Greenhouse Modernizations Helping Plant Research Reach New Levels
April 15, 2024 Before the ongoing process of greenhouse renovations taking place at Michigan State University, plant life, and its related research, were substantially affected by cold temperatures and weather brought on by harsh Midwest winters. The outdated research greenhouses on the MSU campus suffered from overworked heating systems, inefficient lighting fixtures, and leaking glass panes, among other problem areas.
Many of the staff, researchers, and units on campus soon recognized the inadequate research conditions presented by the state of the greenhouses and, collaboratively, identified key areas of concern to dedicated financial resources.
Chrislyn Particka, Director of the Plant Science Research Greenhouse Facility says “MSU is one of the premier plant research institutions in the world, and to continue at that level we need infrastructure that supports world-class research. We can’t have situations like that where we can’t control the temperature much at all because it undermines the integrity of our research.”
One fully upgraded greenhouse was tested on Jan. 14, 2024, where the temperatures dropped as low as –4°F. However, the new climate control systems and temperature seals kept the inside consistent at 77°F during the day and 68°F overnight.
Many of the ongoing and planned updates were made possible by a higher education funding budget passed in July 2022 by the Michigan Legislature. Included in the budget was $53 million for updates to the on-campus greenhouse and dairy facilities of MSU.
Particka, along with Erik Runkle, a Professor and MSU Extension specialist from the Department of Horticulture, and Tom Sharkey, a professor in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, have been working closely to plan the upgrades to the campus facilities.
Referencing the outdated facilities, Runkle says “With 1960s technology, there’s so much that we have to consider. The components of the greenhouses don’t talk to one another very well, so you often see heating and cooling elements running simultaneously. But with updated facilities, we can focus on our research and not have to worry so much about the conditions on a day-to-day basis.”
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