3D printed reference plant for phenotyping

3D-printed plants can help to take optical phenotyping to another level. 

Motivation and Objectives

Optical phenotyping enables plant researchers to measure plants and monitor their development over time. However, various factors can affect measurement accuracy, and sensors often need to be calibrated and adjusted for specific plant species, their size, shape and optical properties. Physical reference plants with known geometry, dimensions and optical properties can help determine optimal sensor settings and ensure reliable measurements.

Methodology: From Real Plants to Artificial References

Natural plant leaves are captured using high‑resolution 3D scanning technologies to create detailed digital models that accurately represent geometry, surface structure, and optical properties. Advanced processing techniques are applied to enrich these models with realistic textures, translucency, and disease‑specific visual characteristics. Using multi‑material 3D printing, these digital models are transformed into physical reference plants with high geometric fidelity and reproducible appearance.

Benefits for Phenotyping and Research Practice

The resulting standardized 3D‑printed plants provide a reliable reference with known dimensions and optical behavior. They enable systematic calibration of sensors, verification of system performance, and objective comparison between different phenotyping setups. Customized artificial plants can be produced to address specific phenotyping tasks, contributing to improved measurement accuracy and robustness in plant research.

Funding: