title: A system for studying the gas exchange of whole plants at subambient total gas pressures.
abstract: A whole-plant gas exchange system that has been designed and constructed to study the feasibility of growing plants at subambient total gas pressures is described.  This system will allow for the study of whole-plant gas exchange over the entire life cycle of a plant.  The system also will allow for the regulation of atmospheric composition by providing control over the amount of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide in a chamber atmosphere.  The chamber's environmental performance is discussed in relation to selected design requirements.  This system is a major technological advance over other systems used to study low-pressure effects on plant growth.
authors.affiliation: Center for Biosystems Modelling, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843, USA.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Stahl
authors.forename: B D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Etter
mesh_terms: D000389:Air Conditioning; D001273:Atmosphere Exposure Chambers; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D018504:Ecological Systems, Closed; D004780:Environment, Controlled; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D008021:Life Support Systems / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D010100:Oxygen / Q000032:analysis; D063245:Plant Development; D010944:Plants / Q000378:metabolism*; D014908:Triticum
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D009584:Nitrogen; D010100:Oxygen