Currently, master’s students from the Agricultural University of Athens (AUA) in Greece are undertaking an internship at the Laboratory of Genetics and Physiology, Institute of Agriculture, as a part of the Erasmus+ traineeship programme. Eirini Kanakaki and Antonios-Paraskevas Kostis are enrolled in the Food Science and Human Nutrition programme and began a two-month scientific internship at the institute on April 10.
During the internship, the students are learning to work with the plant phenotyping system TraitFinder (Phenospex), which enables 3D scanning of plants, multispectral colour recording, and data analysis using the HortControl software. This system allows for a comprehensive assessment of plant growth, structure, condition, and their response to various environmental conditions.
The students actively learn to use the plant phenotyping system by joining ongoing research projects conducted by PhD students and researchers. They have already scanned bird’s-foot trefoil and wheat.
Currently, the students are preparing to conduct their own experiment, the aim of which is to evaluate changes in clover growth after treating the seeds with a special growth promoter. They also will be introduced to the use of drones, their capabilities and applications in agronomic research.
We are pleased to welcome these young scientists to our institute and contribute to the development of their professional competencies in an international environment.
