ClimaRack is a modular research platform for climate-focused seed research. Photo credit: Certhon.
PhenoKey and Certhon will introduce ClimaRack during Seed Meets Technology, a modular research platform for climate-focused seed research. The system makes it possible to investigate several independently controllable climate conditions in parallel within a single compact setup. ClimaRack helps seed companies translate reliable insights more quickly into better-informed decisions across research, breeding and quality control.
The launch comes as seed companies need to respond more quickly to changing growing conditions, stricter quality requirements and a growing need for reliable data. Breeders want to compare varieties, seed lots and treatments under a wide range of conditions, while research space, capacity and labor are limited.
“ClimaRack has been developed for exactly that reality,” says Bas van Eerdt, director at PhenoKey. “It gives users the flexibility to build more variation into their trials, without research immediately becoming larger, more complex or more labor-intensive.”
ClimaRack combines independently controllable layers with digital control and can be linked to automated research processes. Each layer can be set separately, allowing users to apply different research conditions simultaneously within the same infrastructure. Thanks to its modular design, capacity can be expanded layer by layer or scaled up across multiple ClimaRack units.
“The strength of ClimaRack lies not only in the number of testing options, but above all in the quality of the insights they produce,” says Van Eerdt. “By investigating different climate and stress scenarios side by side, seed companies can see more quickly how seed performance develops. That provides a stronger basis for choices in research, breeding and market introduction.”
“We see that seed companies must respond even more quickly to changing growing conditions and market demand,” says Edwin Vanlaerhoven, commercial director at Certhon. “That calls for research solutions that are flexible, scalable and practical to apply. ClimaRack fits that need well and is a valuable addition to the greenhouses and climate rooms we design and build for seed breeders.”
ClimaRack was developed from the combined expertise of Certhon and PhenoKey. Certhon contributes knowledge of controlled cultivation and climate environments, while PhenoKey adds expertise in plant research, data and phenotyping. That combination has resulted in a platform designed to match the day-to-day research practices of seed companies as well as their need to gather reliable data more quickly.
The ClimaRack prototype can be seen Sept. 22 during Seed Meets Technology in Zwaagdijk-Oost, Netherlands. The official launch will take place at Booth 33 at 11 a.m. Visitors can examine the system and learn more about its applications for seed research under variable conditions. More information is available at www.climarack.com.