UNITS FOR AUTOMATIC CULTURE IN ARTIFICIAL ATMOSPHERE - "C2 3A" PROJECT

An original method and equipment have been developed for agronomical research requirements by combining the automatism and data processing techniques with cultivation cells. The method consists in regulating in a quantified manner certain factors conditioning growth and firstly the atmosphere components. In an enclosed environment can be obtained the input/output analyses related to the metabolic activity over long periods, and rapid measurement of their natural or caused variation (disease, defficiency, climatic factors, etc…).

A modular and convertible cultivation cell equipment has been designed which permits both bright lighting, with constant or variable wind and a sealed confinement. An electronic system pilots the gas analyses on seven different experiments and regulates four of the simultaneously.

The quantified measurements and input/output operations are recorded numerically for computer processing.

At present, the agronomy experiments being carried out are the marking with ¹⁴C of root excretions, the studying of the effect of oxygen on plant development and the production of corn grains uniformly marked with ¹⁴C.

The possibilities of growth analysis are illustrated from corn cultivations carried out up to maturity in an artificial atmosphere. The typical curves of hourly and daily CO₂ consumption are given together with the evolution of the daily CO₂ and water requirements during growth.