The key research questions/challenges, which will be holistically investigated and addressed in the three
year time frame, include: (1) development and optimization of the sensing modules and automation platform that
can collect plot-scale soybean phenotypic data accurately and effectively; (2) development of robust data analytics
pipelines to convert the raw sensor data into relevant phenotypic information; (3) exploring the relationships
between sensor-based phenotypic measurements to the conventional traits (including yield, yield component,
maturation, etc.) relevant to soybean breeders; and (4) the use of sensor-based measurements (which is high
throughput in nature) in the context of genomics-based breeding to assist breeders in decision-making.