AmplifiedAg, an agtech company built on the principles and architecture of enterprise-grade multi-tenant SaaS agricultural technology, has broken the segmented application mold and announces the release of the Enterprise Farm Health (EFH) function for operators running on its AmpEDGE farm software platform. The EFH provides users with a single all-encompassing view of an entire farming enterprise and the inbound and outbound supply chain. 

Instead of only being able to access data farm by farm, the Enterprise Farm Health function assembles and organizes details from every farm in a user’s network – across all site locations, facilities, and farm environments including container farms, vertical farms, and greenhouses.

This visibility provides the user with the real-time health of an entire organization and its key functions to easily access consolidated environmental, operational, financial and risk reporting. 

From the enterprise viewpoint, the user can narrow in on a farm facility, to a site location, all the way down to an individual farm unit, and be able to navigate and control all of the associated functions and data analytics including environmental controls systems, harvest yields, food safety metrics, inventory, client orders, finance, and more. 

“The AmpEDGE Enterprise Farm Health function is a critical component to an indoor farm operation, especially one that is scaling,” says Don Taylor, CEO and founder of AmplifiedAg. “Indoor farming has a complex set of requirements and operations, and the EFH enables the farmer to track and report on the global breadth of an organization for complete agricultural and agribusiness management.” 

The EFH and the AmpEDGE platform at large is positioned to assist the evolving needs of modern agriculture with its multi-farm multi-site management capabilities, especially as the need to move food production closer to the end consumer increases. 

“We’re seeing more and more farmers that are diversifying their operations by blending their existing greenhouse production, and even field production, with vertical farming to add meaningful capacity to their business,” adds Taylor. “This is where AmpEDGE and the EFH function truly shine with the versatile ability to track and manage a farmer’s fully integrated operations and supply chain network.” 

AmpEDGE is a farm and supply chain management platform that correlates and streamlines the inner and outer workings of a farm including environmental control systems, business operations, and financial integrations all in one application. AmplifiedAg provides AmpEDGE software and control systems to independent vertical farms, greenhouses and other controlled agriculture environments. The software and controls are also fully integrated into AmplifiedAg’s container farming systems that are in operation by third parties across the country. 

Learn more about AmpEDGE and AmplifiedAg farms and technologies at www.amplifiedaginc.com. 

About AmplifiedAg 

AmplifiedAg^®is an innovator and leader in the CEA and indoor agriculture sector. The company’s technologists, horticulturalists, and farmers bring together the power and potential of the most comprehensive CEA technology platform and indoor farming practices to enable the next generation of scalable and sustainable food supply. AmplifiedAg engineers and implements fully enabled enterprise-scale container farms and an integrated software and hardware technology platform to support the evolving needs of the agriculture industry, retailers, government entities, NGOs, and others

seeking to develop modern food supply solutions. The company also operates its market-leading brand Vertical Roots^®. 

Our mission is to modernize and localize agriculture with indoor farming technology for farmers and communities across the globe. 

Learn more about AmplifiedAg 

www.amplifiedaginc.com | LinkedIn: @amplifiedag | Instagram: @amplifiedaginc

This article is first because I firmly believe labor is the biggest challenge we face today, as well as for the next 10 years in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), and in commercial horticulture and general production agriculture.

Victor Loaiza Mejia posted the following on LinkedIn on August 10, 2023: 

“I disagree with your assessment of the lack of ‘grower or production leadership’. Traditionally the greenhouse industry has had a legacy program (like Ivy League College) that benefited growers that come from outside the NAFTA countries. The local younger generation of growers and operators need opportunities to grow into these positions. They need mentoring and support.

“My vision of protected agriculture is more regional (USA, Canada, Mexico) than only thinking about the USA. As you mentioned in the article, the growing surface has decreased in the US but has increased in Mexico for example. The oldest greenhouse companies operating in the US and Canada are now some of the largest tomato marketers in the USA, purchasing greenhouse produce in Mexico at a very large scale, without really having ‘skin in the game.’ I see this as a big entry barrier for new companies based in the USA.

“The opportunity for small greenhouse companies is to resist the push to buy the newest closed greenhouse and buy only the necessary technology and develop their local market. Creating Cooperatives style of relationships with other small growers might be beneficial.”

Well, Victor, yes. That’s really all I have to say. Yes, I agree. I should have and could have selected my words better, while also providing more details behind my statement. If I would have, you would have seen that we are saying almost the same thing.

Now that we officially agree, let’s break this conversation down into the realities that drive the factors you highlight.

Where did the head growers, production managers, and vice presidents of operations come from in the U.S. controlled environment agriculture industry?  

The U.S. greenhouse vegetable industry started in the early to mid 1980s. (The Canadian greenhouse industry started a few years prior, and the Mexican greenhouse industry began about 10 years later.) Initially, the industry was almost 100% focused on growing tomatoes. Much of the industry was built off importing not only Dutch greenhouse technology, but also Dutch growers who were equipped with the training and knowledge needed to operate this new technology.  

As years went on, the U.S. continued to attract growers from the Netherlands, as well as nearby areas such as the United Kingdom and Belgium, which also had well-established glasshouse industries. Many of these early immigrants were well experienced with some education. They were young males eager to make their mark on a new industry in a new world thought of as “the land of opportunity.”

Now these same individuals have been in our small industry for 30-40 years. They are getting close to retirement, but many still work. This is an important part of Victor’s criticism and if you compare it with the graph below, you see why they have aggressively held on to positions of power.  

The industry does not have enough companies that can pay them the money they want or to promote others into key positions, while protecting their own careers and those of their friends. (Nothing new here. This occurs in all industries. Normally, industries have more companies and the impact is not so drastic.)

What about the other skilled labor needed to profitably operate a greenhouse vegetable facility?

Greenhouses require lots of skilled labor to operate successfully, especially when the operations are anywhere from 10-200 acres. You need IPM managers, labor managers, assistant growers, junior growers, packhouse managers, logistics managers and more. The list goes on and on. 

So where did these people come from? In many or most cases, Mexico. In the 1990s, the largest vegetable greenhouses in the U.S. were in southwestern Texas and southeastern Arizona — a short drive from the U.S.-Mexico border. This attracted young, educated Mexican (again mainly) men to jobs that paid well, provided year-round employment (not always the case in agriculture) and opportunities to work in a highly technical field that showed promise for advancement.

