Temperature is a primary influence factor on plant growth, along with humidity, air circulation and light. All these variables can be regulated with high precision in the facility’s twelve climate chambers, enabling super-accurate controlled growth experimentation. Additionally, plants can be prepared for experimentation in the connected research greenhouse.
“One of the primary research objectives to be achieved by means of the new climate chambers and greenhouse is to gain a better understanding of the genetic and physiological processes that are essential for crops to adapt to changing environmental conditions,” elucidates Professor Frank Hochholdinger, Chair for Crop Functional Genomics at the Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES). Climate chambers used to be in short supply at the University of Bonn, and the ones available were furthermore outdated. “It became increasingly apparent that creating a new core facility would be more economical,” explains Dr. Hochholdinger, who after retention negotiations in 2018 was finally allowed to file a large equipment procurement requisition for twelve climate chambers.
Good things come to those who wait ...
It took nearly six years until successful conclusion of the requisition process. “It took tremendous persistence to properly address all users’ interests, and to keep the project moving forward in the midst of the pandemic,” relates Dr. Birgit Hoegen, Real Estate and Finance Manager at the Faculty of Agriculture, who was in charge of coordinating the project. “With resources limited, the University’s progress depends on effective cross-faculty coordination and organized joint efforts,” underscores Dr. Hoegen, who sees such projects as fun learning opportunities for all parties involved.
“The goal is to develop ‘climate-resilient’ plant varieties”
Working groups will soon be conducting experiments on maize, barley, wheat, rice, sugar beet, potatoes and tomatoes at the University of Bonn’s new core research facility. “This research is aimed at making advances to the development of ‘climate-resilient’ plant varieties that can survive heat and drought in connection with climate change,” relates Hochholdinger. In addition to the Faculty of Agriculture, the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences has related projects ongoing at the facility.
Internationally competitive
The University of Bonn has multiple core facilities bundled at the Bonn Technology Campus, which in addition to the new climate chambers is also equipped for microscopy, gene editing, next-generation sequencing and proteomics. “Bundling cutting-edge technology and expertise makes sense both economically and scientifically,” says Core Facilities Business and Operations Coordinator Dr. Elmar Endl. “A broad array of shared research infrastructures is crucial for our established research groups to remain internationally competitive, giving ambitious researchers access to technologies they otherwise would not have due to budget reasons."
“A broad array of shared research infrastructures is crucial for our established research groups to remain internationally competitive, giving ambitious researchers access to technologies they otherwise would not have due to budget reasons."
- Coordinator Dr. Elmar Endl
Formally, the climate chambers are research infrastructure of the Faculty of Agriculture, and facility administration and maintenance are conducted via the DLP plant trials service platform. Integration into the Bonn Technology Campus as a core facility opens up access to all interested faculties at the University, whose members can file requests for climate chamber usage. External parties can also use the facility, under cooperation agreements and other frameworks, as Dr. Alina Klaus of the DLP office comments: “The core facility can be booked by private businesses as well, although internal uses always get priority when capacity is scarce.”
Consultations for potential users
Researchers who have a clear idea of what will be required to conduct their intended experiments can book a climate chamber via the Bonn Technology Campus website (https://btc.uni-bonn.de/core-facilities/). Booking requests are forwarded to Alina Klaus for review and approval. “As a rule we hold an advance consultation with all parties interested in conducting trials, where the information provided is binding,” says Klaus. “It is of course also possible to contact us already in the trial planning phase to discuss various options.”
Fees apply for use of core facilities. “To afford better budget planning we charge flat fees that are reimbursable from third-party funding.” Students can use the climate chambers as well, for a final thesis project, for example.
“Top-level plant research”
Operation of the plant trial service platform usually differs from one day to the next, as Klaus notes: “Because we support many different researchers with trials of a highly varied nature, every day we are called upon to adapt to users’ requirements and preferences.” Klaus is the contact person for all questions of a scientific or organizational nature. She and Technical Director Josef Bauer coordinate daily operations and plan room occupancy to ensure that everything runs smoothly.
Cross-border research is nothing new at the University of Bonn, as Professor Heiko Schoof points out, who is Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture: “We have been closely collaborating with other faculties for many years now,” "This is our way of optimally deploying our available resources to capture synergies for our common benefit." The climate chamber greenhouse represents excellent infrastructure enabling "top-level plant research" across faculties and disciplines. “We believe this approach can serve as a model.”