Constructing an Automation Table for an Image-Based Arabidopsis Resistance Assay

1.Introduction Crop improvement is becoming critical for food security due to a continuously changing climate and increasing population[1].The management of plant diseases is one of the most important factors in food security.For example,wheat,a major crop plant,has been historically subject to periodic total devastation.In a recent instance,when a new strain of wheat stem rust spread from East Africa to the Middle East,the price of wheat spiked significantly,threatening livelihoods in developing countries[2].This example highlights the importance of learning how plants fend off potential pathogens and pests,in order to secure food resources.