Vertical Farming Research Articles

Increasing the agricultural sustainability of closed agrivoltaic systems with the integration of vertical farming: A case study on baby-leaf lettuce

The photovoltaic (PV) greenhouses are closed agrivoltaic (CA) systems that allow the production of energy and food on the same land, but may result in a yield reduction when the shading of the PV panels is excessive. Adopting innovative cropping systems can increase the yield of the CA area, generating a more productive and sustainable agrosystem. In this case study we quantified the increase of land productivity derived from the integration of an experimental vertical farm (VF) for baby leaf lettuce inside a pre-existing commercial CA. The mixed system increased the yield by 13 times compared to the CA and the average LER was 1.31, but only 12 % of the energy consumption was covered by the CA energy. To achieve the energy self-sufficiency and avoid the related CO2 emissions, the VF area should not exceed 7–18 % of the CA area, depending on the PV energy yield and the daily light integral (DLI) of the LED lighting, meaning a land consumption from 5 to 14 times higher than the VF area. The support of the PV energy was essential for the profitability of the VFCA. Design features and solutions were proposed to increase the agronomic and economic sustainability of the VFCA. The VFs can be considered a possible answer for the reconversion of the actual underutilized CAs with high PV cover ratios into productive and efficient cropping systems, but a trade-off between energy production and land consumption should be identified to ensure an acceptable environmental sustainability of the mixed system.

Techno-economic-environmental decision-making approach for the adoption of solar and natural gas-based trigeneration systems

Trigeneration systems have the ability to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions as well as result in cost savings, especially in high utility-cost markets. However, sometimes decision-making to adopt a trigeneration system can be complicated due to variations in load demand profiles and locations. The present paper is aimed at developing a generalized decision-making framework to estimate the optimal sizing as per diverse hourly building loads as well as the economic and environmental viability of natural gas and solar-based trigeneration systems. Unlike the existing literature, the decision-making approach has been demonstrated on eight different building types in five North American locations with high utility cost and rebates. EnergyPlus is used to determine the yearlong hourly energy demand of different buildings and then incorporate demand profiles to develop various sizing scenarios. To assist decision-making, economic criteria are proposed based on utility-rate structures to estimate payback periods and use the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) analysis. Incorporating environmental analysis in the decision-making process, location-specific utility scale emissions and emissions from trigeneration systems are considered. For solar-based trigeneration systems, the max area sizing scenario is found to be advantageous for buildings with higher ground-to-floor area ratios (i.e., supermarkets and secondary schools). However, for natural gas-powered trigeneration systems, two sizing scenarios are proposed (i.e., electricity sizing and heat sizing), and multiple micro-combined heat and power units are found to be preferable for various building applications. Solar trigeneration systems offered the fastest payback in vertical farms, and hospitals (the average varies from 5.4 to 9.0 years), while natural gas-based trigeneration systems had the best payback in hospitals, vertical farms, and secondary schools (the average varies from 5.7 to 8.1 years). The environmental performance of the trigeneration system varied based on the building and location combinations, thus decision-making is strongly influenced by grid greenhouse gas emissions. The proposed decision-making method can be generalized and applied to other locations to determine the most viable building applications for solar and natural gas-based trigeneration systems.

Strengthening food security through alternative carbohydrates in the city-state of Singapore

Strengthening food security, in places where land and natural resources are limited or no longer available, is challenging. This is especially true for the production of staple food carbohydrates. Unlike some alternative foods, such as cultured meats, producing food carbohydrates using conventional agri-food approaches requires many natural resources, which are not available in some regions such as Singapore. Therefore, we must develop new, sustainable methods to enhance the quantity and nutritional quality of foods rich in carbohydrates. In this article, we review current developments in food security in the city-state of Singapore and emphasize the essential role of food carbohydrates in the food security plan. We discuss technology developments (i.e., indoor vertical farming, urban farming) used to enhance crop quality and production. We also make a few recommendations such as exploring underutilized and unconventional crops that are resilient and nutrient-dense, identifying hidden resources in local ecosystems (i.e., revalorizing agri-food processing by-products), and producing alternative carbohydrates (i.e., microbial and synthetic carbohydrates). Experience and approaches developed in Singapore provide an example to other regions and may inspire creativity in securing food availability.

MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF SUGAR PALM (ARENGA PINNATA) ROPES AND NETS FOR AGRICULTURAL PURPOSES

Sample of Arenga Pinnata (AP) fibres, ropes and nets were prepared from AP ropes using traditional tools. The ropes and nets were used as agricultural material such as vertical farming of vines (passion fruit, grape, bitter gourd, and melon) in Gorontalo and Japan. The combination of nets and vines acts as green curtain (GC) which. Could mitigate the thermal energy in outdoor as well as indoor buildings. and tested with the deformation rate of up to the point of rupture. To avoid the failure of ropes and nets on supporting the weight of the vines, the Universal Testing Machine Model WDW-50 were used to determine the ultimate tensile forces. While the physical size of the AP fibres, ropes and nets also being measured to confirm the uniformity of the individual ropes and nets

Fixed vs. variable light quality in vertical farming: Impacts on vegetative growth and nutritional quality of lettuce.

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) is commonly produced in vertical farms. The levels of nutritionally important phytochemicals such as beta-carotene (precursor to vitamin A) are generally low in lettuce. In this study, we investigated the benefits of variable lighting strategy (i.e., varying the light quality during production) on maintaining plant growth and increasing the biosynthesis of beta-carotene and anthocyanin. We tested two variable lighting methods, using green and red romaine lettuce, namely (i) providing growth lighting (supports vegetative growth) initially (21 days) followed by a high percentage of blue light (supports biosynthesis of phytochemicals) at final stages (10 days) and (ii) providing a high percentage of blue light initially followed by growth lighting at final stages. Our results indicate that the variable lighting method with initial growth lighting and high percentage of blue at final stages can maintain vegetative growth and enhance phytochemicals such as beta-carotene in green romaine lettuce while both variable lighting methods were not effective in red romaine lettuce. In green romaine lettuce, we did not observe a significant reduction in shoot dry weight but there was an increase in beta-carotene (35.7%) in the variable compared to the fixed lighting method with growth lighting for the entire duration. The physiological bases for differences in vegetative growth and synthesis of beta-carotene and anthocyanin in the variable and fixed lighting methods are discussed.

Effects of New Agri Techniques on World Hunger

Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine the effect of new agriculture techniques on world hunger.
 Methodology: This study adopted a desktop methodology. This study used secondary data from which include review of existing literature from already published studies and reports that was easily accessed through online journals and libraries.
 Findings: The study revealed that new agri techniques has increased yield of crops. With advanced technology and modern crop varieties, farmers can produce more food with less land, water, and other resources. This can help to meet the growing demand for food as the global population continues to increase. Some of the new agri technique include adoption of GMOs, precision irrigation, precision agriculture and vertical farming.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: The study was anchored theory of sustainable agriculture and theory of agricultural innovation systems (AIS). The study recommended that policies and institutional frameworks should be developed to support the adoption of modern technologies in agriculture including the provision of technical assistance, access to credit and market support. The study recommended there is need for financial incentives to encourage farmers to adopt new agricultural techniques.

Risk Mitigation in Agriculture in Support of COVID-19 Crisis Management

The main focus of this article is the problem of exacerbating agricultural risks in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, which started against the background of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The motivation for conducting the research presented in this article was the desire to increase the resilience of agricultural companies to economic crises. This paper is aimed at studying the Russian experience of changing the production and financial risks of agricultural companies during the COVID-19 crisis, substantiating the important role of innovations in reducing these risks, and determining the prospects for risk management in agriculture based on innovations to increase its crisis resilience. Using the structural equation modelling (SEM) method, we modelled the contribution of innovations to the risk management of agriculture during the COVID-19 crisis. The advantages of the SEM method, compared to other conventional methods (e.g., independent correlation analysis or independent regression analysis), include the increased depth of analysis, its systemic character, and the consideration of multilateral connections between the indicators. Using the case-study method, a “smart” vertical farm framework is being developed, the risks of which are resistant to crises through the use of datasets and machine learning. The originality of this article lies in rethinking the risks of agriculture from the standpoint of “smart” technologies as a new risk factor and a way to increase resilience to crises. The theoretical significance of the results obtained is that they make it possible to systematically study the changes in the risks of agriculture in the context of the COVID-19 crisis, while outlining the prospects for increasing resilience to crises based on optimising the use of “smart” technologies. The practical significance of the article is related to the fact that the authors’ conclusions and applied recommendations on the use of datasets and machine learning by agricultural companies can improve the efficiency of agricultural risk management and ensure successful COVID-19 crisis management by agricultural companies.

