A Review of Field Plant Phenotyping Platform, Sensing and Navigation Technology

Genotype research has outpaced the exploration of phenotypes, exerting a notable impact on the efficacy and quality of breeding practices. The absence of efficient, field-based, high-throughput phenotyping systems remains a significant impediment to future advancements in breeding. High-throughput field phenotyping systems, particularly robotic systems, play a pivotal role in automating data collection and measuring novel, fine-scale phenotypic traits—crucial for overcoming this bottleneck. These high-throughput phenotyping platforms can be categorized into three types: stationary, phenopole, and phenomobile. Subsequently, this paper delves into their structures, advantages, limitations, and applications in acquiring plant phenotyping data. Additionally, the latest developments and current applications of sensing methods in crop phenotyping were scrutinized, with an emphasis on the sensing principles, advantages, and limitations of each sensor. Furthermore, the discussion extends to the localization, path planning, and motion control technologies employed by field mobile robots for navigation. In conclusion, this study not only explores significant challenges but also identifies potential avenues for future research in the realm of phenotyping.