a stay at one of our research facilities also provides access to our other distinguishing features.