Now fast forward 30 years. These guys are ready and prepared to take over, but there are not enough opportunities for everyone to be in charge. This also means that as new companies open, we have a lack of ongoing opportunities to attract talent and give individuals chances to grow and develop the skills needed to run smaller or more niche organizations.

A change in politics. A change in opportunities. H-2A.

Simultaneously, we have seen a shift in our ability to bring labor into the United States. U.S.-based agriculture businesses rely heavily on worker visa programs to bring in groups of individuals to work jobs not often desired by locally available workers. The H-2A program allows U.S. employers or U.S. agents who meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs. (The word “temporary” is key!)  But, this program and our attitude toward migrant workers has shifted significantly over the past 30 years.  

According to the USDA, “Hired farmworkers make up less than 1 percent of all U.S. wage and salary workers, but they play an essential role in U.S. agriculture. According to data from the 2017 Census of Agriculture, wages and salaries plus contract labor costs represented just 12 percent of production expenses for all farms, but 43 percent for greenhouse and nursery operations and 39 percent for fruit and tree nut operations.”

The tightening of our southern border means that we rely on the H-2A program more than ever.  According to a July 2023 article in NPR, “The number of guest worker visas issued each year has more than quadrupled over the past decade. But the program is rife with labor rights violations, and farmers who have come to depend on it don’t love it, either.”

As I stated before, U.S.-based greenhouse producers are competing directly with Canadian greenhouse growers, as well as Mexican greenhouse producers, for consumers’ wallets in produce aisles across the United States. This means, as the American portion of the greenhouse-grown industry, we need to be conscious of all costs (of which labor is a significant portion). It is safe to say that we have learned and can confirm that locally available labor is not as efficient as the labor we get through worker visa programs. 

Why is local labor not as efficient as our immigrant workforce?

I will not even attempt to answer this question. But, what I can report is that through interviews with major greenhouse tomato growing operations, it is estimated that you need 3-4 times the amount of local labor as you do immigrant, migrant or visa workers. (This number seems true regardless of pay and benefits, based on information we received from the recently announced bankrupt company AppHarvest.) 

Conversations with on-site labor managers makes me believe that one main reason this perception exists is because this talent pool is seen as an unskilled labor force. Labor managers all agree that is far from the truth. The truth is, many of these individuals are skilled based on experience gained at other farms. These skills make them eager to be employed based on “production output,” as they recognize that their production compensation will far out pace any hourly rate that they might be paid.

According to USDA statistics from October 2022, the H2A program has expanded since 2005. But has it expanded enough to keep up with the demand? Especially the demand of the controlled environment agriculture sector?  

Even if we could keep up with demand in the greenhouse (or vertical farm), these programs do not allow us to address the issue of finding talented operational managers with experience to run the facility based on the current glass ceilings that appear to be in place.

So questions around labor, management and leadership remain for the U.S.-based controlled environment agriculture industry. From finding the experienced staff needed to operate an efficient greenhouse to providing the most talented in that group the opportunity to advance and excel. 

And Victor, my response to your comment remains “yes.” Now my question back to you is, how will you and your contemporaries lead our industry in change?

Urban Ag News would love to hear from you.  Please let us know your thoughts and comments.

PhD instructors include Paul Fisher from University of Florida, Erik Runkle and Roberto Lopez from Michigan State University, Jim Faust from Clemson University, John Erwin from University of Maryland,
Jennifer Boldt and Kale Harbick from USDA-ARS, Charlie Hall from Texas A&M, as well as environmental control experts from Argus, Priva, and Wadsworth. This well-rounded team will help you select and operate climate control equipment and sensors for ideal crop growth.

The course runs from October 16 to November 10, 2023. The cost is $US265 per participant, with a 20% discount if you register 5 or more. All course material is completely online and available at any time of the day, and includes pre-recorded videos, an interactive discussion board with PhD professors and industry experts, and quizzes. Two new modules are activated each week during the course, for a total of 8 learning modules. Instruction is at your own pace and time within the 4 weeks of the course, with a typical time commitment of about 6 hours per week. Our courses are highly rated by participants with over 80% completion, and your resume will be enhanced with a customized certificate of completion from UF. Click here to register (http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/).

For more information, go to http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/, or contact Greenhouse Training, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, USA, Email: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl.edu. The course is supported by the American Floral Endowment and the USDA-ARS Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative.

Cannabis water use efficiency (WUE) refers to the amount of water a cannabis plant uses to produce a certain amount of biomass or yield. Supplemental light, such as artificial lighting in indoor cultivation, can have significant effects on a plant’s water use efficiency. 

Here’s how:

1. **Increased Photosynthesis:** Supplemental light, especially in indoor growing environments, can enhance photosynthesis in cannabis plants. When plants can capture more light energy, they can convert more carbon dioxide and water into sugars and other organic compounds. This increased photosynthetic activity can potentially lead to improved water use efficiency, as more water is used for productive processes.

2. **Transpiration and Stomatal Regulation:** Transpiration is the process by which water is released from a plant’s leaves through small openings called stomata. These openings also allow for the exchange of gasses, including carbon dioxide and oxygen. When more light is available, plants often open their stomata wider to take in more carbon dioxide, which can lead to increased water loss through transpiration. This could potentially decrease water use efficiency if not properly managed.

3. **Optimal Lighting Management:** To maximize water use efficiency under supplemental light, it’s important to manage light levels effectively. Providing the right amount of light for the growth stage of the cannabis plant can help maintain a balance between photosynthesis and transpiration. Using light intensity and duration strategies, growers can optimize the plant’s ability to produce energy while minimizing excessive water loss.

4. **Growing Medium and Watering Techniques:** The choice of growing medium (soil, coco coir, hydroponics, etc.) and the watering techniques employed can also influence cannabis water use efficiency. Proper substrate choice and irrigation practices can help regulate water availability to the plant roots, preventing both water stress and waterlogging — both of which can impact WUE.

5. **Genetics and Environmental Factors:** Cannabis cultivars vary in their response to light intensity and other environmental factors. Some strains may exhibit better water use efficiency under supplemental light compared to others. Additionally, environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, and CO₂ levels can also influence water use efficiency.

To push these limits, Callado and Hernandez regulated and analyzed the quantity and demand of resources and plant growth factors on an ongoing basis. They added light and water-control and measuring capabilities to every plot in the greenhouse, in addition to measuring temperature and evapotranspiration. 

As shown in Figure 1, the cannabis crops were grown under four light levels using two Current dimmable fixtures per plot supplementing sunlight. The L1000 PPB lighting fixtures delivered uniform supplemental light intensities of 150, 300, 500, and 700 μmol m⁻² s⁻¹ for 18 hours, while the Daily Light Integral (DLI) from the sun and LEDs were on average around 18, 30, 40, and 52 mol m⁻² d^-1. However, they present preliminary results for the three highest light levels. 

Moreover, the fertigation system was triggered independently at each plot when the pots’ water container capacities were 80%. This maintained consistent water and nutrient levels in pots regardless of the crop growth rates. Finally, the water use was quantified with load cells (scales) under the plants.

The Results and Conclusions

It’s easy to conclude from known knowledge that the impact of supplemental light on cannabis water use efficiency can be complex and depends on various factors, including light intensity, duration, genetics, and environmental conditions. Proper management of these factors, along with optimized growing practices, can help improve water use efficiency in cannabis cultivation. 

As the cannabis industry continues to evolve, research and experimentation in this area will provide more insights into how to achieve the best water use efficiency outcomes.

The results from Callado and Hernandez suggest that increasing the light amount not only increases the number of branches or cuttings per plant but also could increase the water demand (Figure 2b) and water-use efficiency to produce cuttings (less water per cutting) (Figure 2b). 

In other words, plants grown under an average DLI of 30 mol m^-2 d^-1 for 21 days produced close to 29 cuttings per plant, while plants grown at 52 mol m^-2 d^-1 produced 47 cuttings per plant from new secondary branches. 

Furthermore, plants grown under 30 mol m^-2 d^-1 produced 2.5 cuttings per every liter of water, while plants grown under 52 mol m^-2 d^-1 produced 4.3 cuttings per the same liter of water. This means the crops were more efficient at transforming water into branches under higher light intensities.

So how does this impact commercial growers?

The current research highlights the ability of a cannabis crop to use higher light levels to increase yield and water-use efficiency (higher yield per liter of water). The water-use efficiency for cutting production went from 2.5 to 4.3 cuttings per liter of evapotranspirated water when growing plants under 30 versus 52 moles of light per day, respectively. This would mean that to produce 100 cuttings using 52 moles of light, growers needed 23 liters of water instead of 40 liters under 30 moles of light. 

Figure 1. The top-left picture shows the experimental layout and greenhouse with two L1000 PPB fixtures at each plot or light treatment area (12 plots in total). The top-right picture shows a plot sensor that measures light from the two LED fixtures and the sun. The bottom pictures and arrows represent typical cannabis flower and plant production cycles.

Figure 2 shows the number of secondary branches or cuttings (a) water use per plant, (b) water-use efficiency (branches or cuttings per liter of water) and (c) under three light levels (30, 40, and 52 mol m⁻²) using LED lighting in addition to the sunlight.

To see other research from Hernandez and Callado, please follow this link:  www.gecurrent.com/eu-en/inspiration/researching-the-impact-of-supplemental-lighting-on-cannabis-production

By encouraging students to showcase their work through poster presentations, the competition seeks to foster collaboration opportunities between individuals in academia and private industry, while also connecting commercial companies with qualified candidates.

“We are proud to co-host the graduate student poster competition at the CEA Summit East Conference,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “This competition not only provides a great platform for students to share their research, but also enables commercial companies to discover talented individuals who can contribute to the future growth and innovation of the CEA sector.”

The Virginia Tech-IALR Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center is dedicated to advancing research and development in CEA. The center’s Co-Director and IALR Vice President, Scott Lowman, Ph.D., adds, “The graduate student poster competition is one more way we’re bridging the gap between academia and industry, promoting knowledge exchange, and opening doors to new collaboration in the CEA field.”

Graduate students interested in participating in the competition are invited to learn more and submit abstracts detailing their research by August 1, 2023, via www.ceasummit.com/#poster-competition.

A panel of experts will review the abstracts and select ten finalists to present their work through poster presentations at the conference. Selected candidates will receive a complimentary full access graduate student conference pass ($395 value) to attend the conference/competition. Judging will be held during the event and the winner will be announced at the day two keynote breakfast session on September 20, 2023.

Following its successful debut edition in October 2022, which brought together more than 200 attendees from 28 states, CEA Summit East 2023 will continue to foster connections and collaboration among growers, educators, scientists, extension specialists, suppliers, engineers, tech specialists, architect/developers and other industry members. Throughout the two-day event attendees will have the opportunity to explore the latest innovations from tabletop exhibitors, enjoy networking opportunities, and attend a full roster of keynote, panel presentations and research/industry showcases.

For more information about the graduate student poster competition and the September 19-20, 2023, edition of CEA Summit East, visit the conference website at www.ceasummit.com

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON
Indoor Ag-Con is the premier global event series focused on the future of indoor farming. Since 2013, the trade show and conference, the industry’s largest, has been at the forefront of the rapidly expanding vertical farming and controlled environment agriculture sector, providing a platform for industry leaders, innovators, and researchers to connect, share knowledge, and drive the industry forward. More information- www.indoor.ag

ABOUT THE VIRGINIA TECH-IALR CEA INNOVATION CENTER
The Virginia Tech-IALR Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center is a joint project between IALR and Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center. By developing strategic partnerships with both industry and academia, the goal of the Innovation Center is to conduct research and educational programming to develop, promote and advance the CEA sector in the U.S. and internationally. More information–www.ialr.org/cea

Nutrient Management Level 1 Starts July 10!

One of the biggest factors affecting the success of your crop is correctly managing nutrients in the root zone. Nutrient Management Level 1 is part of the award-winning Greenhouse Online Training program offered by the University of Florida IFAS Extension. This course is intermediate level and designed for people with some experience or entry university level, who are in production, technical, or sales role for greenhouse and nursery crops. Topics covered include common nutrient problems, essential nutrients, fertilizer types, growing media, and testing (soil, nutrient solution and tissue). The course is offered in English and Spanish. Rated 4.4 out of 5 by grower participants, with over 90% graduation rate last year! Over 900 growers have successfully taken this course.

The course runs from July 10 to August 4, 2023. The cost is $US265 per participant, with a 20% discount if you register 5 or more. All course material is completely online and available at any time of the day, and includes pre-recorded videos, an interactive discussion board with PhD professors, and quizzes. Two new modules are activated each week during the course, for a total of 8 learning modules. Instruction is at your own pace and time within the 4 weeks of the course, with a typical time commitment of about 6 hours per week. Click here to register.

Nutrient Management 1 is one of six courses that counts towards the Plant Health Professional certificate offered by University of Florida UF IFAS Extension (UF Greenhouse Training Online) and the Michigan State University Floriculture Program Extension (MSU Online College of Knowledge) to help greenhouse clientele grow their career in plant health management.

For more information, go to http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/training/, or contact Greenhouse Training, Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, USA, Email: greenhousetraining@ifas.ufl.edu.

Serge Boon (owner of Boon Greenhouse Consultancy) is in no way new to the challenges and ever-changing landscape of the commercial greenhouse industry.  Serge grew up in the Netherlands (the land of greenhouses.) He is a native of Westland, (one of the largest greenhouse regions in the world), he rode his bike past rows and rows of greenhouses every day, and has been working in them since the age of 12. He has held almost every job in the horticultural industry, from grower to researcher to upper management.  Along the way he has learned everything from technology to best growing practices. 

Boon Consultancy’s most valuable offering might be their ability to translate complicated technical jargon into easy-to-understand language, that can be shared with ambitious and intelligent newcomers to the industry that are looking to change their communities’ access to safe, fresh and healthy fresh produce.

“Higgins will strengthen our relationships with industry vendors and customers across the world of horticulture,” says Boon.  “His 25-year commitment to the industry and ultimately our clients will only help to ensure that our diverse list of clients continues to be successful in a quickly changing and always challenging fresh produce world.”

About Boon Greenhouse Consultancy:

Providing agricultural consulting services for both niche and major businesses in the horticulture industry, particularly in the modified seed industry by designing plans that help businesses thrive by developing efficient, effective procedures that will save time, money, and energy.  

About Christopher Higgins:

Mr. Higgins 25 years of horticulture industry experience spans the full gamut of the industry.  From supporting production greenhouse facilities to running his own businesses and hosting industry education events, his knowledge and network is vast.  You can learn more about Chris, his businesses and his work as an advisor for industry grants as well as nonprofits by visiting his LinkedIn page.

Attendance
The event was attended by 200 exhibiting companies from 19 countries; Mexico, Canada, the United States, Colombia, China, Cyprus, Spain, France, India, Sri Lanka, The Netherlands, Latvia, Russia, Turkey, Germany, Belgium, Italy, New Zealand and Greece.

Conference
The Conference Programme was also well attended by 281 professionals, with more than 20% attendees than in 2022. This success was mainly due to the high level of the (international) speakers who discussed and analysed the opportunities of protected horticulture in the region. They also shared their experience and practices on how to increase crop productivity. 

Quotes from the industry
Claudia Plasencia, Head of Marketing Invermex, expressed her enthusiasm for her participation. “There are a lot of visitors and investors who come looking for suppliers and new businesses. GreenTech Americas has grown a lot and we are convinced to continue participating to introduce our products to more buyers”, she indicated.
Francisco Cabrera, manager of the import department at Excalibur Plastics, highlighted that during this edition the exhibitors established a greater number of business relationships, thanks to the prestige that the event has acquired and to the high influx of visitors. “It was a meeting point to close deals and that more potential customers know about our offer”, he added.

A word from the organization
According to its organizers, the third edition exceeded all expectations of visitors and exhibitors with the increase of attendees in a single place and exchange of knowledge and solutions to connect technology with the industry.

Mariska Dreschler, Director of Horticulture – GreenTech Global, explained that on the exhibition floor, a great diversity of high-tech technology solutions were to be spotted, adapted to the climate needs of Mexico and applicable for countries with similar climate conditions. “We are proud that for the third time, the event was a great face-to-face gathering of leading and innovative parties, active and interested in the protected horticulture sector. With an increasing amount of visitors from both Mexico and surrounding countries, GreenTech Americas is here to stay as an regional hub, with its own focus. It is in strong synergy with our worldwide positioned GreenTech Amsterdam show which will be organized from 13-15 June this year”, she indicated.

“We are excited about the response we’ve gotten this year. And convinced that protected horticulture is gaining ground in Mexico and in the region. Thanks to the benefits it offers to improve the quantity and quality of the crops, in addition to a more sustainable techniques rather than traditional agriculture, which allows savings of water and energy”, commented José Navarro, General director of Tarsus.

Partners of the event
The event is supported by the Asociación Mexicana de Horticultura Protegida A.C. (AMHPAC); the Centro Universitario CEICKOR; the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; among other prestigious organizations and institutions, who provided exchange of knowledge, experiences and success stories among industry suppliers from Mexico and other countries.

About GreenTech Americas
GreenTech Americas is part of the GreenTech portfolio and focuses on Mexico as well as the rest of the Americas. The goal is to meet the specific needs of growers, breeders and suppliers. GreenTech Americas enables a greater exchange of knowledge, experiences, and success stories of the horticultural industry in this region. The show is organized by RAI Amsterdam and Tarsus México and the fourth edition will be held from 12 – 14 March 2024. Please find more information at www.greentech.nl/americas/.

About GreenTech Amsterdam
GreenTech Amsterdam will be held from Tuesday 13 – Thursday 15 June 2023. The exhibition is a global meeting place for all horticultural technology professionals with the focus on the early stages of the horticultural chain and the current issues growers face. GreenTech is supported by AVAG, the industry association for the greenhouse technology sector in the Netherlands. More information via www.greentech.nl or follow Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram or YouTube.

OptimIA researchers are studying how the environment can be manipulated to improve crop quality, increase yields and change the plant morphology of leafy greens.

You know how important maintaining the proper environment plays in the production of controlled environment crops. Is it possible to change the environmental parameters to improve crop quality and yield?

Researchers with the OptimIA project are looking at how the environmental parameters such as light, temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide concentration can impact plant growth, quality, yield and morphology of leafy greens.

“There is a not a lot of production information available for most leafy greens other than lettuce,” said OptimIA researcher and Michigan State University horticulture professor Roberto Lopez. “Lettuce is a significant crop for the controlled environment industry. Kale and arugula are up-and-coming crops that are being sold more as stand-alone, prepackaged leafy greens. Microgreens are also a relatively new crop and not much research has been done on them beyond the influence of light quality and intensity.

