9th International Plant Phenotyping Symposium

Phenotyping for all: Closing the Gap in Global Agriculture

 

 

Scientific sessions and topics:

Please note:

- The list of keynote speakers will be updated in course of planning.

-  Session descriptions may be expanded later on in course of planning.

 

 

1) The Era of Multiscale Phenomics: From Molecules to Ecosystems 

Envisioned content: New hypothesis of how spatial and/or temporal scales interact to form traits.

 

Keynote: Dr. Michael Gore (Cornell University)

 

Bio: 

Mike Gore is a professor of molecular breeding and genetics for nutritional quality, holds the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professorship, and serves as Section Head of Plant Breeding and Genetics in the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University. He earned a BS and MS from Virginia Tech and a PhD from Cornell University. Mike has made distinguished contributions to the field of genetics and genomics, particularly in characterizing genetic diversity and identifying genes and alleles for enhancing crop nutritional quality. He has been instrumental in advancing the use of field-based, high-throughput phenotyping to understand the genetic basis of complex crop traits. In addition to teaching at Cornell University, he has co-taught courses worldwide through the Tucson Plant Breeding Institute, reaching hundreds of students over the past decade. He currently serves as Editor of The Plant Phenome Journal and is a Fellow of both the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the Crop Science Society of America.

 

2) Next-Gen Phenotyping: Precision Breeding for the Future 

Envisioned Content: Decision support systems using phenotyping methods for plant breeders.

 

Keynote: Dr. Vincent Vadez (Institut de recherche pour le développement - IRD)

 

Bio:

Vincent Vadez is a crop physiologist and agronomist, initially trained as an engineer, who started his career on symbiotic nitrogen fixation. He worked for four years with a Bolivian lowland indigenous group to measure the socio-economic drivers of deforestation, engaging in multi-disciplinary research. He joined ICRISAT and worked on the genetic and mechanistic deciphering of plant traits contributing to water use efficiency (WUE) and crop performance under drought. He developed a large lysimetric platform (LysiField) for a precise in-vivo assay of water extraction and WUE, and then a 3-D scanning platform (LeasyScan) to phenotype critical leaf traits related to WUE. This work also included crop simulation modeling to characterize main stress scenarios, target key traits, and predict crop performance, overall as a mean of guiding agronomic and breeding decisions. He joined IRD in 2017, where he continues on similar research streams. He has been posted in Senegal between 2021 and 2025, hosted at CERAAS, the Regional Center of Excellence on drought research, where he has been working on the intensification of pearl millet and sorghum productivity by increasing the planting density. This led him to promote the use of agricultural straws to fill the cattle feed gap in the Sahel, caused by an increasing cattle population and a degradation of natural graze lands. He also continues deciphering genetic and agronomic traits contributing to a higher WUE.

 

3) Field Phenotyping Under Climate Extremes 

Envisioned content: System deployments and data collection under extreme conditions

 

4) Predicting Phenotype: From Trait Modeling to Digital Twins 

Envisioned content: Biological insights gained through modeling and predicting phenotype. Used methods include but are not limited to structural functional models, dynamical systems, AI prediction.

Keynote: Dr. Ioannis N. Athanasiadis (Wageningen University & Research)

 

Bio:

Prof. Dr Ioannis N. Athanasiadis is the Chair of Artificial Intelligence at Wageningen University & Research (WUR). The Artificial Intelligence chairgroup was recently established  with the  aspiration to advance artificial intelligence methods for addressing global challenges in a responsible way. Ioannis' research concentrates on the application of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and knowledge engineering to agricultural and environmental sciences. Within the broader research community, he co-founded and coordinates AgML, the machine learning working group of the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP), serves as a co-principal investigator for several national and European collaborating grants, including AgriscienceFM, AgrifoodTEF, LTER-LIFE and PHENET, which focus on advancing and validating AI in agricultural sciences. Additionally, he was an editor for Environmental Modelling and Software, Socio-Environmental Systems Modelling, and acts regularly as an evaluator for major research foundations, top machine learning conferences and scholarly academic journals. He holds a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and is a Fellow of iEMSs. More at http://www.wur.ai 

 

5) Below-Ground Phenomics: From Root to Soil Microbiome 

Envisioned content: Insights into the interaction mechanisms of roots and their biotic- and abiotic interactions.

 

Keynote: Dr. Yusaku Uga (National Agriculture and Food Research Organization - NARO)

 

Bio:

Yusaku Uga is the leader of the Crop Design Group at the Institute of Crop Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Japan. His research integrates advanced plant phenotyping with genetics to reveal and redesign root system architecture (RSA) for the development of climate-resilient and climate-smart crops. He is best known for identifying and cloning major quantitative trait loci controlling root growth angle, including DEEPER ROOTING 1 (DRO1), demonstrating that RSA can be engineered to enhance drought avoidance and stabilize yield under field conditions. More recently, he has pioneered three-dimensional root phenotyping approaches using X-ray computed tomography (CT), enabling the visualization and quantification of complex root traits in soil across scales—from controlled environments to real field conditions. His work also advances the integration of X-ray CT with complementary technologies such as positron emission tomography (PET), optical fiber sensors, ground-penetrating radar, and planar oxygen optodes to uncover new phenomena associated with environmental stress and greenhouse gas emissions.

 

6) Beyond GxE: Rethinking the Phenome 

Envisioned Content:  Examples where phenotyping led to hypothesis that challenge the GxE paradigm.

 

7) Discoveries Through Public-Private Partnerships 

Envisioned content: Partnerships that led to discoveries through products from the private market or discoveries that led to the establishment of companies.

 

Keynote: Richard Dickmann (Australian Plant Phenomics Network - APPN)

 

Bio:

Richard Dickmann is committed to advancing the Australian agriculture sector by creating new business opportunities which capitalise on Australia’s research leadership. Richard is currently the CEO of the Australian Plant Phenomics Network. Richard obtained a Degree in Forest Science (Melbourne) and a Master of Science in Agriculture (Sydney).  He initially worked in state government agricultural extension in New South Wales and Victoria and the crop insurance industry. Richard then undertook a 30-year international career in agribusiness, which involved postings to France, Singapore, Japan, China, Germany and Australia. He gained experience in research evaluation and product development, global product management and commercial operations.  Returning to Australia in 2009, Richard led both the New Business Development and Public and Government Affairs roles and worked to identify new business opportunities linking Australian research to international organizations. Richard is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and has served on several boards including the Grains Research and Development Corporation, Cotton Grower Services Pty Ltd and Bayer Australia Ltd.  Based in Melbourne, Richard is married with four children.

 

8) Nutritional Phenotyping : Traits That Matter for Human and Animal Health! 

Envisioned content: Trait discoveries that lead to improved nutritional value in food and feed crops.

Keynote: Busi Maziya-Dixon

 

 Jointly organized by: