Purpose: The 1505D-EXP portable plant water potential cavitation pressure chamber is used to measure the water potential of intact leaves or twigs from different regions, crops, and growth stages. It is also suitable for measuring water potential in high-water-potential plants, such as those in desert and arid regions, as well as for routine water relation measurements and irrigation scheduling. By obtaining this parameter, it provides data for the crop water potential research component in agricultural condition monitoring. The instrument is equipped with a cavitation chamber to simulate plant cavitation phenomena, enabling continuous testing and the establishment of plant cavitation curves within the cavitation zone. It is used for research on plant stress under adverse conditions, particularly in studies of drought and waterlogging, and is widely applied in forestry to investigate how external environments affect plant water transport.
Principle: The plant leaf or twig is clamped in the sample chamber, and gas pressure is applied until the first droplet of tissue fluid exudes. The pressure value at this moment represents the water potential of the plant tissue.
The Model 1505D-EXP Pressure Chamber Instrument is a combination instrument. It is a Model 1505D fitted with an external port out to a Cavitation Chamber. The instrument can be used as a Pressure Chamber or as a Cavitation Chamber by simply switching a valve. This unique design allows the user to have both instruments in one unit at a cheaper cost than buying the two instruments separate.
The instrument can be connected directly to a Nitrogen Cylinder with 207 Bar/3000 PSI pressure. The Digital Gauge offers features such as back lighting and multiple pressure scales (Bar, PSI or MPa).
Instrument comes fitted with our most popular sealing gasket size – 1/4 inch Compression Gland Gasket and Insert. This gasket will seal a sample that is 1/4 inch in diameter down to a completely closed position. If you need other sealing options such as bladed grass or other semi-round sizes check our other options.
This is a specialty instrument that will benefit the user who is doing both Cavitation work and Pressure Chamber work.
The instrument requires a nitrogen source. You can use it in a lab or green house with a large cylinder or buy our light weight Portable Tank to allow for field work.
Model 1505D-EXP Specs
| Maximum Operating Pressure | 100 bar |
| Chamber Construction | Solid Stock Stainless Steel (2.5 inch dia. x 5.0 inch depth) |
| Cavitation Chamber Construction | Anodized Aluminum (1.0” Dia x 3.25” Length) |
| Read-out | Digital Gauge (Reads in Bar, PSI or MPa) |
| Size (L x W x H) | 13 × 11 × 10 inches |
| 33 × 28 × 24 centimeters | |
| Weight | 25 Lbs/ 11 Kg |
| Gauge | 2.5” Diameter Gauge |
| 0.5% accuracy | |
| 100 bar (10 Mpa) range |
Using the Cavitation Chamber
The cavitation chamber feature of this instrument is used to simulate cavitation of xylem vessels in plants under stress. A plant stem, limb or root is introduced into the Cavitation Chamber and a head of water is connected to the sample to measure water conductivity. The chamber is then pressurized to “seed” air into the xylem. It can be used to establish vulnerability curves in plants or to continue research in the area of xylem cavitation.
The chamber is in the center and is 3.20 inches long.
The rubber gaskets slide down the sample and seat inside the chamber.
The metal “inserts” slide down behind the gaskets to help them seal.
The caps screw down to finish the seal and hold everything in place.
The final product looks like this.
The sample must be at least 4.25 inches to properly pass through the chamber.
Instrument comes complete with:
1/4 Inch Compression Gland Sealing System, 5 Extra 1/4 Compression Gland Gaskets, 6 foot Filling Hose, 1 – Solid Lab Stopper for instrument testing, O-Ring lubricant and Lithium Grease, 11/32 inch wrench and 3/32 inch Allen Key for Control Valve Adjustment, Safety Glasses and a color Operating Instructions Manual.
In addition the following items are for the Cavitation Chamber: 3 foot hose connecting to Cavitation Chamber, Cavitation Chamber, 2 metal inserts of following sizes (5/8”, 3/8”, 3/16”), 5 rubber gaskets of each size (blank, 1/16”, 1/8”, 3/16”).
