Picture of the new Ampha Z40 Pollen Analyzer

Introducing the new Ampha Z40 Pollen Analyzer

Pollen Cell Analysis with the Ampha Z40

The Ampha Z40 is a new high-end laboratory instrument for pollen analysis and succeeds the proven Ampha Z32.

It covers all needs for efficient pollen analysis from plant breeding to seed production. An innovative technological platform ensures accurate analysis of pollen viability and pollen concentration in just one measurement.

Picture of Ampha Z40 Pollen Analyzer in the laboratory

Pollen Analysis: Universal, Efficient and Flexible

Universal

Measure pollen of all crops: We provide guidelines for more than 250 species. In addition, developmental stages of microspores can be identified for a more efficient DH (doubled haploid) production.

Efficient

The Ampha Z40 relies on a standardized method to provide accurate pollen information for use along the whole process from variety development and line selection to commercial seed production.

Flexible

The Ampha Z40 offers full flexibility in settings and gating strategy to cover all pollen research tasks. It allows the development of own sampling and measurement protocols.

Teaser for Asian Solanaceous Round Table Conference

Amphasys Speaking at Solanaceous Round Table Conference

The Asian Solanaceous Round Table Conference

The Asia and Pacific Seed Association and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research are organizing the Asian Solanaceous Round Table (ASRT), a conference bringing together experts in solanaceous breeding and research with the goal to overcome Solanum, Capsicum productivity challenges in Asia. The conference will be held in Bangalore, India, from May 11 to 13, 2022.

Breeding for Heat Tolerance using the Amphasys Pollen Analyzer

Viable pollen is crucial for obtaining high fruit and seed yield. However, facing global climate change pollen development of solanaceous plants is highly affected by abiotic stresses, such as heat, drought, and radiation. One approach to solving this problem lies in breeding more heat-tolerant lines.

Because of his vast experience in the field of pollen development, Dr. Darío Sanchez has been invited to speak about phenotyping lines for pollen viability. 

He will present practical application examples for monitoring pollen quality with Amphasys’s Impedance Flow Cytometer. In addition, he will explain how the information provided by the Ampha P20 Pollen Analyzer can be used along all stages from early research in plant breeding up to commercial seed production.

Portrait of Dr. Dario Sanchez Castro

Dr. Darío Sánchez

Regional Sales Manager

Picture of the Amphasys Ampha P20 Pollen Analyzer

Ampha P20 Among Seed World’s “10 Most Innovative Products of 2021”

Recognition for Innovative Pollen Analysis Technology

Seed World, the U.S. magazine and online platform for the seed industry covers news, issues, and events of interest to plant breeders and seed industry professionals.

Among many other applicants from across the seed industry, Amphasys’ new Ampha P20 Pollen Analyzer was recently chosen to gain the inaugural honor of being named one of Seed World’s 10 Most Innovative Products of 2021.

Innovative products of numerous participants were evaluated by the editors of the Seed World group according to the following criteria:

  • – Related to seed
  • – Commercial launch between Nov. 1, 2020 and Nov. 1, 2021
  • – Is unique and a potential game-changer for the sector it impacts
  • – Market potential (given its sector)
  • – Impact on grower/ROI
  • – Societal Impact
  • – Scalability
  • – Overall innovative qualities
Picture of Ampha P20 Pollen Analyzer in wheat field

The whole team at Amphasys is honored to receive this award. It recognizes outstanding product development and honors the extraordinary efforts of the whole team. Our mission is to unlock the full potential of cellular applications by providing innovative, simple, and mobile cell analysis solutions. Winning this award shows us that we are on the right track.

About the Winner

Pollen Cell Analysis With the Ampha P20

The Ampha P20 is the first fully portable and autonomous pollen analyzer for on-site measurements: in the field and in the greenhouse. It is the optimal device for systematical screening for phenotyping and routine quality control. With dedicated, crop-specific chips we simplify the measurement and data analysis in an unprecedented way.

  • new crop-specific microfluidic chips
  • fully automated data analysis
  • easy handling for routine measurements and systematical screening
Doubled_haploid_Technology_book

Applications of Impedance Flow Cytometry in Doubled Haploid Technology

Doubled Haploid Technology Volume 3 - by Springer Protocols

Doubled haploid (DH) technology is a very convenient approach in plant breeding to save a considerable amount of time, and the corresponding costs, to produce pure, fully homozygous parental lines, essential for large-scale production of hybrid seed. This is the main reason why it is widely used in private companies and academia to produce homozygous individuals. 

