85-second time lapse: Lloyd T. Evans Plant Growth Facility--Jan. 2015-Jan. 2016
Channel: International Rice Research Institute
Date: 2016-01-21

Here is a 85-second time lapse of the construction of the Lloyd T. Evans Plant Growth Facility (PGF: http://irri.org/about-us/our-facilities#facilities-6), which took place between January 2015 and January 2016. The facility was opened and dedicated on 21 January 2016. See http://irri-news.blogspot.com/2016/01/usd-10-million-facility-for-studying.html

The PGF is a state-of-the-art research complex on the campus of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI; http:irri.org). It is envisioned to become a key international resource and venue for biotechnology research and the conservation of genetic diversity and will be an important tool in climate change research.

The facility includes eight controlled-environment glasshouses, a large set of controlled-environment walk-in and reach-in plant growth chambers, plant processing and potting laboratories, and a large seed processing and storage setup. It also features optimum environment-friendly management support systems that employ rainwater capture and storage, natural ventilation, and other energy-saving technologies.

With the PGF, scientists will now be able to nurture and study plants, particularly rice, in a wide range of environments. Researchers can precisely control temperature, relative humidity, light intensity, photoperiod systems, atmospheric gases, and water management systems.

The innovative research that will be carried out here will contribute significantly to understanding the impact of climate change on the growth of the rice plant. The glasshouses will also be used for strategic plant physiology research that will yield insights into improving other crops such as wheat.

Educating the upcoming generation of future leaders in rice science is one of IRRI’s major strategic goals. So, it is hoped that the facility’s cutting-edge array of scientific equipment will entice many bright graduates to make a career out of studying the crop sciences.