Upcoming upgrade of the CEPI platforms at VIB-UGent PSB

Ghent, November 3rd 2022 - The upgrade of the existing CEPI (Controlled-Environment Phenotyping Installations) platforms at the VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology (PSB) will start in December 2022.

The main part of the upgrade will be an update of the operating software. The platforms will be update to run the newest WIWAM operating software, increasing the user friendliness and opening up new functionalities. The new software will also extend the lifespan of the platforms for the coming years by supporting the use of new replacement parts and featuring improvements to the programming, allowing more efficient use of the infrastructure and reducing wear and tear over time.

First in line will be the growth chamber based WIWAM Line platforms Rhizoline and Shrimpy, suited for small upright plants, such as wheat or maize seedlings. They will be followed by the greenhouse based WIWAM Conveyor platform Phenovision. The Phenovision will not only receive a software update, but also a hardware upgrade to improve the suitability for larger plants. The light curtain, used for automatic plant height detection to control the lift height within the imaging cabin, will be upgraded, improving the automatic positioning of large plants for imaging. This will be coupled with an upgrade of the illumination in the imaging cabin, to improve the homogenous illumination of large plants. Besides these improvements to the imaging setup, the automatic weighing and watering stations will be outfitted with larger and faster pumps, increasing the amount of large plants that can be watered daily.

These platforms will be made accessible to academic and industrial users outside of VIB through the EMPHASIS-Belgium node. Keep an eye on updates via our newsletter, website and Twitter to stay up to date on the latest news regarding access.