Project Number: 5347-13660-007-05
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Jan 01, 2012
End Date: Dec 31, 2013

Objective:
The proposed project is to implement portable LIDAR scanning technology on a tractor to collect cotton canopy geometrical characteristics, including leaf area profiles, leaf angle, branching, and canopy biomass. These characteristics will support other tractor-mounted proximal sensing devices to discriminate between stress tolerant and intolerant cotton cultivars.

Approach:
The LIDAR system will be deployed in 2012 as part of the High-Throughput Phenotyping (HTP) project at ALARC. A genetic mapping population of 98 recombinant inbred lines (RILs), parents (NM24016 and TM-1), and differential checks will be grown at Maricopa for a third consecutive year. Field evaluations will include well-watered and water-limited treatments with two replicates each. The water-limited treatment will be initially applied at first flower. Point-cloud measurements of cotton canopy element locations will be collected weekly from tractor-based observations throughout July-August, which coincides with the critical stage of peak flowering and boll development as well as the hot, humid monsoon season in central and western Arizona. These data will be compared to random non-destructive estimates of canopy height, width, leaf area at four times. These observations will be in addition to other agronomic and physiological traits collected as part of the parent HTP experiment.