“Kale and arugula are similar to lettuce, they don’t grow too large and have a similar crop production time to lettuce. Microgreens are a short-term crop that only take a few weeks at most.”

Improving crop quality

Lopez and graduate student Devin Brewer are particularly interested in looking at leaf color in regards to improving crop visual quality and potentially nutrition.

“Consumers, when it comes to red leaf lettuce, prefer dark red leaves because they like the color and texture,” Lopez said. “One of our goals with OptimIA is to really push leafy greens crops to produce them as quickly and profitably as possible. By pushing the plants there is a lot of biomass produced quickly. However, one of the down sides is that the foliage can lack the desired color, especially red leaf lettuce and brassica microgreens.”

Brewer is studying how the color of lettuce and microgreens can be enhanced by altering the light quality and reducing the air temperature. He is looking at different light qualities, primarily a combination of red and blue light or blue light alone. He is also looking at reducing the temperature a few days prior to the crop being harvested.

“Devin found that reducing the temperature in combination with a light ratio (percent) of 75 blue:25 red light produced intense leaf coloration,” Lopez said. “However, in the case of indoor farms, it is much easier to heat than to cool. Most of these farms use LED lights. Even though there is a misconception that LEDs don’t generate heat, the fixtures can produce quite bit of heat.”

Depending on the time of year, lowering the air temperature would be more feasible for greenhouse lettuce production. During cooler times of the year, there is not going to be the heat load in greenhouses that could occur in indoor farms. Because lowering the temperature could potentially be a challenge for indoor farms, Lopez said he is looking at other ways of reducing the temperature including lowering the irrigation water temperature.

Another benefit of the end-of-production lighting or cooling is the impact it has on some plant nutrients, vitamins and carotenoids.

“Not only is the color being affected, but in some instances the parameters related to nutrition are increasing,” Lopez said. “We are looking at this with lettuce and this summer will be studying the impact light and temperature can have on microgreens. We are quantifying the changes in the amounts of anthocyanins. We will not be measuring these changes with kale or arugula.”

Two characteristics of leafy greens Lopez won’t be studying in the short-term are texture and taste.

“Leaf texture is an important factor to consider when studying the impact of light and temperature,” he said. “When lettuce is grown warm, it tends to be softer, not as crisp as lettuce that is grown at cooler temperatures.

“Unfortunately, with the OptimIA project we don’t have the time to determine if environmental parameters can affect taste. In a separate USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative project called CEA HERB focused on culinary herbs, we will have a consumer taste panel looking at flavor profiles as well as studying the impact on nutrients within the plants.”

Increasing crop yields

Another aspect of Lopez’s research is focused on how temperature impacts the yields of lettuce, kale, arugula and microgreens.

“These four crops are being grown under various temperatures so that we can estimate what the base, the optimum and maximum temperature are for each crop,” he said. “This will enable us to determine the temperatures that are going to produce the maximum yields as well as the best quality.”

Lopez said growers may not always want to grow a crop at the optimum temperature because the light intensity might have to increase to a level that the crops won’t be profitable to produce.

“Lettuce, kale and arugula have been grown as field crops,” he said. “Studies to determine the base, optimum and maximum temperatures have not been consistent. Lettuce for example, has a much higher base temperature as well as optimum temperature than most growers thought. Considered to be a cooler season crop, lettuce can tolerate temperatures into the upper 70s. Yields can be pushed by growing them warm. Obviously, there is a point where too much heat is going to lead to lower quality crops and potentially bolting.”

Changing plant shape to meet market demand

Lopez said changing the shape of the plants will be important depending on how a crop is marketed.

“In the case of lettuce, if a head is too tall it may not fit into the clamshell packaging it is typically sold in,” he said. “We are only focusing on lettuce in regards to changing morphology. The responses that we see in lettuce to environmental parameters should be similar in the other crops we are studying. We estimate similar responses with arugula and kale.

“We are looking at various ways to produce more compact leaves or elongated leaves with the use or far-red or blue light. This will allow growers to manipulate the plants based on consumer demand.”

Looking ahead

Lopez said what has been learned with the crops from the OptimIA project will help in the studies that will be done with culinary herbs.

“Culinary herbs are much more diverse than the crops we are studying in the OptimIA project,” he said. “The environmental requirements for herbs vary considerably. Some do very well under high temperatures. Others require cooler temperatures. Photoperiod can induce some into flower. What we have learned from the OptimIA project will give us some good starting points so that we aren’t guessing as to where we need to begin with the various herbs we plan to study.”

For more: Roberto Lopez, Michigan State University, Department of Horticulture; rglopez@msu.edu; https://www.canr.msu.edu/people/dr_roberto_lopez?profileDisplayContent=contactInfo.
Devin Brewer, Michigan State University, Department of Horticulture, brewerd9@msu.edu.

This article is property of Urban Ag News and was written by David Kuack, a freelance technical writer in Fort Worth, Texas.

DANVILLE, VA–  The Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Summit East is proud to announce its return on September 19-20, 2023 at the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) in Danville, VA. Focused on convening the CEA industry and academia, the annual event is co-hosted by Indoor Ag-Con, the premier global gathering of the vertical farming/CEA sector, and the Virginia Tech-IALR CEA Innovation Center, a joint project between IALR and Virginia Tech’s School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and the Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center.  

Following the success of its debut edition in October 2022, which brought together more than 200 attendees from 28 states, the CEA Summit East will continue to foster connections and collaboration among growers, educators, scientists, extension specialists, suppliers, engineers, tech specialists, architect/developers, and other industry members.

“The enthusiasm and engagement we saw at our inaugural event were truly inspiring and we’re thrilled to continue our partnership with the CEA Innovation Center to bring the CEA Summit East back in 2023,” said Brian Sullivan, CEO, Indoor Ag-Con. “Both organizations see tremendous value in growing an event like this that brings business and academia audiences together at an incredible research facility setting that really fosters an environment for sharing ideas and new business opportunities.”

The two-day event will feature keynotes, panels and breakout conference sessions, as well as tabletop exhibits from industry-leading companies and research facility tours. Attendees can expect to learn about the latest advances in CEA and explore opportunities for collaboration and growth. 

“We are excited to build on the momentum of our first event and continue to bring together leaders in the CEA industry,” said Dr. Scott Lowman, Co-Director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center and Vice President of Applied Research at IALR.  “We look forward to showcasing the innovative research and education programs we are developing to support the growth of the CEA industry.”

For more information and to register to attend,exhibit and to learn more about speaking opportunities for the CEA Summit East 2023, please visit the event website at www.ceasummit.com

ABOUT INDOOR AG-CON
Founded in 2013, Indoor Ag-Con has emerged as the largest trade event for vertical farming | controlled environment agriculture, the practice of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aquaponic and aeroponic techniques. Its events are crop-agnostic and touch all sectors of the business, covering produce, legal cannabis |hemp, alternate protein and non-food crops. More information –www.indoor.ag | 404.991.5186

ABOUT THE SCHOOL OF PLANT AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES AT VIRGINIA TECH
The School of Plant and Environmental Sciences at Virginia Tech trains the next generation of professionals in the fields of plant breeding and genetics, agronomic and horticultural crop production, plant protection, soil and water systems management, agricultural technologies, environmental restoration and agro-environmental stewardship.  It conducts research to improve agricultural productivity, reduce negative impacts on the environment and improve soil and water health.  Through extension programs, it provides science-based information to stakeholders to help them feed the world while protecting the environment.  More information —www.spes.vt.edu

ABOUT THE VIRGINIA SEAFOOD AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CENTER AT VIRGINIA TECH
The Virginia Seafood Agricultural Research and Extension Center at Virginia Tech works to support the future of the historic seafood industry — in Virginia and beyond. Its extension specialists work with industry and research partners to identify and respond to emerging needs and provide technical guidance to stakeholders in every level of the seafood supply chain. Through technical assistance, training, process validation, value-added product development, and more, it helps stakeholders ensure product quality, safety, and viability. More information — www.arec.vaes.vt.edu

ABOUT IALR
The Institute for Advanced Learning and Research (IALR) serves as a regional catalyst for economic transformation. Core focus areas include research that provides a clear path to commercialization, advanced learning opportunities where education meets experience, training and rapid-launch space for advanced manufacturers, and economic development through conferencing and a partnership with the Southern Virginia Regional Alliance. It is located in scenic and historic Danville-Pittsylvania County on the VA/NC state line, within a short drive of Roanoke, Greensboro and Raleigh.  More information – www.ialr.org

MEDFORD, MA – March 13, 2023 – The DesignLights Consortium (DLC) will begin accepting applications on March 31 from horticultural lighting manufacturers interested in qualifying their products under the DLC’s Horticultural Lighting Technical Requirements Version 3.0.

Finalized in December 2022, the V3.0 requirements increase the efficacy and establish additional minimum performance baselines for LED luminaires, lamps, and controls used by the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry. V3.0 also introduces a surveillance testing policy intended to protect the integrity and value of the DLC’s Horticultural Qualified Products List (QPL) for all stakeholders.

With the North American CEA industry projected to grow to $8 billion by 2026 and horticultural lighting one of the fastest growing segments of the electric load for many utilities, the DLC’s Horticultural Technical Requirements promote energy efficient technology in CEA facilities, guiding the industry toward sustainable growth in concert with decarbonization efforts.

“The DLC is pleased to begin taking applications for the newest version of our horticultural QPL, supporting effective, energy efficient horticultural lighting in the fast-growing CEA industry,” DLC Executive Director and CEO Christina Halfpenny said. “There has been a 17.5 percent increase in the efficacy of listed products since we introduced the DLC’s horticultural lighting program in 2018. We are proud to collaborate with cultivators and lighting manufacturers to continually advance sustainability in CEA.”

Provisions of the Horticultural Lighting Technical Requirements V3.0 include:

• Increasing (for the first time since the Horticultural Lighting Program launched) the Photosynthetic Photon Efficacy (PPE) threshold of QPL products – a 21 percent increase over the previous PPE threshold, setting a baseline for LED-based horticultural lighting that is 35 percent above the most efficacious non-LED option (1,000-watt double-ended high pressure sodium luminaire);
• Introducing requirements for reporting product application information, including product dimensions and representative images to be published on the Hort QPL, giving efficiency programs and QPL users greater insight into a product’s intended use;
• Introducing product-level controllability requirements – including dimming capability for certain AC-powered and all DC-powered luminaires and replacement lamps, and reporting of additional controllability details to enable more functionality and energy savings, promote interoperability and lay the groundwork for future demand-response efforts;
• Introducing a surveillance testing policy whereby the DLC will actively monitor the validity of data and other information it receives.

The updated policy provides indoor commercial growers with significant product variety and increased savings opportunities. A searchable, filterable online resource that offers users apples-to-apples comparisons of almost 1,200 horticultural LEDs, the Horticultural QPL has grown more than 16-fold in the past two years. More than 50 North American energy efficiency programs require CEA operators to reference the DLC QPL to qualify for energy efficiency incentives (representing 91 percent of the DLC’s membership), and others have incorporated the DLC technical requirements into their programs. Two states with cannabis-specific energy efficiency regulations (Massachusetts and Illinois) offer a compliance pathway via the DLC’s Horticultural QPL.

The DLC will provide an overview on the Hort V3.0 product application process during a webinar on March 15 at 1 p.m. EDT.

About the DesignLights Consortium: The DLC is a non-profit organization improving energy efficiency, lighting quality, and the human experience in the built environment. We collaborate with utilities, energy efficiency programs, manufacturers, lighting designers, building owners, and government entities to create rigorous criteria for lighting performance that keeps up with the pace of technology. Together, we’re creating solutions for a better future with better lighting.

Researchers with the OptimIA project are working to solve the environmental control issues facing indoor farm growers.

While some might think that the environmental challenges facing indoor farm growers should be relatively minor and easy to overcome in a closed environment, they’d be wrong.

“Some of the challenges and bottlenecks facing indoor farms include insufficient airflow leading to a non-uniform environment, lighting that is wasteful and how light is delivered into the canopy,” said Murat Kacira, director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (CEAC) at the University of Arizona and a member of the OptimIA project research team. “In addition to these challenges, there are those related to the humidity and water management in the aerial environment as well as identifying the best light quality, light intensity and light recipes for indoor farm crops.”

