Progress 10/01/98 to 09/30/03
Outputs
(a)Develop decision-support tools based on plant growth and development models to enhance crop growth control and profitability Water and nutrient use were examined in a commercial lettuce production demonstration producing butterhead lettuce for commercial sale since June 1999.Instrumentation to monitor pH, EC, DO, temperature, nitrate concentration and water use was controlled by a LabVIEW program. As a contribution to a European Union project to limit nitrate accumulation in lettuce, Cornell grew lettuce crops in nutrient solutions with low and high nitrate concentration. A model of lettuce water use was developed for a computer-based fault detection system. Cost relationships and profitability were estimated for four zero runoff systems (ebb and flow, rolling benches, Dutch movable trays, flooded floors, and trough benches) to produce small and large potted plants and bedding crop flats. The Dutch movable tray system for small potted plant production and the
flooded floor system for large, potted plants and bedding drop flat production were most profitable. The least risky system for each crop category was the Dutch movable tray system. A computer control algorithm was developed to control the daily light integral and CO2 concentration in a greenhouse, accounting for ventilation and crop needs. Simulation tests of the optimization algorithm suggest approximately 40 percent of supplemental lighting can be avoided by proper modulation of CO2 to achieve growth the same as with (more) supplemental lighting alone. (b) Develop an integrated information database on CEA plant growth systems to facilitate analysis and to produce a decision-support tool. A water uptake model for lettuce was developed. Water use increased with increased hourly light integral or plant age. Five data sets were modeled using the Penman-Monteith evapotranspiration. EC, pH, DO and temperature were monitored for lettuce in hydroponics. A neural network to predict EC and
pH changes for normally growing plants predicted EC within 5 uS/cm and pH within 0.01 over a 20-minute time step. OBJECTIVE 2. Enhance commercial greenhouse design, water management, and environmental systems for cool and cloudy climates: (a) Develop design and control recommendations for naturally ventilated greenhouses. New York provided the natural ventilation computer model and recommendations for ventilation of the Palm House and Garden Court of the U.S. Botanic Gardens. The leader of the tour of the facilities, that was part of the NE-164 2003 annual meeting, emphasized the good environmental control afforded by the system as installed. (b) Enhance technology transfer and research in artificial lighting. New York developed a program to control lighting and shade deployment in a greenhouse that achieved the specified light integral on most days. HPS lighting in the NASA BIO-Plex plant growth chamber (Johnson Space Center) was analyzed with a 3D luminaire analysis and design
program to determine lamp placement and reflector design.
Impacts
New York operated a controlled environment lettuce production demonstration since June of 1999, to produce a crop of the same quantity and quality every day of the year, with a high yearly productivity rate of approximately 80 heads of butterhead lettuce produced per square foot of growing area. Commercialization of the system was undertaken with an industrial partner. The algorithm developed in 1998 to control the daily integral of light delivered to the plants has operated satisfactorily in the greenhouse and is ready for commercial application. New York trained a neural network to predict EC and pH changes for normally growing hydroponic lettuce within small tolerances and short intervals so that faults in the growing system could be detected. New York provided a model for natural ventilation and recommendations for ventilation of the renovated Palm House and Garden Court of the U.S. Botanic Gardens; the design was adopted for the renovations and has worked well.
Publications
- Ferentinos, K.P. and L.D. Albright. 2003. Fault detection and diagnosis in deep-trough hydroponics using intelligent computational tools. Biosystems Engineering 84(1): 13-30.
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Progress 01/01/02 to 12/31/02
Outputs
Development continues for model to predict pH & electrical conductivity changes in root zone of lettuce grown in a deep-trough hydroponic system. Feed forward neural network is basis of modeling. Neural network model has 9 inputs (pH, EC, nutrient solution temp, air temp, relative humidity, light intensity, plant age, amount of added acid, & amount of added base) & 2 outputs (pH & EC). Most suitable & accurate combination of network architecture & training method was one-hidden-layer w/nine hidden nodes, trained w/quasi-Newton back propagation algorithm. Model proved capable of predicting pH at 20-minute time step within 0.01 pH units. Simpler prediction methods, linear extrapolation & Alazy man prediction, gave comparable accuracy much. They performed poorly in situations where control actions of system had been activated & produced relatively rapid changes in predicted parameter. Neural network model didn't encounter difficulties predicting rapid changes. Developed
model successfully identified dynamic process in root zone of hydroponic system & accurately predicted one-step-ahead values of pH & EC. Cornell's demonstration lettuce production greenhouse continues operatation at 2/3 capacity (about 600 heads of butterhead lettuce/day). Marketing limits in Ithaca region prevent full production. A partner in has been obtained & plans to construct & operate greenhouse modules based on Cornell's system. They will develop market strategies & sales streams, using Cornell's greenhouse as their production facility. Abanker plant system of growing monocot aphids on barley plants in the greenhouse, to act as a host for parasitic wasp colemani, has worked very well for aphid control on lettuce. Three experimental water-conditioning units were assembled for the following potential applications: A) produce electrochemically modified water within a broad range of pH and ORP parameters for experiments with seed germination/growth stimulation; B) disinfect
raw/make-up water and nutrient solutions within CEA operations; C) control the alkalinity and pH levels in water and hydroponic nutrient solutions. The units will be tested during the coming year. Preliminary experiments have begun to quantify quantity & quality of tomato grown under supplemental lighting with & without a consistent daily light integral. Work is in cooperation with a commercial tomato grower north of Albany, NY. The grower has installeded High Pressure Sodium (HPS) luminaires for night (electrical off-peak) lighting only. A deal with the local utility will provide reduced electric rates and no demand charge for electricity used during the off-peak rate period. Thus, their goal is to supplement daily natural light integrals by a constant amount and accept large day-to-day fluctuations provided by nature. A companion effort at Cornell will compare natural light integrals to consistent PPFD integrals of 10 and 20 mol/m2.
