Table 1 Improvements in large scale field-based heat tents and cyber-physical system compared to the prototype presented in Hein et al.30, for phenotyping impact of high night-time temperature stress. N/A—Not applicable
System component | Feature | Hein et al. 30 prototype heat tent | Large scale mobile heat tent |
|---|---|---|---|
Heat tent structure | Dimensions | 7.2 m × 5.4 m × 3.0 m | 9.1 m × 14.6 m × 4.4 m |
Number of genotypes | 12 | 320 | |
Planting height | Could only accommodate wheat or small row crops | Can accommodate small rows crops, sorghum, maize, pearl millet etc | |
Ventilation | Small roof vent and manual sidewall roll-ups | Roof, sidewalls, and end-walls mechanical roll-ups | |
Mobility | Hand carried by 12 people | Built on skids—moved through towing with a tractor | |
Number of heat tents | 3 heat tents with control plots under ambient open field conditions | 3 heat and 3 control tents | |
Heating system | Heater | Small electrical heater | Energy efficient propane heater |
Tank top propane heater | N/A | ||
Heat distribution | Built in fan on heater | Additional blower fan on heater with convection tubing allowed efficient and uniform heat distribution | |
Ventilation | N/A | Direct ventilation of combustion exhaust to the exterior of the tent | |
Fans | Box fan above tank top propane heater | Two powerful circulation fans | |
Cyber-physical system | Basic function | Line voltage disruption | Operated multiple relays to act as thermostat |
Sensor system | Single sensor indoors and outdoors | Six sensor temperature arrays | |
Communication | N/A | Wireless communication between control and stress at 1 min interval | |
Additional sensor capabilities | N/A | CO2, relative humidity, and rain sensors | |
Heat distribution analysis | N/A | Capable of mapping heat distribution and uniformity across the entire tent | |
Control environment | Ambient conditions not accounting for tent structure | Ambient conditions but within a tent to isolate unaccounted external variables |
