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A Continuous Air‐Exchange Roomette and Gas‐Meting System
Author(s) -
Diesburg K. L.,
Christians N. E.,
Gladon R. J.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1989.0011183x002900020023x
Subject(s) - airflow , relative humidity , humidity , poa pratensis , irradiance , moisture , ethylene , volumetric flow rate , materials science , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , botany , meteorology , chemistry , composite material , biology , thermodynamics , physics , optics , biochemistry , poaceae , catalysis
Portable, controlled‐environment systems with precise control of airflow rate, gas concentration, humidity, irradiance, and temperature have been constructed with considerable expense and custom design. This roomette exposure system was built from materials common to most laboratories. Desiccators were used for the exposure of hydroponically grown Kentucky bluegrass ( Poa pratensis L.) plants to ethylene concentrations of 10 to 3200 µL/L for up to 10 d. Airflow rate and ethylene influx were controlled with separate barostat towers with 1.0‐ and 0.152‐mm inside‐diameter capillary tubes, respectively. An air exchange rate of 7.5 volumes/h and a stirring magnet prevented increased temperatures and moisture condensation while replenishing CO 2 . Roomette temperature and irradiance were subject to ambient conditions deviating from the mean by 15 and 18%, respectively. Relative humidity was maintained at 85 ± 8% with humidifying stacks. This system can be used for effective, low‐cost, modified‐atmosphere experiments with intact plants as well as plant parts.