In 2024, HelEx took part in the Rencontres de Phénomiques Végétales, the Phenotoul meeting that brings together the French plant phenomics community around the large-scale phenotyping platforms based in Toulouse. The meeting is a space where academic researchers, platform operators and industry users discuss new tools, protocols and use cases for measuring plant traits at scale.
Nicolas Langlade (INRAE) presented HelEx’s phenotyping activities, the experimental design of the project and how Heliaphen and associated platforms will be used to generate the large datasets underpinning genotype-to-phenotype modelling for sunflower. The discussion focused on how phenomics outputs can best serve both breeding companies and fundamental research.
For HelEx, engaging with the Phenotoul community is essential because phenomics is one of the backbones of the project. Strong links with the national infrastructure ensure that HelEx protocols are aligned with best practice and that the data produced can be reused well beyond the project timeline.
