Plant growth chamber for pathogenesis assays and beyond

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A key aspect of scientific research is the ability to reproduce the results of an experiment. In plant biology, carrying out reproducible experiments requires growing plants in defined conditions that can be reproduced. A primary way to carry this out is to grow plants in a chamber where light, temperature and humidity levels can be set and maintained.  There are two added advantages to growing plants this way: 1) the plants in the chamber are isolated, so if they were infected with a pathogen, that pathogen would be contained and 2) conditions in one chamber can be different than another chamber beside it. This last point differs from a greenhouse where it is much more difficult to set up distinct environmental conditions on one bench relative to the bench beside it.  Recent expansion of faculty at Trent University has allowed the formation of a core in plant biology research with distinct but complementary expertise.  This expertise means that important new research on a plant's response to pathogen infection, that would not have been possible at Trent previously, can now be carried out.  This new research requires new conditions for plant growth that cannot be met with the current facilities at Trent University.  As such, the purchase of a new, modern growth chamber with the capacity to grow plants under high intensity light, at an elevated humidity and temperature is required to meet this capability.  This new chamber is also absolutely necessary for ongoing NSERC funded research of incoming faculty. In our research of chambers we have selected modern design that is easier to operate and provides a better instrument for training new researchers.  We have also included a request for two external condensers that will cool the recirculation water for both the new chamber and a chamber that already exists at Trent. These new coolers eliminate the extreme water consumption rate of the chambers, which can reach 2700 gallons of city water per day.  Funding this proposal will add absolutely required capabilities at Trent in an environmentally conscious manner that facilitates the training of highly qualified personnel.