Prior to the start of the OptimIA project in 2019, surveys were conducted of stakeholders in the indoor farm industry, including growers, to determine what are the areas of greatest need for research.

“An indoor farm is a closed box,” Kacira said. “You know what goes in and what comes out, but it demands the resources to control that environment, which include controlling the light, temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and all other processes to grow the crop to meet production expectations.  

“An indoor farm offers tighter control than in a greenhouse environment. There is not the same effect from the outdoor dynamics, for example the light intensity, temperature and water recirculation from the air. Being able to harvest the water from the air is easier in an indoor farm system compared to a greenhouse system. There is more controllability when it comes to an indoor farm compared to a greenhouse, of course with an additional expense for resource use to achieve such control.”

Focused on environmental control

Kacira and his team of graduate students KC Shasteen and Christopher Kaufmann at the University of Arizona are significant contributors on the environmental control aspects of the OptimIA project.

“We are also considering light because light brings the energy to the plants and then the energy has to be released for cooling and for proper transpiration and nutrient deployment from the roots,” Kacira said.

Kacira’s team conducted computer simulations to help improve airflow and to identify co-optimization of environmental variables for energy savings. Building upon computer simulation research outcomes, Kaufmann is conducting experiments in CEAC’s vertical farm facility to evaluate vertical and horizontal airflow system designs to mitigate tipburn on lettuce crops. Shasteen and Kacira worked on modeling with the co-optimization of variables, including light, temperature, relative humidity and carbon dioxide level.

“We have been able to quantify yield outcomes and to determine what the energy use would be for any of those environmental control strategies,” Kacira said. “These models and the outcomes and information that we have generated from this research are used by our OptimIA colleagues on the economics team. They are developing economic models for a variety of scenarios of profitability and economics for indoor farm applications and indoor farm systems.

“We are focused primarily on airflow system design and optimization, humidity management and co-optimization of environmental variables mainly for energy savings. Our collaborations also included Nadia Sabeh at Dr. Greenhouse on the humidity management side of the environmental control aspect.”

Real-world applications

Some of the research outcomes from the University of Arizona team related to airflow systems designs, concepts and recommendations have been incorporated into actual growing settings in commercial operations.

“We are able to incorporate some of our research results into commercial site trials through our collaborations,” Kacira said. “We have over 20 industry collaborators as part of the OptimIA project. Some of the collaborators showed interest in implementing some of the airflow system designs, environment control, and co-optimization of these variables into their operations. We will also have an opportunity before the OptimIA project ends to implement them directly and evaluate some of the research outcomes in commercial settings.”

Saving on energy costs

Sole-source lighting is the largest energy cost of indoor farms. Indoor farm energy costs account for at least 30 percent of the total operational costs. Other energy costs are related to operating fans, dehumidification and ventilation.

“The focus of the OptimIA research at Purdue University is to identify and try to reduce the energy costs related to growing indoor crops,” said Cary Mitchell, horticulture professor at Purdue University. “If an indoor farm grower is using sole-source lighting that is going to be the biggest energy cost. These indoor farms spend hundreds of thousands of dollars per year on electricity and it’s mostly for lighting.”

Mitchell has long been interested in energy as one of the profit-determining and profit-limiting parameters in indoor farming.

“All of the OptimIA researchers are interested in saving resources for growing leafy greens and culinary herbs indoors,” he said. “That is the common thread among all of us. Purdue researchers are focused on energy savings. “

Avoid wasting light

Mitchell and PhD graduate student Fatemeh Sheibani are working on close-canopy LED lighting. This lighting is similar to intra-canopy lighting that is used on some greenhouse crops including high wire tomatoes and fresh cut roses.

“One of our findings is if the separation distance is reduced between the LED light fixtures and the crop below without dimming the LEDs, the productivity of the plants goes up,” he said.

LEDs are a point source of light with much of the light radiating like a star in all directions.

“When LED fixtures are mounted overhead in an indoor farm much of the light goes to the side obliquely,” Mitchell said. “Not all of the light is going down towards the plants. There is a significant amount of photons wasted falling outside of the cropping area. There’s not much that can be done about it other than to move the lights closer to the plants.” 

Because LEDs are cool, unlike high intensity discharge (HID) lamps, the separation distance between LED fixtures and the plants can be decreased without burning the plants.

“The separation distance can be reduced so that most of the obliquely emitted photons actually are captured by the crop surface instead of going off the edge of the bench,” Mitchell said. “Regardless of whether growers run LED fixtures along the bench or across the bench, they don’t want gradients of crop growth. Growers want just as much growth on the edges as in the middle of the bench. This can cause growers to mount lights not only in the middle of the bench, but also out towards the edges. The further toward the edges the fixtures are mounted, the more photons are lost.”

Putting more light on the plants

Sheibani is studying two scenarios of close-canopy lighting. One scenario is as the LED lights are placed closer to the plants, the light is dimmed. Even though the light is dimmed, there is the same intensity of light at the plant surface because more laterally emitted photons are captured, but less electricity is used. In a second scenario, Sheibani placed the LED lights closer to the plants, but did not dim them.

“In this second scenario, placing the fixtures closer to the plants once again reduced the amount of photon loss,” Mitchell said. “In this case, for the same power and energy usage the plant yields increased because the effective light intensity increased. The plants grew faster and bigger. Each increment of closer spacing results in a higher energy utilization efficiency.”

In indoor vertical farms the traditional separation distance between the bottom of the LED fixtures and the top of the crop is 40-50 centimeters.

“We have tested separation distances between the fixtures and plants of 45, 35, 25 and 15 centimeters,” Mitchell said. “We found that energy utilization efficiency increases linearly as the lights are placed closer to the plants. This should be relatively easy to implement in most indoor farms, but may require some design modifications from equipment suppliers.”

Mitchell explained the reason the two scenarios were studied is because some indoor farms are equipped with non-dimmable LED lights.

“In the case of non-dimmable LED fixtures, when the lights are brought closer to the plants, the energy draw by the lights is the same, but the yield goes up, which means the plants grow faster,” he said. “This means the plants can reach the same biomass and be harvested earlier or the harvest date can remain the same and more biomass can be produced. This gives growers the option to use close-canopy lighting for what works best for their production needs.”

Mitchell points out that not every LED fixture commercially available works well in close-canopy lighting applications.