Comparison of Growth Patterns and Metabolite Composition of Different Ginseng Cultivars (Yunpoong and K-1) Grown in a Vertical Farm

This study analyzed growth patterns, biological compounds, antioxidant properties, ginsenoside contents, metabolites, and the annual net production of ‘Yunpoong’ and ‘K-1’ to find the optimal harvesting time of ginseng sprouts. One-year-old ginseng seedlings were cultivated in a container-type vertical farm under a temperature of 20 °C, a humidity of 60%, and average light intensity of 46.4 µmol m−2 s−1 (16 h photoperiod). Growth patterns at 2, 3, 4, and 5 weeks after transplanting (WAT) differed between cultivars. Regarding biological compounds and antioxidant properties, ‘Yunpoong’ took 5 WAT (43.59%; 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazine-hydrate radical scavenging activity, 1.47 OD593nm; ferric reducing antioxidant power assay, 78.01%; 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging activity), and ‘K-1’ took 4 WAT (0.98 Re mg g−1; total flavonoid contents, 35.93%; DPPH) to show a high content. Two cultivars showed the highest total ginsenoside contents at 5 WAT. Most of the analyzed metabolites had a higher content in ‘Yunpoong’ than in ‘K-1’. In both cultivars, it was confirmed that the longer the growth period (3 − > 5 WAT), the lower the yield and the annual ginsenoside net production. Therefore, ‘Yunpoong’ and ‘K-1’ cultivars should be grown as ginseng sprouts in the vertical farms for approximately 3 WAT and 4 WAT, respectively.

Predictive Modeling and Computer Vision-Based Decision Support to Optimize Resource Use in Vertical Farms

This study evaluated several decision-support tools that can be used to create a control system capable of taking advantage of fluctuations in the price of resources and improving the energy use efficiency of growing crops in vertical farms. A mechanistic model was updated and calibrated for use in vertical farm environments. This model was also validated under changing environmental conditions with acceptable agreement with empirical observations for the scenarios considered in this study. It was also demonstrated that lettuce plants use carbon dioxide (CO2) more efficiently later in their development, producing around 22% more biomass during high CO2 conditions during the fourth-week post-transplant than in the first week. A feedback mechanism using top-projected canopy area (TPCA) was evaluated for its ability to correlate with and provide remote biomass estimations. It was shown that for a given set of constant environmental conditions, a scaling factor of 0.21 g cm−2 allowed the TPCA to serve as a rough proxy for biomass in the period prior to canopy closure. The TPCA also was able to show deviation from expected growth under changing CO2 concentrations, justifying its use as a feedback metric.

How to make vertical farming more attractive: Effects of vegetable growing conditions on consumer assessment

AbstractVertical farming is emerging as a new agricultural technology. Following this trend, we compare vertical farming with conventional farming and derive various results by examining consumer perceptions. Specifically, Study 1 investigates the difference between product evaluation and purchase intention according to growing conditions and suggests an underlying mechanism in the relationship between the two. Consequently, consumers prefer crops grown on conventional farms over those grown on vertical farms. This is because consumers perceive higher naturalness and healthfulness in conventional farming methods. Studies 2 and 3 suggest human touch to evaluate vertical farming more favorably. In these experiments, we consider whether similar results could be obtained by presenting different conditions under which the human touch was utilized. According to the results of examining the moderating effect of human touch, consumers positively evaluate high human touch conditions, even for vegetables grown on vertical farms.

A production capacity investment decision-making tool for the indoor vertical farming industry

Indoor vertical farming (VF) systems are a form of controlled environment agriculture, making use of technology to improve food availability and security while reducing environmental impacts. Commercially, it is a young industry with potential to disrupt the food supply chain status quo but is faced with uncertainty and risk with respect to product demand and production technology efficacy. As a result, VF firms must make decisions to develop production capacity that meets market demand while ensuring long-term profitability. This research presents a method for VF firms to facilitate the allocation of capital resources to new production capacity considering demand and production uncertainty. The method makes use of two mixed integer linear programming models, executed sequentially, to identify a production technology plan and then to identify production capacity plans under a range of different demand scenarios. Profit is used to evaluate performance and the method includes a multi-criteria comparison of how production plans perform using a range of preselected criteria.

