This plant communication apparatus was first employed by Gagliano et al. (2013) to study how chili plants (Capsicum annuum, Solanaceae) distinguish between adult conspecifics and fennel plants, even when common signaling pathways were blocked.

The experimental setup prevents both above- and below-ground contact as well as chemical and light-mediated signals typically exchanged by plants. This allows researchers to explore alternative signaling methods or control specific signaling pathways.

In this setup, chili seeds are arranged in a circle around an adult plant within a sealed central cylindrical box. Seeds and adult plants in each unit are housed within two nested square boxes. The air between these two boxes is removed using a vacuum pump (not included) to prevent interference from adjacent experimental units.

The apparatus is made of colorless cast acrylic material (Moden Glas), which transmits 92% of visible light while being opaque to ultraviolet and infrared wavelengths. This ensures the exclusion of specific wavelengths and prevents unwanted signals between experimental units.