Introduction

Device designed and realized to grow plants in a confined environment and under totally controlled environment conditions, simulating the complex ecosystem in which plants live in real crops and in the wild.

Technical features

The device enables the operator to grow plants in a confined environment under controlled environment conditions, simulating the complex ecosystem in which plants live in the crops and in the wild. The operator is enabled to control, even remotely, all the main environmental factors acting on plant growth and development. It is also possible to modify the set of environmental factors under control. The device is modular. The core is represented by two chambers, one designed to grow the aerial part of the plants (epigeal chamber) and another designed to grow the roots (hypogeal chamber). The two chambers are disconnected from each other and independently accessible by the operator. The control of the environmental factors can be ergonomically carried out in each point of the device, also preventing stress on plants. The environmental parameters are independently monitored and controlled in the two chambers and gaseous exchanges between them happen only through the rooting substrate surface, as under natural conditions.

Possible Applications

• Advanced research in chemical ecology, crop ecology, crop production, ecophysiology, ecotoxicology, environmental microbiology, plant ecology, plant parasitology, plant pathology, plant pest and pathogen control, plant physiology, soil chemistry and biochemistry, soil ecology etc;
• Growing plants in ‘unconventional sites’.

Advantages

• Fit for either research and cultivation purposes;
• Fit for growing plants with different forms, either herbaceous and woody plants;
• Fit even for very long lasting growing cycles.