Department of Biological Sciences
 

The Virginia Tech Biological Sciences and VBI Plant Growth Facility

You are here: Home > Biological Sciences Greehouse Facility >The Biological Sciences and VBI Plant Growth Facility

Mission:
Whereas the Department of Biological Sciences and the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute have limited access to plant growth facilities, a new facility was designed, funded, and constructed.  The mission of the facility is to provide "state of the art" plant growth space to support and promote scholarship in plant systems by scientists at Virginia Tech. We strive to fully integrate this facility in the learning, discovery, and engagement activities of the department of Biological Sciences, the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute and other plant related departments and institutes at Virginia Tech.

 

 

The Facility:
The "Biological Sciences-VBI Plant Growth Facility" (VT-PGF) consists of 3240 square feet of plant growth space divided into five 432 square foot growth bays plus one smaller bay for propagation. The plant growth bays are located on Smithfield Plantation Road and are attached to the Ecosystems Simulation Laboratory building (ESL). Access to restrooms is available in the ESL and the ESL space can be used in the future for facility support. A state of the art computer regulated control system (Wadsworth) will regulate plant growth bay environmental conditions and provide data on the internet. Researchers will be able to obtain specific environmental data from sensors located in each growth bay and request changes of conditions as necessary.

 


Current 2007-2008 Research Projects:

  • Below ground defense in Quercus species in response to root feeders:  Implications for fine root productivity. Principal Investigator:  Dr. Bob Jones, Matt Dittler
  • Populus functional genomics. Principal Investigator: Dr. Amy Brunner, Xiaoyan Sheng, Chien-Ting Wang
  • Effector genes in Poa sojae. Principal Investigator:  Dr. Brent Tyler, Filipe Arredondo
  • Maize and Rice drought stress studies and Switchgrass transcriptome. Principal Investigator:  Dr. Andy Pereira, Madan M Ambauaram
  • Functional significance of idioblasts in levels of Rhododenron section Virgeya. Principal Investigator:  Dr. Eric Nilsen


Past 2006-2007 Research Projects:

  • Effects of leaf litter composition and exotic earthworms on recruitment of non-native grass. Principal Investigator:  Dr. Bob Jones, Travis Belote

Downloads (in .pdf format):

 

 

Mailing Address:
Biological Sciences
Virginia Tech
2119 Derring Hall
Blacksburg, VA 24061
540-231-5112