University of Essex opens £3m plant lab to tackle climate change

This week the University of Essex opened the doors of its ground-breaking Smart Technology Experimental Plant Suite (STEPS) facility. Backed by a £3 million investment, the state-of-the-art centre is dedicated to advancing plant science and agriculture through cutting-edge technologies and interdisciplinary collaboration.

The flagship STEPS facility integrates a range of advanced tools and techniques to comprehensively study and adapt plants for an increasingly volatile climate. It features a commercially standard vertical farm, an indoor field replicating diverse environments, and suites simulating a warming world.

With these resources, researchers can manipulate CO2 concentration, humidity and temperature levels to mimic future climate scenarios, and sophisticated computer plant scanning technology enables precise analysis of photosynthetic processes.

Agri-TechE headed to the launch

Agri-TechE Director of Communities, Becky Dodds, expressed her enthusiasm at attending the opening ceremony – when she had the opportunity to explore the facility’s cutting-edge technologies first-hand. “It was a privilege to attend the launch of the STEPS facility this week,” said Dodds.

“The new technologies available at the University of Essex are truly state-of-the-art, showcasing robotics, automated control systems, vertical plant panels, and digital replicas of plants, all integrated as a comprehensive set of tools to advance our understanding of nature itself.”

Dodds emphasised the facility’s role in addressing pressing challenges, stating, “Seeing the research and technology working in harmony creates a compelling vision for the future of agriculture. From optimising plant genetics to enhancing water usage efficiency in the face of climate change, the potential for transformative impact is immense. And having all these innovations under one roof – the future of agriculture is undeniably exciting!”

To hear more about Becky’s reflections on the launch event, watch her video here:

Collaboration takes centre stage

The STEPS project includes a collaboration with Innovation Agritech Group (IAG), a fellow member of Agri-TechE . IAG installed the commercially standard vertical farm unit, the modular GrowFrame, making Essex the first university in the UK to possess such a facility.

The significance of the STEPS facility extends beyond its technological capabilities. It represents a hub of innovation and collaboration, where researchers from diverse backgrounds come together to address pressing global challenges. By fostering interdisciplinary cooperation and leveraging state-of-the-art technologies, the STEPS facility is poised to make significant contributions to the fields of plant science, agriculture, and climate resilience.