Realising the environmental potential of vertical farming systems through advances in plant photobiology

de Carbonnel, M., Stormonth-Darling, J. M., Liu, W., Kuziak, D. and Jones, M. A. (2022) Realising the environmental potential of vertical farming systems through advances in plant photobiology. Biology, 11(6), 922. (doi: 10.3390/biology11060922) (PMID:35741444) (PMCID:PMC9220163)

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Abstract

Intensive agriculture is essential to feed increasing populations, yet requires large amounts of pesticide, fertiliser, and water to maintain productivity. One solution to mitigate these issues is the adoption of Vertical Farming Systems (VFS). The self-contained operation of these facilities offers the potential to recycle agricultural inputs, as well as sheltering crops from the effects of climate change. Recent technological advancements in light-emitting diode (LED) lighting technology have enabled VFS to become a commercial reality, although high electrical consumption continues to tarnish the environmental credentials of the industry. In this review, we examine how the inherent use of electricity by VFS can be leveraged to deliver commercial and environmental benefits. We propose that an understanding of plant photobiology can be used to vary VFS energy consumption in coordination with electrical availability from the grid, facilitating demand-side management of energy supplies and promoting crop yield.

Item Type:Articles
Keywords:Controlled environment agriculture, circadian, demand side management, chronobiology.
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Jones, Dr Matt
Creator Roles:
Jones, M. A.Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing – original draft, Writing – review and editing, Visualization, Supervision, Funding acquisition
Authors: de Carbonnel, M., Stormonth-Darling, J. M., Liu, W., Kuziak, D., and Jones, M. A.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Molecular Biosciences
Journal Name:Biology
Publisher:MDPI
ISSN:2079-7737
ISSN (Online):2079-7737
Published Online:16 June 2022
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2022 The Authors
First Published:First published in Biology 11(6): 922
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
307958How does PAP, a stress-induced metabolite, regulate gene expression?Matthew JonesBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)BB/S005404/1Institute of Molecular, Cell & Systems Biology