Phenotyping Potato Canopy Cover Using Sensors to Better Combat Potato Virus Y: CANOPY Project (2020-2025)

Mineral oil protects potato plants from infections caused by Potato virus Y (PVY). The objective of the project is to identify a fixed sensor capable of monitoring the development of the canopy in real time, to adjust the frequency of oil spraying to the rate of leaf growth in the plants. This monitoring revealed significant variability in leaf development depending on the year, geographic location, and variety. Comparing field observations with automatically collected data confirmed a correlation between canopy development and measurements of plant height or reflectance. The dynamics of these variables accurately reflect those of the canopy, particularly during the active growth phase. Finally, initial modelling work showed that sensor data can be used to estimate leaf area, but also that the variety can significantly impact model outputs.