The University of California at Davis has one of the most extensive research and training programs in plant biology worldwide. Research programs, conducted by over 130 faculty, range from plant cell and molecular biology, development and genetic regulation, germplasm enhancement and conservation, environmental physiology, population biology and ecology to plant pathology and pests. These investigations are performed in greenhouses, the fundamental tool for plant biologists. Existing greenhouse space on campus is in poor condition and is limited in its usefulness during certain periods of the year. Problems include: inadequate temperature control, insufficient supplemental lighting, dilapidated infrastructure, noncompliance of state and federal codes, deficiencies in structural design, and the lack of pure water for cooling and irrigation. This ARI award will support UC-Davis in its endeavor to provide modernized greenhouse facilities for the Department of Plant Biology. The project includes the renovation of most greenhouses, and replacement of four greenhouses by a Core Greenhouse Facility. Renovations will rectify the critical problems that impede upon research in many of the greenhouses that lack controlled environments. Renovated facilities will allow researchers to use powerful molecular genetic and transgenic tools dependent on controlled environments for research. In addition to its specific impacts on the institution and on the state of California, the new core facility will have a profound impact at the national level. Many pressing problems identified at the national level, such as global climate change, protection of the environment, and improvement of agricultural competitiveness through biotechnology, have long been recognized as important priorities, and their solutions involve a thorough understanding of plant biology. Faculty at UC-Davis are highly productive, and research results are widely distributed both nationally and internationally. This project will catalyze this research potential, greatly enhancing the productivity and contribution of the large and diverse contingent of plant biologists at the institution.
