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Greenhouse facilities

Greenhouse facilities

In 2010 we replaced our existing glasshouses at the Hatherly Building at Streatham campus with a new purpose-built building. This has a footprint of 375 m2 divided into three compartments, with independent climate control, supplemental lighting and over 100m2 of bench space, completely automated. The three compartments provide conditions for the growth of tropical and temperate crop plants for research.

Research and teaching

With a total footprint of 375m2, of which 35mis dedicated to and designed for the growth of plant requiring higher standards of containment, the greenhouse facilities meet a large variety of research needs. The greenhouse facilities supports research based around Cellular and Chemical Biology, Environmental Biology and Microbes & Diseases.

The greenhouse facilities also house, and provide plant material used for teaching purposes. Various plant species are grown and propagated for modules within the school of Biosciences and Natural Sciences. We also support cross-disciplinary projects with colleagues in departments such as Physics and Geography.

Dr Nasser Trissi - Plant Growth Facilities Manager

My research interests are in the biological control of insect pests and the ecology of insect-killing fungi, especially Beauveria bassiana.

I am particularly interested in how endophytic entomopathogenic fungi affect the insect populations and the implications this has for sustainable pest control and as a regulating factor in populations of beneficial insects. Applying pathogens may affect biodiversity so my work also focusses on the effects of pathogens on non-target insects to improve our understanding of the ecological mechanisms that support the role that microbial pathogens play in insect population dynamics.

Nasser's profile page

Previous Facility Managers

Helen Bendle
Helen was Plant Growth Technician from 2019 to 2021, bringing an interest in plant genetics and specialism in propagation and pest & disease.

Chris Milne
Chris was part of the team at the University of Exeter from 2016 to 2019, ensuring the smooth running of the facilities, as well as providing support to teaching and research groups within the school of Biosciences. 

Emily Nutt
Emily joined the facility in 2016 bringing experience from her own business in the horticultural sector. Emily re-established operations after a significant greenhouse overhaul by Cambridge HOK.

Helen Hicks
Helen oversaw a reorganisation of greenhouse administration to align the facilities with a new generation of research projects.

James Chidlow
Jim oversaw the establishment of the greenhouse at its current site and simultaneously supported the first generation of plant growth rooms within the Geoffrey Pope building.

Booking request

Please fill out the Greenhouse Booking Request form.

Contact us

If you have any queries contact:

Nasser Trissi, Plant growth facilities manager

Email: a.trissi@exeter.ac.uk
Tel: +44 (0) 1392 72 2714

Nazanin Arafaty, Plant growth technician

Email: n.arafaty@exeter.ac.uk

Directions

The greenhouse facilities are situated above the new Living Systems Institute, with access by car and foot.

The Greenhouse is marked by the red arrow and sits just behind the Living Systems building (87) and Physics building (21). View an interactive map of Streatham Campus.