The C23A System: A Tool for Global Control of Plant Environment and Exchange Measurements

The C₂3A (Chambres de Culture Automatiques en Atmosphère Artificielle) System is composed of a group of plant growth chambers (six 700 litres modules designed for the study of canopies, and four 8 to 20 litres chambers for studies on individual plants) used for research in plant physiology. The basic principles of the system (air tightness, measurements apparatus sharing associated with chamber twinning…) which allow the continuous measurement of physiological activities are exposed. The general design of the chambers, the temperature and hygrometry control, the CO₂ regulation and the computing system are described. Specific devices which have been implemented in several chambers for special purposes are presented to illustrate the large variety of capabilities of the system.