Campus Curiosities: Growth Chambers
Plant researchers at the University of Minnesota rely on these facilities to simulate the environment and test different growing conditions with precision.
April 7, 2025
Across the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS), plant researchers rely on growth chambers to simulate the environment and test different growing conditions with precision. With 145 growth chambers on campus—managed by the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES)—scientists can control temperature, humidity, lighting, and even atmospheric conditions like carbon dioxide to study how plants respond to different conditions.
These growth chambers support critical research in agriculture, horticulture, and even sustainable biofuel production. From studying cold hardiness to understanding plant diseases, they allow researchers to investigate real-world challenges with year-round consistency. Doug Brinkman, manager of the growth chambers, explains, “We can grow plants from the tropics. We can grow plants from the desert… The growth chambers allow us to grow things 12 months out of the year.”
Nick Talmo, graduate student in the Ashish Ranjan lab in the Department of Plant Pathology, is using growth chambers to study soybean disease response. “This research is important because we are studying a fungal pathogen that is one of the top five contributors to yield loss in soybean in the United States,” says Talmo. Given the significant role of soybeans in Minnesota’s agricultural economy, such research is essential for developing future solutions.
As technology advances, investments in better lighting, refrigerants, and environmental controls continue to enhance these growth chambers, enabling new discoveries. “Investing in the growth chambers and the staff that have the expertise to manage them helps support the competitiveness of our research program across the Minnesota Ag Experiment Station,” says Joleen Hadrich, Associate Dean for the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station and CFANS Research and Outreach Centers. “The equipment alone can't achieve the innovation, rather it’s collaboration across colleges and research programs that helps drive this success.“
