Facilities

Tropical Greenhouse

As Scientific Director Prof. Dr. A. Buerkert is responsible for the Tropical Greenhouse of the University of Kassel, which harbours a unique collection of tropical crops and is used in research, teaching and public education.

Laboratory

The facilities of OPATS comprise an open-plan laboratory in which also lab classes are held, four smaller lab rooms, and additional rooms for sample preparation and storage.

Equipment

Besides its state-of-the-art basic equipment, including various centrifuges, analytical balances, and incubators the laboratory provides the following special instruments

• ANKOM Fiber Analyzer
• ICP-OES (Spectro green)
• Leaf area and Chlorophyll meter
• Flame photometer (BWB-Technologies, XP 2011)
• Gas exchange measurement device (Licor, LI6400-XT)
• Photoacoustic gas measurement devices (INNOVA, 3 pcs.)
• Kjeldahl Analysis System: Inkjel P, Turbosog, Vapodest 50s
• Microscopes (transmission, inverted, and stereo microscopes)
• Mills: Cyklotec 1093, Retsch ZM1
• Semi-micro osmometer (Knauer, ML)
• Oven: Nabertherm P330
• Spectrophotometer (Hitachi, U-2000, 190-1100 nm and Analytik Jena, Specord 50 plus)
• Protein electrophoresis equipment
• Laminar flow bank and accessories for microbiological studies

Experiments under controlled conditions can be carried out in the experimental greenhouse (at Nordbahnhof campus) and in three climatic chambers attached to the Tropical Greenhouse.