“There are some LED lights where the distribution of colors is not uniform, where there are clusters of blue light,” he said. “This is not a big deal with a 45-centimeter separation distance between the lights and the plants because with the amount of beam spread there is enough distance for the other colors to overlap the blue light. But when the lights are placed within 25 to 15 centimeters of the plant surface, there are clusters of blue light. Blue light inhibits leaf expansion and promotes leaf coloration. The result can be very strange looking crop stands if close-canopy lighting is done with LEDs with uneven light distribution. Fortunately for growers, most of the commercial LED arrays available today for horticultural lighting are quite uniform.”

For more: Murat Kacira, University of Arizona, Controlled Environment Agriculture Center; mkacira@arizona.edu; http://ceac.arizona.edu/. Cary Mitchell, Purdue University, Horticulture & Landscape Architecture; cmitchel@purdue.edu; https://ag.purdue.edu/department/hla/directory.html#/cmitchel.

This article is property of Urban Ag News and was written by David Kuack, a freelance technical writer in Fort Worth, Texas.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue University researchers have designed two simple LED lighting strategies to increase yield and reduce energy costs for the vertical farming sector of indoor agriculture.

The close-canopy and focused-lighting strategies developed by PhD candidate Fatemeh Sheibani and professor Cary Mitchell, both in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture in Purdue’s College of Agriculture, capitalize on LED lighting’s special properties.

“One is that they are relatively cool at the emitting surface, in contrast with other lighting choices,” Sheibani said. Thus, the lighting system works closer to plants without scorching them. LEDs are also current driven, unlike many energy-intensive, voltage-driven lighting sources.

Their work is part of a project called OptimIA (Optimizing Indoor Agriculture). The project, led by Michigan State University, includes collaborators at Purdue, University of Arizona and Ohio State University. OptimIA is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative.

Fatemeh Sheibani, a PhD candidate in horticulture and landscape architecture, examines lettuce plants in a controlled environment chamber using LED lighting. Sheibani’s research focuses on finding the best strategy for using LEDs in vertical farming that will maximize crop yield and decrease production costs associated with lighting. (Purdue Agricultural Communications photo/Jessica Kerkoff) Download image

In vertical agriculture, produce grows using LEDs as the sole lighting source (see YouTube video).

“It is the fastest-growing sector of controlled-environment ag,” Mitchell said. “There are new startups going on in urban and para-urban areas all the time, and worldwide.”

Fueled by an enthusiastic investment sector, the U.S. is a worldwide industry leader. But labor and energy costs, totaling about 60% of running an indoor farm, threaten the startups’ future. Inflation and rising energy costs have made an already fragile industry even more so. Startup costs are also high, both for land in urban areas and for LED lighting system installment.

But indoor farms can easily lower energy use while achieving their usual yield with the close-canopy-lighting strategy. Or, they can increase yield while maintaining their previous energy use. Indoor farmers can dim the voltage of a 1,000-watt, high-pressure sodium lamp with a rheostat, but that merely turns the energy into heat without any savings.

“It’s hidden energy,” Mitchell said. But with the LEDs, the current flow can be reduced, and light output is reduced proportionally.

Close-canopy lighting works because LEDs shine in all directions, like the sun. At standard plant/light separation distances, significant light streaming at wide angles over the plants misses them entirely. But with reduced separation distances, the plants absorb light that would otherwise go to waste.

Michael Gildersleeve, a graduate student in Purdue’s Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, works with lettuce plants grown under close-canopy LED lighting to maximize energy efficiency and crop yield. (Purdue Agricultural Communications photo/Tom Campbell) Download image

Today, indoor farms can affordably offer only leafy greens and culinary herbs to consumers. Their quick growth allows for many cropping cycles year-round, unlike produce grown in gardens or fields.

And once they reach high-cost urban areas, indoor-produced salad kits and leafy greens might sell for $16 or $17 a pound.

“What they sell you in the store in a clamshell or as an individual plant is just a fraction of a pound,” Mitchell said.

LEDs are the lighting system of choice for indoor farming because of their relative energy efficiency and long lifetimes, Sheibani said. But improved LEDs also have high photon efficacy, meaning that electric energy is more readily converted to light that plants can use efficiently.

Still, inefficient capture of LED light reduces their benefits. Many indoor farmers, for instance, mistakenly believe that they can place their LEDs anywhere. But Sheibani and Mitchell noticed both in vertical farms and in smaller-scale experiments that the light fell not only on the plants but also on the walls and walkways. By reducing the distance between the LED system and the leaf canopy, the researchers were able to reduce such wasted light.

“We can improve canopy photon capture efficiency, as we call it, as long as we use LEDs correctly,” Sheibani said. “Canopy photon capture efficiency is the fraction of photons that reach the photosynthesizing machinery of the plants.”

Sheibani measures waste via a ratio of plant growth to LED electrical energy consumption. The resulting energy utilization efficiency compares grams of fresh or dry biomass yield per kilowatt hour of energy consumed by the LED lighting system.

“The higher the grams of fresh or dry biomass produced per kilowatt hour, the better it is,” she said. And both of Purdue’s tested scenarios found that the closest separation distance had the highest energy utilization efficiency.

Sheibani and Mitchell also are testing an energy-saving, focused-lighting approach that relies on a custom-made LED system with selective controls. How do small, individual, widely separated plants fare under slowly spreading beams of light rather than full coverage all the time?

“When seedlings emerge after germination, the very small plants are wide apart,” Mitchell said.

“It takes two weeks for them to grow together and close a canopy of baby greens. Everything in between is mostly wasted light until then.”

Sheibani and Mitchell’s system minimizes that waste. When plants are still small, they use full-coverage LED lighting inefficiently, Sheibani said. But it is possible to save energy in the earlier growth stages with focused lighting.

“Then when the plants are at the stage that they can use light efficiently, we can upgrade to provide the optimum amount,” she said.

OptimIA offers more information in free video presentations at OptimIAUniversity and the Indoor Ag Science Café.

“There’s a lot of excitement about indoor ag and people are jumping into it,” Mitchell said. “But they don’t really have the secret for long-term profitability yet. That’s where academic research such as the OptimIA project comes in to help.”

Writer: Steve Koppes

Media contact: Maureen Manier, mmanier@purdue.edu

Sources: Cary Mitchell, cmitchel@purdue.edu

Fatemeh Sheibani, fsheiban@purdue.edu.

Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;

Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu