The aim of this project is to combine the innovative power of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with current developments in artificial intelligence (AI) and to jointly establish new processes and digital tools for plant breeding. As a contribution to “Value Chains of Agricultural Crops”, a new dimension of phenotyping is opened up for all three focus topics (cereals, sugar beet, peas).

The project brings together partners from bioinformatics, plant research and industry. The Anhalt University of Applied Sciences (Köthen) is contributing digitization concepts. The Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) contributes expertise in plant research as well as the MRI technology platform. The business partners are the plant breeders of KWS LOCHOW GmbH and the start-up company Senserior UG. Both companies are strongly interested in the direct application of MRI/AI tools. The planned digitization of plant value chains has high potential for the generation of new services, products and ultimately jobs in the Central German mining area in Saxony-Anhalt.