Impacts
The past year has brought two commercial greenhouse growers and one new greenhouse environmental control computer company into partnership arrangements whereby technologies we develop are transferred into the commercial sector. Technologies developed will become significant components of the intellectual property that will be transferred through licensing by the university.
Publications
- Albright, L.D., R.S. Gates, K.G. Arvanitis and A. Drysdale. 2001. Environmental control for plants on Earth and in space. IEEE Control Systems Magazine. 21(5):28-47.
- Both, A.J., D.E. Ciolkosz and L.D. Albright. 2002. Light uniformity underneath supplemental lighting systems. Acta Horticulturae (in press).
- Ciolkosz, D.E., A.J. Both, and L.D. Albright. 2002. Selection and placement of greenhouse luminaires for uniformity. Applied Engr. in Agr. 17(6):106-113.
- Ciolkosz, D.E., L.D. Albright, J.C. Sager and R.W. Langhans. 2002. A model for plant lighting system selection. Trans. of the ASAE 45(1):215-221.
- Ferentinos, K.P. and L.D. Albright. 2002. Modeling pH and electrical conductivity in hydroponics using artificial neural networks. Acta Horticulturae (in press).
- Ferentinos, K.P., L.D. Albright and B. Spelman. 2002. Predictive neural network modeling of pH and electrical conductivity in deep-trough hydroponics. Trans. of the ASAE 45(6).
- Johnson-Rutzke, C.F., R.P. Glahn, M.A. Rutske, R.M. Wheeler, R.M. Welch, R.W. Langhans, L.D. Albright and G.F. Combs, Jr. 2002. Light quality effects on the nutritional value of spinach plants. NASA TM 2002-210268, John F. Kennedy Space Center, FL. 26 pp.
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Progress 01/01/01 to 12/31/01
Outputs
Considerable progress has been made in linking with commercial interests to transfer the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) technologies that have been developed at Cornell to the private sector. A corporate concern is now a partner in our CEA lettuce production greenhouse and will market our lettuce in Western New York to develop their market prior to constructing their own similar greenhouses. A computer control firm is working with us to develop a state-of-the-art greenhouse environment control program that will be used in the greenhouses to be constructed in Western New York and then marketed beyond. The most innovative aspect of their software will be inclusion of the algorithm developed and patented at Cornell to control supplemental greenhouse lighting to a consistent daily integral. This will be the first commercial application of the algorithm. The CEA lettuce greenhouse, itself, is in the process of being transferred from our previous private partner
in this research effort to Cornell for continued use in the CEA program.
Impacts
The effect of providing supplemental lighting with and without a consistent daily light integral is being tested on hydroponic tomatoes. A private greenhouse located in Eastern New York is cooperating to assess the benefits of adding a fixed amount of supplemental light every (winter) night - added during the electricity off-peak rate hours. On the Cornell University campus, we are testing the effects of controlling to two different by consistent light integral values. The low value is 10 mol of photosynthetically active radiation per square meter per day and the higher target is 20.
Publications
- Both, A.J., D.E. Ciolkosz and L.D. Albright. 2001. Light uniformity underneath supplemental lighting. Acta Horticulturae (in press).
- Albright, L.D., R.S. Gates, K.G. Arvanitis and A. Drysdale. 2001. Control strategies for plant shoot and root environments on Earth and in space. IEEE Control Systems Magazine
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Progress 01/01/00 to 12/31/00
Outputs
A pseudo-commercial hydroponic lettuce production greenhouse continues in operation. Dealing with aphid infestations was a major problem of the past year of operation. Pesticides are not desirable in the greenhouse, and few are registered for lettuce. A "banker" plant technique to continually infest the greenhouse with parasitic wasps, as well as careful screening of the air inlets, has provided adequate control during the past summer and autumn. Fault detection in the root zone of hydroponic crops is a current direction of effort. The goal is to develop, using neural network models, an on-line method to detect unusual plant performances based on their time-dependent interactions with the nutrient solution. A system of three small deep trough hydroponic units was developed and instrumented to be used. Instrumentation for pH, EC, DO, temperature, and nitrate concentration were developed, as well as scales for two of the three ponds to quantify evapotranspiration.
