Skip to main content Skip to navigation

School of Life Sciences

Phytobiology

Phytobiology is a fully contained stand-alone facility arranged on two floors allowing Life Sciences research projects and other department collaborations to grow plants in precise controlled environmental conditions.

GroDome (Upper Floor)

The GroDome is specifically designed with sustainable energy technology providing a single span polycarbonate clad structure offering 13 fully contained independent chambers to accommodate different research programmes. Each chamber can operate with its own unique environmental parameters with benefits including reliable controlled internal environment, contained air handling and drainage, enhanced natural light penetration, reduced pest control combined with alternative energy solutions to reduce the carbon footprint.

Chambers are available in two sizes:

  • The smaller chambers (24 m2) are fitted with two static ebb and flood benches with a central path. The benches may be removed for tall crops to grow in pots on the floor. The larger chambers (48 m2) are fitted with three fully mobilised roll top galvanised weld mesh benches to maximise growing space.
  • The Grodome maintains growing temperatures between the range of 18C and 30C. Supplementary lighting is available in all chambers and two of the small chambers are fitted with photoperiod blackout blinds.

Researchers currently grow a range of crops including arabidopsis, medicago, barley, maize, leafy brassicas, lettuce, rocket, sunflowers and onions.

Controlled Environment Suite (Lower floor)

  • 3 Aralabs offering a walk in multi-tier plant growth environment with independent light control on each tier and precise climatic simulation with humidity control
  • 3 Conviron walk-in rooms offering a walk in shelved plant growth environment with independent light control on each tier and precise climatic simulation without humidity control
  • 5 Weiss cabinets offering ‘reach in’ adaptable shelf height with precise light, temperature and humidity control and CO2 enrichment
  • 4 large Sanyo cabinets offering ‘reach in’ adaptable shelf height with precise light, temperature and humidity control and CO2 enrichment
  • 2 small Sanyo cabinets offering small scale ‘reach in’ single shelf with precise light, temperature and humidity control
Phytobiology Facility

Phytobiology Facility

 

GroDome chamber

GroDome chamber

 

CE chamber

CE chamber