Greenhouse
The greenhouse is customised to WCAT needs and constructed analogously to the set of walk-in phytotrons (Greendrop Co). There are identical zones: ‘normal’ comprising 5 standard boxes and 1 with an option of dark-room, and ‘pathogenic’ and ‘GMO’ each comprising 4 boxes. These latter zones are separated by lock chambers and include their own utilisation stations and rooms for personnel dressage. Also, construction of whole greenhouse is designed in such a way in order to limit contamination transfer among zones and conform requirements of biological safety. Accordingly, pots etc. with a substrate can be transported only in one way – from preparation room, through growth boxes to utilisation devices. Similarly, entries and communication courses for ‘normal’, pathogen-infected and GM plants are separated. The greenhouse is connected by a corridor with other blocks of plant biotechnology facility, so plants can be directly transported from those blocks to the greenhouse, without contacting outer environment. In the greenhouse plants are cultivated on flood tables, 3 items in each box. The total table cultivation area is approx. 50 m2 for normal plants and 25 m2 for ‘GMO’ and ‘pathogen-infected’ ones. Plant growth conditions are controlled by the same MultiMa computer and watering together with fertilisation is also automatic.