The new “Doubled Haploid Technology” Volume 3 by Springer Protocols compiles the knowledge of experts in the production of DHs in different species.

The book features a chapter on “Applications of Impedance Flow Cytometry in Doubled Haploid Technology”. In this chapter concepts for identifying critical success factors in a DH protocol are presented. It also shows how an early microspore response can be monitored by simple impedance flow cytometry and used to optimize a DH protocol based on androgenesis.

Get the book on Springer.

Nominated for the Green Business Award 2021

Amphasys Nominated for Green Business Award

Profitability and sustainable action do not conflict. The companies nominated for the “Green Business Award” are shaping the entrepreneurial world of tomorrow with a pioneering spirit and passion.
They are successful in the market and raise awareness for ecological solutions.

About the "Green Business Award"

The “Green Business Award” honours innovative companies that combine economic success with ecological impact. A unique selection process via national business associations and environmental organisations guarantees that the most convincing solutions are sought out each year.

With the “Green Business Award” among other formats, “Green Business Switzerland” focuses on the positive connection between entrepreneurial success and sustainable action. Behind this forward-looking cooperation of key players from business and environmental protection are, among others, the FOEN, economiesuisse, öbu, Pusch, Swissmem, the Swiss Environmental Foundation and WWF
Switzerland. [1]

Because Amphasys is Part of the Solution!

If we want to preserve our planet for future generations, business must be part of the solution!

Amphasys enables its customers in agriculture and food production to reduce energy consumption, production area and required arable land by up to 20%. More than 100 customers, e.g. BASF, Bayer, Corteva, KWS, Syngenta and many universities, already rely on our technology.

Our cytometer analyses the quality (“viability”) of individual cells. It is the only device that is portable, fast and provides all the detailed information needed, at an excellent price-performance ratio. This makes it a breakthrough technology for many applications directly in the field or in production, for which there is no other solution today.

We are honored to be nominated for this important award and eagerly await July 2, 2021 – when the finalists will be announced.

[1] Source: Green Business Switzerland. “Green Business Award”, Media Release, 20.04.2021 

A picture of beautiful apple blossoms

Apple Pollen Viability Analysis

The Important Role of Pollen in Apple Production

Apple pollen viability plays a crucial role in apple production. Viable pollen is a basic requirement for successful pollination and therefore directly influences fruit formation and quality.

The viability of pollen varies throughout the day and can be negatively impacted by many external factors such as heat, drought or the application of pesticides.  Therefore, monitoring apple pollen viability is indispensable to ensure an optimal process – from pollen collection up to artificial pollination.

Apples on tree
Picture of an apple orchard

Main Fields of Application

Monitoring pollen viability with the Ampha Z32 Impedance Flow Cytometer allows rapid and accurate pollen viability testing with minimal sample preparation. Main fields of application are:

  •  – Characterization of germplasm for pollen viability and quantity
  •  – Optimization and control of pollen harvest and storage
  •  – Control of pollen quality before supplemental pollination
  •  – Assessment of the impact of artificial pollination process on pollen viability
A picture of an apple pollen viability measurement with the Ampha Z32 Pollen Analyzer

The figure shows the result of a measurement of an apple pollen sample with the Ampha Z32. Before measuring, the pollen was stored at -20°C for 12 months. Before suspension in the measurement buffer, dehydrated stored pollen is rehydrated in a moist chamber.

Apple Pollen Application Note

Download our application note, or contact us for a free consultation offer!

Picture collage honoring Andrea Hunn for her project in Swiss Youth in Science

Analyzing the Effects of Natural Remedies on Cancer Cell Lines

Graduate Student Honored for Conducting Research on Cancer Cell Viability on the Ampha Z32

As part of her A-level project, Andrea Hunn used an Ampha Z32 Impedance Flow Cytometer to analyze the effects of selected natural remedies on cancer cell lines. 

Her project was selected to participate in the national “Swiss Youth in Science” competition. At Amphasys we are very proud and excited about Andreas accomplishment and are looking forward to follow her progress as a young scientist. 

