The Phytotron
NC State University’s Phytotron includes Plant Controlled Environmental Laboratories located on both North Campus and Centennial Campus. These specialized facilities provide researchers with the ability to grow plants under precisely defined environmental conditions and examine how plants respond to individual and interacting factors.
A wide range of conditions can be independently controlled, including light quality, photoperiod, temperature, humidity, CO₂ concentration, water availability, nutrient levels, and soil composition. This flexibility allows researchers to create specific growing environments, conduct replicated experiments, and evaluate plant responses across multiple combinations of environmental factors.
The North Campus Phytotron first opened in May 1968 and after more than 50 years, has continued to undergo major renovations to modernize the facility. The most recent renovation included modifying the BSL3 laboratory for insect containment. Today, the North Campus Phytotron houses more than 70 growth chambers, four air conditioned rooftop greenhouses and a Biocontainment Lab with an attached greenhouse. It also hosts the NCSU Plant Transformation Laboratory.
The Centennial Phytotron is located in the Plant Science Building on Centennial campus. The Plant Sciences Building opened in 2022 and is filled with cutting-edge technology to connect NC State’s research with other facilities across the world. It has even been awarded with the Leadership and Energy Environmental Design gold certification. The Centennial Phytotron utilizes controlled environment laboratories the same way that the North Campus Phytotron does. This research facility boasts ten air conditioned rooftop biosafety level two greenhouses, a biosafety lab level three with a greenhouse, twenty growth chambers, and multiple laboratories. Four of the growth chambers are precision controlled Angstrom Engineering chambers.
Who can use the Phytotron? We provide services to all departments. Our facility is open to faculty, graduate and undergraduate students, post docs, commercial researchers, and researchers from other universities. Those who desire to use this facility must submit a proposal. If you are interested in using our facility please contact us and apply.