European Infrastructure for Multi-Scale Plant Phenomics and Simulation for Food Security in a Changing Climate (EMPHASIS)
The European Infrastructure for Multi-Scale Plant Phenomics and Simulation for Food Security in a Changing Climate (EMPHASIS) is a plant phenotyping infrastructure distributed across Europe. Here, the external appearance of plants, the phenotype, is analyzed and measured; for example the architecture of roots or the number of leaves. The development of the European infrastructure is being coordinated at the Jülich Institute of Bio- and Geosciences as part of the EU-funded EMPHASIS-PREP project. EMPHASIS supports scientists in studying plants in different environments to enable more efficient crop production in a changing climate, to ensure future food security and to trigger a sustainable European agricultural economy. Information systems for data collection and a platform with mathematical models are linked by EMPHASIS at the European level. Knowledge and new technologies are shared and scientific education is supported. Thus, researchers from Europe are given access, for instance, to the facilities of the Jülich Plant Phenotyping Centre (JPPC).
EMPHASIS builds on the EU research infrastructure projects EPPN/EPPN2020 and will expand the portfolio of phenotyping infrastructures, integrate national infrastructures and ensure sustainable and long-term use of the infrastructures.