Growth Pouches for High-Throughput Root Phenotyping

Growth pouch systems have been successfully applied to seedling screens for many years and species - including bean, maize, wheat, oilseed rape, and pearl millet. The measurement of root traits such as seminal, nodal root numbers and branching angles has shown to hold predictive value for breeding crops with greater yields and stress tolerance. Read more on the application potential of growth pouches.

Consumables such as germination paper (e.g. from Anchor) and clear plastic sleeves (e.g. from "office depot") can be sourced locally. Contact us or complete the Configuration Form to discuss bespoke growth pouch phenotyping systems (e.g. adapted to different germination paper sizes, species etc.).

VSI Rigid Growth Pouch "Type 2" Set. The standard size of these rigid phenotyping pouches (Type 2) is 25 cm wide x 30.5 cm high - fitting 10 x 12 inch germination paper. Custom sizes are available. For example, ~20x "Type-2-pouches" can be placed in a 40 x 30 x 32 cm storage container. Layers of germination paper can be placed between the acrylic (black) positioning panel (back) and a clear, transparent front panel with spacers attached (screws); standard space between panels is 8 mm (spacers) + germination paper layer thickness. The spacers can be (subsequently) changed by the customer to adapt the phenotyping system to other seed sizes / different numbers of germination papers as required (e.g. fitting 4mm or 10mm spacers). Germination papers are held securely in place by the front panels with spacers pressed against the back panels (using either office binders or rubber bands) - with the paper in between. Additional spacers at the center top / bottom of pouches, preventing the paper from curling/currogating, are optional (and can be positioned as discussed). A shading panel fits snugly over the transparent front panel. The rear and front panels have a special zig-zag pattern to hold rubber bands securely in place. Optional cut-outs (1 x 0.5 cm) at the base of the back panel allow the system to stand in the storage container while the germination paper reliably tap into water or nutrient solution.

The standard "Type 2 " Set (suitable for e.g. 10 x 12-15 inch germination paper) contains:

• Storage container (grey) for ~20 rigid growth pouches
• 20x "Type 2"-rigid pouch sets, back and front each 30.5 cm (12 inch) high x 25 cm (10 inch) wide, 4 mm PMMA (Back: black, front: transparent), spacer height 8 mm (black, attached with screws to front panel on both longer sides, plus 1-4x 2 cm spacer sections (please indicate if and where to position; standard: no center spacers) 
• 20x shading panels, 28 cm high, 24.5 cm wide, 1 mm PMMA (black).
• Optional: Office binder or rubber bands.

Consumables such as germination paper (e.g. from Anchor) and clear plastic sleeves ("office depot") can be sourced locally. Contact us to discuss growth pouch phenotying systems (e.g. different sizes, height, storage solutions, etc.).

Growth Pouch PhenoRacks

Growth Pouch Manipulation Stands

How are growth pouches generally used? While the exact procedure differs depending on the applied pouch system and species, in brief, seeds are placed on the wetted germination paper, or seeds are fixated between papers and acrylic plates, and then water or a liquid fertilizer solution is added to the bottom of storage containers or sealed pouches. Usually thick creped paper-types are used. Most seeds can be grown in growth pouch systems. In general it is advisable to moisten the paper well before and after placing the seeds. Seeds of some species should be pre-germinated / soaked before being placed. Anyhow, eventually, the paper pouch is (en-)closed within a plastic sheet/envelope (type growth pouch type "one") or acylic cover (e.g. for corn, growth pouch type "two" above) and the growth pouch is placed in an upright (90°) position - the protruding base of the germination paper often taps into a bottom reservoir of water or nutrient solution to re-moist. Growth pouch system dimensions should be chosen according to the seed size, the expected root growth during the experimental period, and the germination paper available. Finally, all types of pouches must be covered by shading panels, dark plastic foil and/or placed in darkend boxes etc. to prevent light reaching the root systems. It is important to work clean (i.e. towards sterile conditions) when preparing the seeds and pouches - as the system is, in the absence of natural antagonists in soil, prone to fungal and bacterial contamination. To minimize fungal growth, it may be helpful to surface sterilize seeds and acylic plates, the germination paper is generally not reusable. Darkend pouches are placed under plant lamps or in growth chambers / rooms. Regularly, root systems are imaged with cameras/scanners or root growth is measured manually; exposure to light should be as brief as possible. 

• Adeleke E, Millas R, McNeal W, Faris J, Taheri A. 2020. Variation Analysis of Root System Development in Wheat Seedlings Using Root Phenotyping System. Agronomy, 10(2):206.
• Hund, A., Trachsel, S., & Stamp, P. 2009. Growth of axile and lateral roots of maize: I development of a phenotying platform. Plant and Soil, 325, 335-349.
• Jing, X., Cai, C., Fan, S., Wang, L., & Zeng, X. 2019. Spatial and temporal calcium signaling and its physiological effects in Moso Bamboo under drought stress. Forests, 10(3), 224.
• Le Marié, C., Kirchgessner, N., Marschall, D., Walter, A., & Hund, A. 2014. Rhizoslides: paper-based growth system for non-destructive, high throughput phenotyping of root development by means of image analysis. Plant methods, 10(1), 1-16.
• Shorinola, O., Kaye, R., Golan, G., Peleg, Z., Kepinski, S., & Uauy, C. 2019. Genetic screening for mutants with altered seminal root numbers in hexaploid wheat using a high-throughput root phenotyping platform. G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics, 9(9), 2799-2809.
• Waller, S., Wilder, S. L., Schueller, M. J., Housh, A. B., & Ferrieri, R. A. 2020. Quantifying plant-borne carbon assimilation by root-associating bacteria. Microorganisms, 8(5), 700.