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Summary Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) has become a popular tool for investigating phenotypic variability in plants. We developed the Shiny NIRSpredict application to get predictions of 81 Arabidopsis thaliana phenotypic traits, including classical functional traits as well as a large variety of commonly measured chemical compounds, based from near-infrared spectroscopy values based on deep learning. It is freely accessible at the following URL: https://shiny.cefe.cnrs.fr/NirsPredict/ . NIRSpredict has three main functionalities. First, it allows users to submit their spectrum values to get the predictions of plant traits from models built with the hosted A. thaliana database. Second, users have access to the database of traits used for model calibration. Data can be filtered and extracted on user’s choice and visualized in a global context. Third, a user can submit his own dataset to extend the database and get part of the application development. NIRSpredict provides an easy-to-use and efficient method for trait prediction and an access to a large dataset of A. thaliana trait values. In addition to covering many of functional traits it also allows to predict a large variety of commonly measured chemical compounds. As a reliable way of characterizing plant populations across geographical ranges, NIRSpredict can facilitate the adoption of phenomics in functional and evolutionary ecology.

Abstract Plant–herbivore interactions mediated by plant–plant signalling have been documented in different species but its within‐species variability has hardly been quantified. Here, we tested if herbivore foraging activity on plants was influenced by a prior contact with a damaged plant and if the effect of such plant–plant signalling was variable across 113 natural genotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana. We filmed the activity of the generalist herbivore Cornu aspersum during 1 h on two plants differing only in a prior contact with a damaged plant or not. We recorded each snails' first choice, and measured its first duration on a plant, the proportion of time spent on both plants and leaf consumption. Overall, plant–plant signalling modified the foraging activity of herbivores in A. thaliana. On average, snails spent more time and consumed more of plants that experienced a prior contact with a damaged plant. However, the effects of plant–plant signalling on snail behaviour was variable: depending on genotype identity, plant–plant signalling made undamaged plants more repellant or attractive to snails. Genome‐wide associations revealed that genes related to stress coping ability and jasmonate pathway were associated to this variation. Together, our findings highlight the adaptive significance of plant–plant signalling for plant–herbivore interactions.

The trait-based approach in plant ecology aims at understanding and classifying the diversity of ecological strategies by comparing plant morphology and physiology across organisms. The major drawback of the approach is that the time and financial cost of measuring the traits on many individuals and environments can be prohibitive. We show that combining near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) with deep learning resolves this limitation by quickly, non-destructively, and accurately measuring a suite of traits, including plant morphology, chemistry, and metabolism. Such an approach also allows to position plants within the well-known CSR triangle that depicts the diversity of plant ecological strategies. The processing of NIRS through deep learning identifies the effect of growth conditions on trait values, an issue that plagues traditional statistical approaches. Together, the coupling of NIRS and deep learning is a promising high-throughput approach to capture a range of ecological information on plant diversity and functioning and can accelerate the creation of extensive trait databases.