High-Throughput Plant Phenotyping (HTPP) in Resource-Constrained Research Programs: A Working Example in Ghana

In this paper, we present a procedure for implementing field-based high-throughput plant phenotyping (HTPP) that can be used in resource-constrained research programs. The relies on opensource tools with the only expensive item being one-off purchase of drone. It includes acquiring images field interest, stitching to get entire one image, calculating and extracting vegetation indices individual plots, analyzing extracted according experimental design. Two populations groundnut genotypes different maturities were evaluated their reaction early late leaf spot (ELS, LLS) diseases under conditions 2020 2021. Each population was made up 12 18 Evaluation done four locations each year. We observed strong correlation between area disease progress curve (AUDPC) ELS LLS. However, strength direction depended upon time onset, level tolerance among physiological traits associated with. 2020, when have set medium duration population, at beginning seed stage (R5), normalized green-red difference index (NGRDI) variable atmospheric resistance (VARI) derived pod (R3) had positive relationship AUDPC ELS, On other hand, NGRDI VARI from taken R5, maturity (R7) negative relationships 2021, (at R3) also LLS, respectively. found consistently respectively, within short both years. Canopy cover (CaC), green (GA), greener (GGA) showed LLS caused yellowing defoliation. rankings some changed NGRDI, VARI, CaC, GA, GGA, crop senescence (CSI) lesions by infections became severe, although did not affect groupings analyzed principal component analysis. Notwithstanding, performed well across various reproductive stages respect constituted top performers haulm, yields jointly considered.