A state-of-the-art robotic greenhouse used to develop superior agricultural crops and innovative consumer foods is set for groundbreaking May 22 at Texas A&M University.
The ceremony at 10 a.m. at the Texas A&M AgriLife Center will unveil the new Automated Precision Phenotyping Greenhouse utilizing advanced sensor technology to enhance agricultural crops in the areas of crop health, yield, nutrition, temperature, drought stress and other environmental conditions.
The facility will be located at the intersection of F&B Road and Agronomy Road in College Station, north of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service Soil, Water and Forage Testing Laboratory.
The project is being led by Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Both AgriLife Research scientists and faculty will use the facility for experimental trials as well as a teaching platform for undergraduate and graduate students.
The facility is funded by the Chancellor’s Research Initiative Award and matched by the Governor’s University Research Initiative Award. Additional robotic equipment is funded by a Research Development Fund Award.
Dr. Patrick Stover, vice chancellor for agriculture and life sciences with Texas A&M AgriLife and director of Texas A&M AgriLife Research, and Texas A&M System Chancellor John Sharp will provide remarks during the event. Dr. Alex Thomasson, AgriLife Research engineer, will discuss research activities planned for the facility.
Source: AgriLife Today