Our aim is to associate the power of Arabidopsis thaliana as a model for molecular genetics with the methodology of quantitative genetics (Quantitative Trait Locus research, association genetics), in order to characterize the genetic, molecular, physiological and evolutionary bases of complex traits involved in adaptation.
The goal is not only to dissect precisely responses and strategies for adaptation to the environment, but also to isolate and characterize the genes and proteins involved and their variation. Together with ecophysiological and evolutionary modelling, this will improve our knowledge and control of natural and agricultural populations.

The biological resources that are currently developped for Arabidopsis in our laboratory offers a unique potential for genetic dissection of complex traits in plants. In order to take full advantage of such material, and optimize the statistical power of our experimental design, we need to carefully control the quality of phenotypic measures, their reproductibility and to reduce uncontrolled variations of the environment.

We have designed and set up a robotic platform for automated culture and measurement of Arabidopsis plants in a fully controlled environment.
A prototype was made in collaboration with ISEP (Institut Supérieur d'Electronique de Paris) and CEGS-DESTEC.
Each robot is placed in a growth chamber and can accomodate up to 750 individual Arabidopsis plants. Homogeneity is achieved thanks to constant rotation of plants on the device. Each plant is weighed and adjusted for water and minerals every 4 hours, according to user-defined individual parameters. A measure station is equipped with sensors (visible, infrared or fluorescence imaging) for evaluation of developmental and physiological variables in response to imposed constraints.

Moreover, the IJPB, thanks to financial support from the Région Ile de France, INRA and Génoplante, is building a new facility for 300 m2 of culture chambers, which will eventually accomodate the IJPB high throughput phenotyping platform. A dedicated chamber of 60m2, fully automated, will allow experiments with more than 10,000 individuals in parallel.