Articles
Cultivar-dependent evapotranspiration as a tool to improve the energy efficiency of lettuce in indoor farming
Article number
1425_21
Pages
157 – 164
Language
English
Abstract
The increasing demand for quality food all year round and adverse climate conditions are focusing attention on the concept and technology of indoor plant production.
Cultivating crops in a (more) controlled environment allows greater flexibility to optimize plant growth conditions independent from outdoor conditions.
However, energy consumption is still a significant concern when comparing fully closed environments with greenhouses.
Thus, obtaining a high yield and the targeted improved nutritional value of the produce, e.g., lettuce, accompanied by minimal energy and cost inputs, is one of the main challenges in production optimization in plant factories.
As in most closed or semi-closed environments, evapotranspiration has a relevant impact on plant health and energy consumption; systematic analyses of evapotranspiration are the key to model-based planning and control for resource optimization.
Reaching an optimal and homogeneous microclimate in layered cropping systems is one primary key to increasing resource use efficiency by increasing plant quality in terms of health and reducing the demand for corrective and safety margins for climate control.
The primary driver for humidity increase is crop evapotranspiration, which affects the microclimate and, through that, stomatal conductance.
We experimentally analyzed the effect on evapotranspiration of two lettuce cultivars (i.e., ‘Aquino’ and ‘Barlach’). Data were used to parameterize existing stomata conductance models, which were used for optimizing operation conditions based on evapotranspiration.
Here we develop a concept for optimized energy consumption by stomata-based evapotranspiration model simulations.
Cultivating crops in a (more) controlled environment allows greater flexibility to optimize plant growth conditions independent from outdoor conditions.
However, energy consumption is still a significant concern when comparing fully closed environments with greenhouses.
Thus, obtaining a high yield and the targeted improved nutritional value of the produce, e.g., lettuce, accompanied by minimal energy and cost inputs, is one of the main challenges in production optimization in plant factories.
As in most closed or semi-closed environments, evapotranspiration has a relevant impact on plant health and energy consumption; systematic analyses of evapotranspiration are the key to model-based planning and control for resource optimization.
Reaching an optimal and homogeneous microclimate in layered cropping systems is one primary key to increasing resource use efficiency by increasing plant quality in terms of health and reducing the demand for corrective and safety margins for climate control.
The primary driver for humidity increase is crop evapotranspiration, which affects the microclimate and, through that, stomatal conductance.
We experimentally analyzed the effect on evapotranspiration of two lettuce cultivars (i.e., ‘Aquino’ and ‘Barlach’). Data were used to parameterize existing stomata conductance models, which were used for optimizing operation conditions based on evapotranspiration.
Here we develop a concept for optimized energy consumption by stomata-based evapotranspiration model simulations.
Authors
T. Ramirez, L. Cammarisano, O. Körner
Keywords
energy savings, stomatal conductance, evapotranspiration, indoor farming, lettuce
Groups involved
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Working Group Modelling in Fruit Research and Orchard Management
- Working Group Modelling Plant Growth, Environmental Control, Greenhouse Environment
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
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