Low-cost 3D Phenotyping of Cassava Roots 

This project, a partnership between CVL and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) in Colombia, will develop the low-cost imaging and image analysis methods needed to recover quantitative 3D descriptions of cassava roots grown in an aeroponic environment. The complete system will be designed to allow easy replication throughout low and middle-income countries (LMICs), and will enable traits such as root volume to be measured and monitored.

Cassava is a staple food for more than a tenth of the world's population: some 800 million people worldwide. Its long and variable growth cycle is, however, a major obstacle reducing cassava's industrial crop potential. Provision of effective, affordable cassava root phenotyping tools will allow selection for the early formation of edible roots. This will both significantly increase the productivity, efficiency and financial stability of small cassava farmers and open the door to more intensive commercial production methods.