The studies included in WP 2.3 are aimed at establishing the possibilities of some of the instruments of plant phenomics (multispectral images obtained by remote aerial observations – unmanned aerial vehicles and satellites) for facilitation the phenotyping of a large number of cereals genotypes and increasing the efficiency of the selection on important agronomic traits.
The studies included in WP 2.3 are aimed at establishing the possibilities of some of the instruments of plant phenomics (multispectral images obtained by remote aerial observations – unmanned aerial vehicles and satellites) for facilitation the phenotyping of a large number of cereals genotypes and increasing the efficiency of the selection on important agronomic traits.
In addition, the aim is to combine the generated phenomic data with genomic data and thus to identify suitable genomic markers for accelerated creation of new wheat and barley varieties with increased yield and adaptability to changing climatic conditions.
As a result of the implementation of the scientific tasks from the WP 2.3. it is expected multispectral images from drones and satellites to be accumulated and data for multispectral indices to be generated whereby to facilitate and accelerate the selection of genotypes with valuable traits in breeding programs. Correlations between spectral indices (phenomic data) and physiological and agronomic traits related to high yield and drought resistance will be established. In the final stage, two methodologies are expected to be developed: a methodology for selecting valuable genotypes by phenomic traits and a methodology for using marker-assisted selection based on phenomic and genomic data.
To achieve the set goals, a multidisciplinary partnership will be built between traditionally strong theoretical and applied scientific fields for Bulgaria – biophysics, informatics, molecular biology, plant breeding. Researchers in different fields from different partner institutions, presented in the scheme of FP 2.3, participate and complement each other in the separate work tasks and activities (Fig. 1). Each of the partners will use its available scientific and infrastructural capacity (equipment, software, etc.) to achieve the set goals.
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