Vergara - 1976 - Physiological and morphological adaptability of ri

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Most of these installations were intended and are being used for both basic
research in the plant sciences and for research directly relating to economic
productivity‘. Often the two are interrelated or integrated. Research in phytotrons
has tended to break down the barriers between the sciences. It has taught
workers in many fields-genetics. plant pathology, entomology, agronomv.
ecology-to think in tenns of the basic physiology of their problems, and in tum
physiologists have become aware of the relevance of other sciences. and especially
of genetics. Indeed. much of the research in CERES and elsewhere is
multidisciplinary‘.
PlQTOIFCJIIS are used in diverse ways. but one can identify‘ three main uses:
l. Studies which explore the effect of a range of climatic components. singly
or in interaction. on specific biological responses of plants. such as vegetative
development. flowering. seed production. resistance to parasites. response to
nutrients, and reaction to moisture stress.
2. Studies requiring plant material reared under controlled and repeatable
conditions, for research in various biological sciences such as biochemistry,
physiology. or genetics. The phvx-‘totron is used to provide standard conditions
rather than a range of conditions which are intrinsic in the experimental design.
Although relatively simple facilities may suffice for such purposes. the availability
of a diversity of conditions is extremely convenient. For example. in
studies of the genetic controls of tlotver differentiation in wheat I am using four
different light and temperature regimes in successive phases of development.
3. Use of “eriticaF environments for research in plant breeding. ecology.
agronomy. plant protection, etc. Once research in the plrvtotron has yielded
basic information on the effects of physical components of the environment on
development, productivity, resistance to limiting factors. etc, it becomes possible
to use critical conditions in the “tailoring“ of plants or of cultural procedures.
When the demand for particular conditions outgrows the space available
in the plwtotron, larger and less expensive space may need to be provided elsewhere.
Each of these uses has the potential to contribute to knowledge and to human
welfare, and often they merge. A classical example was Wenfs discovery that the
low yield of commercial tomato varieties in the Californian summer was due to
their requirement for low night temperatures. This finding was followed up by
phytotron workers who succeeded in breeding tomato varieties with a high fruit
set at high night temperatures.
I have mentioned this first textbook example of applied phytotronies not
only for its historical interest. but to introduce the comment that toda_v's phytotron
studies are of a more complex and sophisticated nature. as are many of
the agronomic questions these studies are intended to answer. I shall confine
mytselt‘ to only a few remarks which relate to the phytotron which is the subject
of this function. since the use of phytotrtins in agricultural research will be discussed
by Dr. Evans in the symposium this week. Here I arn returning to the
theme with which I started this talk——the intensification of research in the serv-