Bringing EMPHASIS to operation: European Infrastructure for multi-scale Plant Phenomics and Simulation for food security in a changing climate

Project Information

EMPHASIS-GO

Grant agreement ID: 101079772

DOI

10.3030/101079772

Project closed

EC signature date 12 July 2022

Start date 1 November 2022

End date 31 October 2025

Funded under

• Research infrastructures

Total cost

€ 1 317 750,01

EU contribution

€ 1 317 750,00

Coordinated by

VIB VZW
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - EMPHASIS-GO (Bringing EMPHASIS to operation: European Infrastructure for multi-scale Plant Phenomics and Simulation for food security in a changing climate)

Reporting period: 2023-11-01 to 2025-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Plant production is central to global agriculture, food systems, and the emerging bio-economy, yet it faces major pressures from population growth, climate change, shrinking arable land, and biodiversity loss. Addressing these challenges requires innovation to improve crop yield, resilience, and resource-use efficiency, and to support plant-based biomaterials and products. While genotyping has become rapid and affordable, phenotyping remains a major bottleneck: quantitative assessment of plant performance—including growth, physiology, stress responses, yield, quality, and environmental interactions—lags behind and often lacks sufficient throughput or relies on destructive techniques that limit scientific inquiry.
Unlocking plant genetic diversity is essential for advancing crop productivity, sustainable breeding, and novel bio-products, requiring coordinated investment in advanced phenotyping infrastructures. Recognising this need, ESFRI designated plant phenotyping a strategic priority in its 2016 Roadmap and endorsed EMPHASIS. The preparatory phase (2017–2021) mapped national capacities, identified gaps, and established early governance, legal, and business frameworks.
EMPHASIS-GO builds on this foundation, expanding participation to eleven countries and fully operationalising the infrastructure. By unifying national platforms under shared governance and harmonised standards, developing user-oriented services, and consolidating long-term frameworks, EMPHASIS delivers high-throughput, high-resolution phenotyping from organ to field scale. It supports academia, breeding programmes, and agritech through diverse services, FAIR data management, and targeted training.
EMPHASIS has contributed directly to the rapid adoption of phenotyping techniques across Europe, evidenced by growth in publications, company creation, and patents. In this context, EMPHASIS accelerates the development of climate-resilient, high-yielding crops, strengthening Europe’s capacity for sustainable agriculture and a resilient bio-economy.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

EMPHASIS-GO advanced the transition of EMPHASIS into a fully operational European Research Infrastructure (ERIC) for plant phenotyping.
The project established a coherent service portfolio and user access strategy, enabling researchers to find and use phenotyping facilities, resources, and data across Europe.
EMPHASIS strengthened its contribution to Horizon Europe initiatives, including via AgroServ, PHENET, and Microbes-4-Climate. Through these collaborations, EMPHASIS provided transnational and virtual access to cutting-edge phenotyping platforms and supported the development of next-generation technologies, including AI-driven image analysis, sensor repositories, and FAIR-compliant data workflows.
Major steps were taken to harmonise data standards, including the wider adoption of MIAPPE and BrAPI, and to expand discovery services through tools like FAIDARE. The project also supported national nodes in configuring local information systems, enhancing interoperability and enabling more efficient data management across the EMPHASIS network. Training and capacity-building activities were strengthened through workshops and courses on phenotyping and data management, building skills among early-career researchers and technical staff.
On governance, EMPHASIS submitted its ERIC Step 1 application to the European Commission, including agreed statutes, cost models, and operational structures, and significantly advanced work on key internal policies and Service Level Agreements. A consolidated business plan and socio-economic impact study were completed, demonstrating the long-term value of coordinated European plant phenotyping. EMPHASIS also advanced its application to become an ESFRI Landmark, submitting the necessary evidence base for this shortly after the conclusion of the GO project.
The next phase will focus on completing the ERIC Step 2 application in early 2026, moving EMPHASIS closer to becoming a fully established legal entity supporting sustainable agriculture and innovation in Europe.
Collectively, these achievements position EMPHASIS as a cornerstone for sustainable agriculture and innovation in Europe.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

EMPHASIS-GO has significantly advanced European plant phenotyping, delivering impacts beyond the state of the art.
Scientifically, the project has strengthened coordination among national infrastructures, harmonised protocols, and promoted FAIR data principles, enabling reproducible and interoperable research across Europe. These efforts have seen improved access to advanced phenotyping facilities and digital tools, the fostering of transnational collaboration and acceleration of innovation in crop improvement and sustainable agriculture.
Economically, EMPHASIS-GO supports the development of climate-resilient, resource-efficient crops, contributing to food security and reducing production risks. By acting as a testbed for next-generation technologies, such as AI-driven image analysis, sensor networks, and integrated data platforms, the infrastructure stimulates market growth for European SMEs and technology providers, reinforcing Europe’s global leadership in phenotyping solutions.
Industrially, EMPHASIS-GO has embedded structured engagement with living labs, breeding companies and agri-tech enterprises, promoting co-development of tools and services tailored to real-world needs. These interactions shorten breeding cycles, enhance precision agriculture, and drive innovation uptake.
To ensure further success, key needs include sustained investment, robust governance under the ERIC framework, expansion of communications and engagement to further build visibility and awareness, continued alignment with EU policies, and strengthened industry partnerships. Internationalisation, supportive regulatory frameworks, and targeted training will also be essential to maximise impact and secure EMPHASIS’s role as a cornerstone for sustainable agriculture and bioeconomy in Europe.

Challenges and opportunities in agriculture, environment and the bioeconomy require a step-change in

EMPHASIS objectives and their alignment to the user needs

Integral elements required to advance sustainable plant production

Portfolio of services provided by the Coordination Office, Functional Units and National Nodes

Physical and virtual categories composing the EMPHASIS infrastructure