Q-Box CO650 Plant CO2 Analysis Package

The Q-Box CO650 Plant CO2 Analysis Package may be used to measure photosynthesis, respiration and photorespiration in attached or detached leaves maintained in a leaf chamber attached to an open flow gas exchange system.

Operation of the Q-Box CO650 involves the use of an infrared CO2 gas analyzer (Q-S151) to measure, at different times, the concentration of CO2 in a gas entering a leaf chamber, and the concentration of CO2 in the same gas after it leaves the chamber. Measurement of the difference between influx and efflux CO2 concentration (differential CO2) and measurement of the flow of gas through the chamber, allow calculation of photosynthetic CO2 fixation rate.  The method can also be used to measure CO2 evolution from the leaf in the dark (dark respiration) or in the light (photorespiration).

The Q-Box CO650 includes a Humidity/Temperature sensor (Q-S161) which measures relative humidity of the air before and after it has passed through the leaf chamber, and the temperature of the air at the RH sensor.  The RH differential between influx and efflux air, the air temperature, and the flow rate through the leaf chamber, allow calculation of leaf transpiration rates.

An LED Light Source (A113) supplies photosynthetically active radiation to the leaf with minimum heat load.  The LED light source can deliver approximately 1400 µmol photons/m2/s at maximum output.
For calculations of leaf conductance, leaf temperature measurements are required.  An optional S171 Leaf Thermistor can be added to the package and fitted in the bottom portion of the leaf chamber for measurements of leaf temperature during experiments.  If S171 is not included an assumption that the leaf temperature is the same as air temperature can be made.
Analog signals from all of the sensors are converted to digital signals via two integrated LabQuest mini interfaces (6 channels).  Data is displayed, recorded and manipulated on a PC or Macintosh computer using Logger Pro software.

The Q-Box CO650 Plant CO2 Analysis Package contains:

  • Q-A101 laboratory stand (free standing or integrated into Q-Box)
  • A113 LED Light Source
  • Q-P651 Gas pump(4L/min no load)
  • G112 Flow Through Leaf Chamber
  • G122 Large Gas Bags (2)
  • Q-G266 Flow Monitor (0-1L/min)
  • Q-S151 CO2 Analyzer(0-2000ppm) (Includes CO2 and H2O scrubbers)
  • Q-S161 RH/temperature sensor
  • C610 two integrated LabQuest Mini data interfaces 
  • C901 Logger Pro Software
  • C404 Customized Setup Software
  • Q-Box Accessory Kit
  • Rugged Water-proof case housing the sensors and analyzers
  • Manual
  • individual power supplies for stand alone use of the sensors and analyzers

optional components:

  • S171 Leaf chamber thermistor (for leaf conductance calculations)
  • A248 Battery pack and charger (for field use)

Sample of data from a detached leaf:

Q-Box CO650 software provides a calculation template page so photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, leaf conductance can be easily determined.