Buying vertically farmed produce: Comparison of people with lower and higher stated purchase likelihood

AbstractThe study explored attitudinal and socio‐demographic differences between potential buyers and non‐buyers of lettuce grown in a vertical farming (VF) system. Data were collected from people (n = 2193) in four countries—United States, Germany, Singapore, and Australia. Survey results demonstrated a clear link between positive VF attitude and intention to buy, and similarly for negative attitude and intention to not buy. A key difference between people with “lower” and “higher” purchase likelihood (more or less than 50% probability) was that the former were consistently less positive about the benefits of VF. The consumer groups largely perceived the disadvantages of VF similarly. Socio‐economic differences between the consumer groups related to country of living and having children below the age of 18 living at home. The latter significantly increased the likelihood that consumers would classify a having “higher” purchase likelihood for VF‐grown lettuce. German participants were less likely to have a “higher” purchase likelihood.Practical applicationsMajor food system transformations are needed to feed growing global populations and ensure access to heathy diets. Proposed solutions include high‐technology production systems that disentangle food production from natural ecosystems. VF is among these; it is an indoor and fully controlled method for crop production. If most consumers are positive towards VF, as past research suggests, it is paramount that they also purchase VF foods. By comparing consumers who are positively and negatively inclined towards purchasing lettuce from VF, the present research identifies children below the age of 18 living in participants' households as a significant predictor of higher intention to purchase. This may be linked to parental concern for their offspring's future lives in a world likely to be impacted by ecological challenges. A likely positive consequence for VF uptake is that children carry forward some of their food‐related habits and behaviors into adulthood.

The Impact of Technophobia on Vertical Farms

Today’s rapidly changing economic and social environment requires many new and sustainable solutions for the agricultural sector, in particular in terms of achieving higher yields and conserving arable land. However, the latest technologies and innovative ideas could answer these issues and even support a smooth transition into a green economy. The current work studies one of the best solutions—consumer acceptance. Even though vertical farming is relatively widely researched, the potential clients are seldom analysed. The applied systematic literature review (PRISMA) approach revealed various vital characteristics related to the consumers based on academic publications. According to the selected studies’ results, consumers’ adoption of innovative technology is most influenced by prior knowledge of vertical farming and the importance of sustainability. Some studies found further correlations between age and gender regarding adoption, while others did not investigate these or found their role irrelevant. Most consumers found vertical farming “too artificial” and identified this as a major inhibiting factor. However, further investigation has shown that appropriate and informative marketing could significantly increase the understanding of the concept and, through this, the acceptance and widespread practical application of the innovation. In addition, the authors want to use the current work to highlight the unsettled state of vertical management. It can be concluded that new regulations could increase confidence in vertical farming, which could be further supported by the theoretical model developed in this study, thus allowing the creation of a fully traceable product chain.

Life cycle management in vertical farming: insights from vertical farming sustainability assessments

Life cycle management in vertical farming: insights from vertical farming sustainability assessments

Effect of NaCl concentration on the growth and phytochemicals of hydroponically grown Limonium tetragonum in a vertical farm

Effect of NaCl concentration on the growth and phytochemicals of hydroponically grown <i>Limonium tetragonum</i> in a vertical farm

Lighting for high value pharmaceutical and nutraceutical crops in vertical farms

Lighting for high value pharmaceutical and nutraceutical crops in vertical farms

Characterization and optimization of photon irradiance distribution in vertical farms

Characterization and optimization of photon irradiance distribution in vertical farms

Using CFD to improve flow conditions in vertical farms using realistic plant geometries

Using CFD to improve flow conditions in vertical farms using realistic plant geometries

Q&amp; Growth Industry

The agrarian revolution is taking a twenty-first century leap forward with the advent of vertical farms and controlled environment agriculture. The Engineer spoke to three leaders in the field to find out how it works and why it will succeed.

Where to go for sustainable and feasible vertical farming? A journey through resource use, environmental performances and viability indicators

Where to go for sustainable and feasible vertical farming? A journey through resource use, environmental performances and viability indicators