BTI

Boyce Thompson Institute

USA

For over 90 years, Boyce Thompson Institute (BTI) has been a leader in discovery and innovation in the life sciences. One of the reasons BTI has sustained success for so many years is the research support provided by a 25,000+ square foot plant growth facility which includes a total of thirty-eight Conviron chambers, including fifteen walk-in chambers totaling 3,700 sq. ft. and twenty-three reach-in chambers totaling 502 sq. ft.

Under the leadership of greenhouse manager Brian Bell, you will find greenhouses, growth chambers, a dew room, a plant functional genomics room, a plant pathogen room, and a seed harvest room.

Boyce Thompson Institute Plant Growth Room
This walk-in growth chamber reveals young corn plants growing in a controlled environment. A constant 23°C and 60% humidity in both light and dark allows for the tightly regulated plant development necessary for biological experiments.

The facility operates under the strategy of integrated pest management (IPM) which focuses on long-term prevention of pests or their damage through a combination of techniques such as biological control, habitat manipulation, modification of cultural practices, and use of resistant varieties. To maintain ideal conditions, facility staff utilize the Argus climate control system which monitors all rooms and automatically adjusts temperature and sun exposure based on desired levels. ​

BTI Argus Controlled Greenhouses
Large, fruiting tomato plants grow across the aisle from coffee bushes loaded with flowers and ripening beans. Temperature and humidity in the greenhouse is regulated by industrial fans and moveable windows.

Maintaining such an operation is literally a full-time job. The facility is staffed by just three people and at least one staff person must be present in the facility every day of the year to ensure plants receive the necessary daily care needed to be reliable subjects for the institute’s 15 research labs.

The opportunity to have this amazing facility connected to the institute makes it an essential component of BTI’s mission to make scientific discoveries that support agriculture, the environment, and human health.