Crops experience different stressors throughout their life cycle. Therefore, and with a view to accelerating genetic progress, it is essential to develop phenotyping protocols under real-world (field) conditions at critical stages of their growth cycle. We will examine different examples on wheat of high-throughput phenotyping methodologies at various plant phenological stages. This includes (i) the automated counting of agronomic yield components, such as seedling or spike density; (ii) the assessment of physiological responses in terms of radiation use efficiency or water status; and (iii) the integration of this phenotypic information into empirical yield prediction and stability models. Emphasis will be placed on affordable approaches for plant phenotyping.