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Liquid Culture Systems for in vitro Plant Propagation

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50 Anne Kathr<strong>in</strong>e Hvoslef-Eide et al.<br />

2.7 Microprocessors, computers and software<br />

Each bioreactor is controlled by a Personal Computer (PC). The ma<strong>in</strong><br />

task of this computer is to be the user <strong>in</strong>terface and <strong>for</strong> data logg<strong>in</strong>g. The<br />

user <strong>in</strong>terface allows the operators to set parameters <strong>for</strong> the controller,<br />

specify set po<strong>in</strong>ts, per<strong>for</strong>m sensor calibration and set up other experimental<br />

properties. The set po<strong>in</strong>ts can be specified to be constant dur<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

experiment or to vary along a diurnal cycle, where the set po<strong>in</strong>ts are freely<br />

specified <strong>for</strong> each of the 24 hours. Every actuator can also be manually<br />

controlled dur<strong>in</strong>g the experiment to allow <strong>for</strong> the operators to <strong>in</strong>teract<br />

actively with the process. Logged data are displayed as graphs. (Bakken,<br />

1992; Kolstad, 1991; Myhre, 1991).<br />

However, the PC does not take an active part <strong>in</strong> the control of the<br />

actuators; this is under the control of a dedicated microprocessor. This<br />

processor is placed <strong>in</strong> an electronic rack together with sensor amplifiers,<br />

power supply, actuator drivers and the gas mixer (Unpublished electronics<br />

and software). We developed the electronics and programs <strong>for</strong> this project.<br />

The electronics hardware is housed <strong>in</strong> a rack, one <strong>for</strong> each bioreactor. The<br />

racks are self-conta<strong>in</strong>ed units, which make the system <strong>in</strong>dependent of the<br />

ever-chang<strong>in</strong>g technology of the PC world. The control processor<br />

communicates over a RS232 serial l<strong>in</strong>e with the PC or any other RS232equipped<br />

system by a simple protocol developed <strong>for</strong> this project. This<br />

protocol and the <strong>in</strong>teraction between the PC and the controller <strong>for</strong> parameter<br />

transfer; data logg<strong>in</strong>g etc. are described <strong>in</strong> more detail <strong>in</strong> Olsen and<br />

Heyerdahl (1994). Both the electronics and software of the control processor<br />

are substantially more simple than those of the PC and probably more stable<br />

and reliable than the PC. S<strong>in</strong>ce the critical onl<strong>in</strong>e part of the system is<br />

external to the PC, the PC may malfunction without affect<strong>in</strong>g the<br />

experiment.<br />

3. Biological material and methods when start<strong>in</strong>g an<br />

experiment<br />

When start<strong>in</strong>g experiments <strong>in</strong> the bioreactors, it is important to per<strong>for</strong>m<br />

the experiment with the same start<strong>in</strong>g material to get homogenous and<br />

comparable suspension cultures. The whole concept of six identical<br />

bioreactors is to facilitate factorial experiments to reveal differences between<br />

treatments and possible <strong>in</strong>teractions. In our experience, the same genotype<br />

may vary so much from batch to batch and dur<strong>in</strong>g a year, that experiments<br />

need to be repeated <strong>in</strong> the bioreactors both <strong>in</strong> time and space to be reliable.<br />

Generally we follow the same procedure at all times: <strong>in</strong>oculate one

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