Facilities

The Rosen Center is located at 979 West Maple Street, adjacent to the Plant Science Building on the Fayetteville campus of the University of Arkansas. The Center maintains a  two-story laboratory, office, conference and classroom building of 19,000 square feet with an additional 13,000 square feet of greenhouse space.

The Center houses laboratories designed and maintained for plant tissue culture, microbiology, genetic engineering and functional genomics, and plant-insect interactions. These laboratories are fully equipped to support basic and applied research of plant genetics and interactions with insects, microorganisms, nematodes and abiotic factors.

Three separate greenhouse ranges provide facilities for teaching and research. Two ranges are provided for general plant science research and teaching, and the third is operated for biological containment of experimental plants and plant pathogens. The sixteen greenhouse modules operate with independent environmental controls programmed to suit the needs of individual research projects.

Walk-in and cabinet style growth chambers provide a total of 500 square feet of plant growth space for precision environmental control of experiments.

Additional features

• Offices for faculty, staff and students
• Conference room
• Plant inoculation and dew chamber facilities
• Cold rooms for seed, soil, plant tissue and other biological materials
• Weather station interface with greenhouse controls
• Horticulture teaching and display gardens
• Quarantine facility for imported rice germplasm
• Resident facility manager with research experience.
• Faculty advisory committee to oversee the facility.

Occupant Information

Rosen Center Director: The Rosen Alternative Pest Control Center is administered by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and is overseen full time by Brandon Wodka. He is your primary contact for information and assistance, at Rosen 104, wodka@uark.edu, or 214-543-9115.

To report a problem: If you notice a problem with any of the equipment, notify the Rosen Center Director right away.

Emergencies: In case of an emergency, contact University Police at 479-575-2222 or 911.

• Poison Control Center: 1-800-3-POISON (1-800-376-4766)
• Chemical, Biological or Radiological Spill:
  • During work hours: 479-575-5448
  • After work hours: 479-575-2222 or 911
• U of A Health Center: 479-575-4451
• Rape Crisis Hotline: 479-443-2000

Access: Normal hours are 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday – Friday. Building access afterhours is provided by the manager through an ID card reader system with departmental approval, evidenced by a key card signed by your supervisor and department authority. Keys to individual rooms and greenhouses are issued by the Facilities Management Key Office on Mitchell St. off of Razorback Rd.

Policies: Our goal is to maximize your success and productivity by providing a functional and safe facility. Please respect the rights of others, and follow all Rosen Center policies and procedures as stated in PMGS 96-01.

Requesting Space:  Space is allocated by the manager. Online space request forms are submitted once a year, in November. Graduate students, post-docs, and visiting scientists should communicate their space needs to their faculty advisor. Once allocated, labs need to coordinate among their members to use their space as efficiently as possible. One person per lab should be identified to the facility manager as having this coordinating role. This will ensure the best use of the limited space in our facility. Some additional space may be allocated, depending on availability, only upon request by the faculty advisor.

Occupants’ Responsibility:  Users are responsible for growing, maintaining and monitoring their plants, including:

• ordering supplies (pots, trays, fertilizer, etc.)
• setting up or applying experimental treatments
• checking on plants daily
• watering or fertilizing plants as needed
• spacing plants properly
• monitoring for pests and diseases
• spraying pesticides if necessary
• keeping all areas clean and orderly
• staking or caging tall plants
• discarding plants in a timely manner
• asking for assistance when needed

Housekeeping: Failure to keep a clean, orderly growth area can result in loss of allocated space. The use of tobacco is prohibited on campus and around the facilities. Approval is needed before bringing plants into the facility from another location. Only store minimum supplies needed for daily functions. Long-term storage of supplies is not allowed. Keep materials away from the radiators, sump tanks, sensors and light fixtures for safety and maintenance reasons. Do not allow soil or debris to enter the floor drains. Do not tamper with the sensors or other control equipment.

Discarding soil and plant debris: All plant material and soil should be disposed of in the green compost bin located in the loading dock. Pots, labels and other trash must be discarded in the normal trash cans. Material coming out of the containment greenhouses must be autoclaved before disposal.

Collections, “Pet Plants”, and Other Long-Term Crops:  Space in the facility is reserved for active teaching and research only. Personal plants are not allowed. Plants should not be kept longer than necessary, six months for herbaceous and one year for woody plants. Pests and disease become a problem the longer the plants are in the greenhouse.

Common use areas: You are required to clean up after yourself in all areas. Common use areas should be cleared of materials daily unless prior approval is granted. University custodians do not clean greenhouses, greenhouse corridors, headhouses, or the equipment areas. Please sweep up floors and clean off benches daily after you are finished working. Clean carts, sinks, autoclave and fume hood after each use. Do not allow soil or debris to enter the sink or floor drains.

Growth chambers: These units are programmed by the manager. A shop vacuum is provided for cleaning growth chambers between experiments. Mop up spills after watering and sweep up spilled soil.

Cold Room Storage: Upon approval from the manager, limited space is available for samples related to work conducted in the Center. Label materials stored in the cold room with your name and date, and remove them as soon as no longer needed. Unlabeled materials are subject to disposal.

Pest control: Pest identification is fundamental to working with plants. Please familiarize yourself with the pests on your particular plants, their identification, life cycle, feeding behavior and symptoms. It is very important to thoroughly examine plants in your greenhouse at least weekly. Treatment at the first sign of pests is far more effective than after the population becomes established. Once pests have been identified, consult with the facility manager in a timely manner to determine an appropriate control measure. The manager keeps a log of materials used in each greenhouse and will be able to advise you on what to spray, an estimate of the volume needed, as well as the rate. The manager keeps pesticides locked in a room provided for that purpose, but each lab should have its own sprayer and personal protective equipment (PPE – ie. respirator, spray suit, gloves, goggles, etc).

• Post notices of intended pesticide use clearly and notifies the facility manager.
• The notice should contain the date, time, and location of intended use, contact person and phone numbers, chemical, formulation, EPA registration # and safe re-entry interval (REI).
• Follow all of the label’s precautions. Use protective clothing and respirator.
• Mix only the amount of material needed.
• Avoid chemical spray contact with the plastic exterior greenhouse walls.
• Remove notices after the REI has expired.