Analyzing the Effects of Natural Remedies on Cancer Cell Lines with Impedance Flow Cytometry​

Her research deals with the question whether the addition of natural remedies such as Wogonin, Curcumin and  Epigallocatechingallat (EGCG) can be used to observe cell death. The aim was to measure cell death with the Amphasys Impedance Flow Cytometer, which was used for such a toxicity study on human cells for the first time.

Furthermore, the influence of natural remedy concentration and incubation time on cell death was investigated. The question arose whether the natural remedies only kill blood cancer cells or also other types of cancer, but not minor degenerated human cells.

Covid_19

Support and External Maintenance in Times of COVID-19

We are all facing challenging times due to the current events around the global spread of COVID-19.

At Amphasys, we have taken all necessary measures to protect our team and are committed to providing our customers with full online support, products and services to enable their continued business operations during this extraordinary time.

Maintenance

To ensure optimal performance of the Ampha Z32, a yearly maintenance is indispensable. To respect the social distancing measures and to circumvent the current travelling restrictions we have implemented an “External Maintenance” solution. This maintenance model entails shipping of the instrument to our technical personnel, who will service it and send it back to our customers within a few days. For more information, please contact us at support@amphasys.com.

Support

Our support team is working remotely and is committed to helping you with any requests or questions you might have. Please contact us at support@amphasys.com.

Products/Consumables

And last but not least, all our products can be ordered without any restrictions at order@amphasys.com.

We hope that the global situation will soon improve.

Sorghum field

Breeding for Cold Stress Tolerance in Sorghum

Impedance Flow Cytometry Used to Analyze Sorghum Pollen Traits

A group of researchers from the Department of Plant Breeding at University of Giessen and the NPZ Innovation GmbH have conducted a study on reproductive cold stress tolerance in Sorghum F1 hybrids.

According to the study, the production of large pollen quantity with sufficient vitality also at lower temperature is considered to be the underlying physiological process to ensure seed set under cold stress in sorghum.

To quantify the amount as well as the viability of sorghum pollen, they have used the fast and non-invasive Ampha Z32 Pollen Analyzer

"Reproductive Cold Stress Tolerance in Sorghum F1 Hybrids is a Heterotic Trait"

Abstract:

The sensitivity of sorghum to pre-flowering cold stress, resulting in reduced pollen viability and poor seed set, is a major constraint for expanding growing areas into higher altitudes and latitudes. Nevertheless, compared to juvenile cold tolerance, reproductive cold tolerance in sorghum has received much less attention so far, and very little is known about its inheritance in F1-hybrids. We have composed a representative factorial (n=49 experimental F1-hybrids) for a comprehensive study on heterosis and combining ability for crucial tolerance traits as spikelet fertility (panicle harvestindex), seed yield and pollen viability, using field trials in stress- and control environments in Germany and Mexico as well as climate chamber experiments. Our results indicate a heterotic and rather dominant inheritance of reproductive cold tolerance in sorghum, with strong effects of female general combining ability (GCA) on F1-hybrid performance in our material. These findings, together with the comparatively low contribution of specific combining ability (SCA) effects and high heritability estimates, suggest that robust and efficient enhancement of reproductive cold tolerance is feasible viahybrid breeding.


(1) (PDF) Reproductive Cold Stress Tolerance in Sorghum F1 Hybrids is a Heterotic Trait. Available from: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/335627689 [accessed Feb 11 2020].

Comparison of germination assays and the Ampha Z32 for pollen viability analysis

Pollen Germination vs. Pollen Viability

Learn Why Germination Assays are Outdated

Pollen quality plays an important role in plant breeding and seed production. In-vitro germination is often regarded as the gold standard method for assessing pollen viability.

In a recent industry study on tomato pollen (Solanum lycopersicumin-vitro germination and Impedance Flow Cytometry on the Ampha Z32 Pollen Analyzer were compared.

The conclusion of this study are:

  1. Impedance Flow Cytometry (IFC) and germination show a good correlation when the correct pollen sample preparation and germination conditions are applied.
  2. IFC method is more accurate, less prone to bias and significantly faster. For the analysis of 100 samples a time savings of at least 10 hours is achieved.
  3. For optimal results, a controlled rehydration process of 30 min needs to be applied

If you are interested in the details of this comparison, please check out our Application Note.