Content for ncera-101 station reports

Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility
Department of Environmental Biology, University of Guelph 2007 Station Report to the NCR-101 Committee
Mike Dixon, Director ([email protected])
Theresa Rondeau Vuk, Program)

1. New Facilities and Equipment
Dissolved ozone sensor (ATI); Ozone generator (Clearwater Tech); Ozone off-gas preparation
system (INUSA); Ozone off-gas destruct system (Clearwater Tech); Hach Colourimeter, Plant
Tissue Fibre Analyzer (ANKOM 200), Humidity and temperature sensor (Valsala HMP42).
2. Unique Plant Responses.
1). Root zone high dissolved oxygen (DO) level (e.g. 40 mg l-1) can have negative effects on plant root growth (e.g. tomato, miniature roses, Huang Qing) in hydroponic system. 2). Root zone DO level above normal (~ 8.5) to 30 ppm may enhance plant growth and prevent or reduce roots from pythium spp. infection. 3) Direct foliar application of dissolved ozone does not impact growth at levels below 0.8 mg/l (as realized at the canopy level) for selected crops. This opens the door for foliar pathogen control using aqueous ozone.
3. Accomplishment Summaries.
We are a big group and it is too much to summarize all of our accomplishment here. But one
thing we would like to report is the Tomatosphere project. Tomatosphere, an educational
outreach project involving more than 6000 classrooms in Canada (and the United States and
several other countries), was awarded the 2006 Alouette Award by the Canadian Aeronautics
and Space Institute. The award was presented to Tomatosphere to recognize its outstanding
contribution to advancement in Canadian space technology, application and science.
4. Impact Statements.
The Tomatosphere project uses the excitement of space exploration as a medium for teaching
students about science, space and agriculture and the role being played by Canada as a world
leader in the support of long-term space flight.
5. Published Written Works.
Book Chapters
Zheng, Y., Jones, M.P.A., Dixon, M and Saxena, P.K. 2007. Conventional and emerging
cultivation strategies for medicinal Echinacea production. In: Advances in Medicinal Plant
Research. S.N. Acharya and J.E. Thomas (ed.) (Inpress).
Refereed Journal Articles
Zheng, Y., Wang, L. and Dixon, M. 2007. A Threshold for Elevated Root Zone Oxygen for
Tomato. Scientia Horticulturae (Inpress).
Zheng, Y.,Dixon, M. and Saxena, P.S. 2006. Growing Environment and Nutrient Availability Affect the Content of Some Phenolic Compounds in Echinacea purpurea and Echinacea angustifolia . Planta Medica 72:1407-1414. Zheng, Y., Dixon, M. and Saxena, P. 2006. Greenhouse Production of Echinacea purpurea (L.) and E. angustifolia Using Different Growing media, NO - Regimes. Can. J. Plant Sci. 86: 809-815. Symposium Proceedings Stutte, G., N.C. Yorio, J.T. Richards, S. Edney, M. Sisko, R. Wheeler, M. Stasiak, and M. Dixon. 2006. Effects of hypobaric pressure conditions on the growth and development of radish. Habitation 2006. Orlando, Florida. Feb 5-8, 2006. Vol 10 No 3/4, HLS123 Dixon, M., C.A. Wehkamp, and M. Stasiak. 2005. Physiological responses of lettuce (Lactuca sativa) to reduced atmospheric pressure. SAE Technical Paper Series. 2005-01-3074. Popular Articles Zheng Y., Zhang, P. and Dixon, M. 2007. Eco-system unites substrate with NFT. Fruit and Veg Tech. V 7 No 1. Richard, S., Zheng, Y., Dixon, M. 2006. To recycle or not to recycle? Greenhouse Canada
December issue, 2006. 20-25.
6. Scientific and Outreach Oral Presentations.
Zheng, Y., Wang, L., Cayanan, D., Zhang, P., Graham, T., Liu, W., Chong, C., Llewellyn, J
and Dixon, M. 2007. Irrigation water disinfection – Cu, Cl and O3. Landscape Ontario
Growers Short Course, Royal Botanic Garden, On. Feb. 7 (Invited talk).
Cayanan, D.F., Zheng, Y., Chong, C., Graham, T., Zhang, P., Llewellyn, J. and Dixon, M.
2007. The Application of Chlorination Technology in Nursery and Greenhouse Productions.
Flowers Canada (On) Research Symposium, Niagara Horticultural College, Ontario, January
22, 2007.Martinez, S., Zheng, Y., Wang, L., Liu W. and Dixon, M. 2007. Improving
Productivity and Pathogen Resistance of Ornamental Crops by Nutrient Solution Oxygenation.
Flowers Canada (On) Research Symposium, Niagara Horticultural College, Ontario, January
22, 2007.Thomas Graham, Michael Dixon, Youbin Zheng, Weizong Liu, Ping Zhang, Aaron
Cena, Laura Greenway, Dave Greenway. 2007. Aqueous Ozone in Nursery and Greenhouse
Production Systems. Ozone V, University of California, Fresno, California. April 2-3, 2007.
Thomas Graham, Michael Dixon, Stacey Robinson, Jamie Lawson, Ping Zhang, Aaron Cena,
Steve Hagens, John Brouwers, Laura Greenway, Dave Greenway. 2007. From Lab Bench to
Commercial Trials: Ozone in the Floriculture Industry. Ozone V, University of California,
Fresno, California. April 2-3, 2007.
Dixon, M., C. Wehkamp and M. Stasiak. 2005. Physiological Responses of Lettuce (Lactuca
sativa) to Reduced Atmospheric Pressure. 2005-01-3074. 35th Conference on International
Conference on Environmental Systems, Rome, Italy, July 11-14, 2005.
Dixon, M. 2006. Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility. OCE-ETech, Guelph,
Dixon, M. 2006. Promising CO2 Absorption Technology identified in contract on Phase Management for Advanced Life Support Processes. The Netherlands. Dixon, M. 2006. Tomatosphere. Cool Primary School, Cool, California. Dixon, M. 2006. Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility; Collaborations and Technology Transfer. Going Global, Spain. Dixon, M. 2006. Biological Life Support for Human Space Exploration. Guelph, ON.

Source: http://www.controlledenvironments.org/memberpages/stationreports/2007_reports/gueldeb_2007.pdf