Centre français de phénomique végétale

Since 2012, Phenome-Emphasis has developed a high-performance infrastructure enabling the characterization of hundreds of plant varieties under various climate scenarios (drought, elevated CO2, high temperatures, diseases). This infrastructure includes four controlled-environment facilities for in-depth analysis of leaf or root development, two semi-controlled field facilities with rainout shelters and CO2 enrichment, and three open-field facilities under uncontrolled conditions. All of these facilities are equipped with imaging tools for both architectural and functional analysis of individual plants or plots. Two additional complementary facilities focus on omics measurements. These installations are accessible to both public and private partners. The infrastructure develops tools and methods to support trait extractions from images and organize data for multiple applications, supported by artificial intelligence and modeling. These innovations can be co-developed with tech SMEs and are accompanied by training programs aimed at broad audiences.

Phenome-Emphasis coordinates several projects, including a European project (PHENET), and is the frnach node of a European infrastructure (EMPHASIS). Between 2020 and 2024, EMPHASIS provided over 120 access per year, published more than 25 papers annually, and trained over 250 people each year.

Positively evaluated by ANR in 2024, Phenome-Emphasis will continue – after the end of the PIA1 project by the end of 2025, its mission in support to agriculture resilience and transition, supported by its partners INRAE, Arvalis, Terres Inovia, and GEVES, projects such as AgroEcoPhen and recurrent funding from the French Ministry of Research.