The 22-year-old phytotron at the College of Agriculture and Bioresources is receiving $1 million from the Western Grains Research Foundation as part of a three-year, 12.5 million dollar upgrade and update.
The phytotron is an accelerated research facility consisting of 183 growth chambers. Individual chamber environments can be controlled for temperature, light and humidity to determine how soils, plants, water, wind and pests interact under a variety of conditions.
“You name it, we can do it in any one and all of these chambers simultaneously once we’ve got them all refurbished,” said Mary Buhr, dean of the college.
Renewal of the lighting fixtures is underway, followed by a new computer control and cooling system.
“The trick is not to heat this place because the lights contribute a lot of heat. We have a massive cooling system that actually takes some of the heat that is generated and uses it to heat the building,” she said.
The controlled environment plant growth facility enables three full cycles of plant production in one year.
“It enables us year round to duplicate any conditions anywhere in the world. Plus we can teach plant science to our students in January, or November and take a look at whether it’s summer conditions or winter conditions,” she said.
Keith Degenhardt of the WGRF says the phytotron is important in the development of new varieties. Breeding programs at the Crop Development Centre rely heavily on the phytotron to advance their programs and develop improved varieties that grow well in farmer’s fields.
“The decision by WGRF to invest in the renewal of the phytotron is one that will benefit all crop producers and provide a great return on investment for years to come,” he said.
Farmers will benefit with new and innovative plant varieties, better variety recommendations, more secure production and a greater return on their investments through higher quality, better yielding and hardier crops.
