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Jan Baptist Van Helmont
Founder of Pneumatic chemistry Jan Baptist Van Helmont grew a willow tree in a weighed amount of soil. After five years, he discovered that the willow tree weighed about 74 kg more than it did at the start -
Jan Ingenhous
He is best known for discovering photosynthesis by showing that light is essential to the process by which green plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. He also discovered that plants, like animals, have cellular respiration. -
Joseph Priestly
He carried out an experiment that showed that plants produce oxygen. He put a mint plant in a closed container with a burning candle. The candle flame used up the oxygen and went out. After 27 days, Priestley was able to re-light the candle. Died 1804 -
Jean Senebier
He wrote extensively on plant physiology and was one of the major early pioneers of photosynthesis research.