Development of a portable air control system Meteotron and its application to tropical fruit tress

成功研制了一种便携式空气控制系统“Meteotron”，用于控制安装在果树树枝上的室内的温度和湿度。该系统由一个控温单元、一个控湿单元、两个柔性聚氯乙烯室、电源和太阳能电池组成。箱体尺寸为25 * 25 * 50cm ^3。室内温度可在20℃之间调节。C和40。C，精度为*0.5。温度和湿度在30%至80%之间，精度为*5%。将该系统应用于芒果树，研究了芒果树花芽诱导和水分动力学。4年生芒果[芒果]。这棵树是在日本京都大学的一个实验农场的塑料房屋条件下种植的。1997年12月10日，选取4月份发芽的两根均匀芽，在这两根芽的近基部安装液流传感器。其中1枝用室内保温，外枝直径为9.4 mm，内枝直径为11.4 mm。舱内提供的昼夜空气和露点温度为30/15。C和22/12。部分环境管制持续至1998年2月13日。处理开始时，茎部未形成明显的花芽诱导。热室中茎叶液流高峰出现在上午，室外的液流高峰出现在下午。这表明树木中的水分被重新分配到枝条中。除了一个芽在温暖的环境中受到Meteotoron的影响外，其余芽都诱导了顶生花。

A portable air control system, "Meteotron", for controlling temperature and humidity in a chamber installed to a branch of fruit tree was successfully developed. This system consists of a unit controlling temperature, a unit controlling humidity, two flexible polyvinyl chloride chambers, power supply and solar cells battery. The dimension of the chamber is 25 * 25 * 50 cm^3. Temperature in the chamber can be regulated between 20。C and 40。C with an accuracy of *0.5。C and humidity between 30% and 80% with an accuracy of *5%.Applying this system to a mango tree, induction of floral buds and water dynamics in the tree were investigated. Four-year-old mango [Mangifera indica L.cv. Irwin] tree was grown under plastic house conditions, at an experimental farm in Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. On December 10, 1997, two uniformed shoots which had sprouted in April were selected At the almost basal point of the selected two shoots, a sap flow sensor was installed. One shoot of these was covered with the chamber to be subjected to warm environment The diameter was 9.4 and 11.4 mm for outside and inside shoot, respectively. The provided day/night air and dew point temperatures inside the chamber was 30/15。C and 22/12。C.The partial environmental control was continued to February 13, 1998. At the beginning of the treatment, there was no shoot forming visible induction of floral buds. Peak sap flow in the shoot in warmer chamber was observed in the morning while that outside in the afternoon. This suggested that water in the tree was redistributed among shoots. All shoots except for one that was subjected at warmer environment by Meteotoron induced terminal flowers.