A description of open top chamber system for oil palm carbon dioxide enrichment

A'fifah A. R.; Kho, L. K.; Haniff M. H.; Amanina N. S.; Linatoc, A. C.

A description of open top chamber system for oil palm carbon dioxide enrichment

2019

A'fifah A. R. | Kho, L. K. | Haniff M. H. | Amanina N. S. | Linatoc, A. C.

Open Top Chamber (OTC) is one of the techniques to study plant responses to elevated carbon dioxide(CO₂) concentrations. A study on the effects of CO₂ enrichment on oil palm growth, physiology and yield using OTC method was conducted at the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB) Research Station in Kluang, Johor, Malaysia. Oil palm clones P164 were cultivated in four OTC each with 9 m diameter and 10 m high. The OTC consists of a concrete structure with transparent multi-wall sheets. It has a truncated top for air aversion and to prevent CO₂ dilution within the chamber by outside air. The CO₂ gas was injected from nozzles mounted on the inner wall. The OTC was able to maintain a higher CO₂ level inside the OTC than ambient level. Air temperature inside the OTC was slightly higher than ambient, while relative humidity and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) inside the OTC were both slightly lower than ambient. A comparison of parameters measured inside the OTC and ambient provides a measure of the chamber effects. However, it could have either positive or negative effect on plant growth. The OTC method has some limitations and is only suitable for studying individual plant physiological responses to elevated CO₂.

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