Measurement and control by a locally written LabVIEW program has provided an excellent and flexible experimental unit. The scales included for two of the three deep-trough systems provide sensitivity of 50 g of water evaporated out of each tank, which contain more than 100 kg of water. This corresponds to transpiration of approximately 50 ml of water. Typical daily crop transpiration was 3000 ml; thus, sensitivity was on the order of hourly transpiration, permitting the tracking of short-term plant responses and diurnal transpiration patterns. A neural network model to predict pH and electrical conductivity (EC) dynamics in a deep- trough hydroponic system was developed, with unstressed lettuce as the crop of interest. A feed forward neural network model with nine inputs and two outputs (pH and EC at the next time step) proved to be the best predictor. The most suitable network was one with one hidden layer and nine hidden nodes trained with the quasi-Newton back propagation
algorithm. Predictions of the pH and EC values for the next time step (twenty minutes) were within 0.01 pH units and 5 microS cm-1, respectively. A neural network model to predict mechanical and sensor faults in deep-trough hydroponic systems was developed. The optimum network had fifteen inputs and two hidden layers with nine nodes each. Faults tested included sensor failure, and acid and nutrient solution circulation pump failures. The network proved able to detect single failures, generally within one hour of the fault occurring. Efforts to train a neural network to detect actual plant faults continues.
Impacts
All activities in this project are aimed at creating and enhancing new technologies to improve greenhouse crop production, particularly greenhouse vegetable production without the use of pesticides or the generation of environmental discharges. Work progresses to extend the hydroponic production system to family farm operations operated commercially, and fault detection efforts will lead to better methods for greenhouse operators to optimize production by being notified by their control computers of problems almost immediately, not after the crop has been damaged to the point of being visually noticeable.
Publications
- Setiawan, A., L.D. Albright and R.M. Phelan. 2000. Application of pseudo-derivative feedback algorithm in greenhouse air temperature control. Computers in Agriculture 26(2000):283-302.
- Uva, W.-f., T.C. Weiler, R.A. Milligan, L.D. Albright and D.A. Haith. 2000. Risk analysis of adopting zero runoff sub-irrigation systems in greenhouse operations: a Monte Carlo simulation approach. Agr. and Resource Economics Review 29(2):229-239.
- Albright, L.D., A.J. Both and A. Chiu. 2000. Controlling greenhouse light to a consistent daily integral. Trans. of the ASAE 43(2):421-431.
- Albright, L.D. 2000. Effective Environmental Control for Greenhouses (Invited talk with written copy). Proceedings, ACE_SYS IV, Tsukuba, Japan. 11 pp.
- Both, A.J. and L.D. Albright. 2000. A controlled environment: test facility protects lettuce from elements year round. Resource 7(5):7-8.
- Ciolkosz, D.C. and L.D., Albright. 2000. Use of small scale evaporation pans for evaluation of whole plant evapotranspiration. Trans. of the ASAE 43(2):415-420
- Ferentinos, K.P., L.D. Albright and D.V. Ramani. 2000. Economically optimum daily PAR integral and CO2 concentration combinations as influenced by ventilation rates and natural lighting in greenhouse lettuce production. J. Agr. Engr. Res. 77(3):309-315.
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Progress 01/01/99 to 12/31/99
Outputs
Cornell University's Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Program has been involved in greenhouse hydroponic vegetable production research since 1991. The goal is to develop systems to produce fresh, high-quality, pesticide-free vegetables close to market. Year-round and rapid production is made possible with accurate greenhouse climate control, including the integration of supplemental lighting and carbon dioxide enrichment of the greenhouse air. Especially during the darker winter months, supplemental lighting is needed to sustain sufficiently rapid plant growth required for profitable production. To integrate and demonstrate seven years of research results, it was decided to build a demonstration greenhouse based on a floating hydroponic (butterhead) lettuce production system used in the research. The facility consists of a 750 m2 greenhouse and 360 m2 head house. An agricultural cooperative (Agway, Inc.) is partnering with Cornell University for the
construction and operation of this demonstration greenhouse. Construction was started in March, 1998, and completed in April, 1999. Special attention is given to the environment control of the plant production areas, including a growth room equipped with a water-cooled high-pressure sodium lighting system. Two fulltime greenhouse growers operate the facility and produce 945 heads of lettuce each day, seven days per week. It takes thirty-five days from seeding to produce a target minimum fresh shoot mass of 150 g. Following construction, the facility will be operated and closely monitored for one full year, after which Agway will assume responsibility. Cornell University has licensed the developed technology exclusively to Agway. Agway, in turn, plans to license the technology to prospective greenhouse growers who will receive proper training in the demonstration facility before starting on their own. It is projected that the demonstration greenhouse could be the beginning of a new and
high-tech vegetable industry in New York State and beyond.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Albright, L.D. 1999. Environment control for plant production. Proceedings, ACE_SYS III Forum, New Brunswick, N.J. 47-59.
- Both, A.J., L.D. Albright and R.W. Langhans, 1999. Design of a demonstration greenhouse operation for commercial lettuce production. Paper No. 994123. ASAE, The society for engineering in agricultural, food and biological systems, St. Joseph, MI. 13 pp.
- Johnson, C.F., R.W. Langhans, L.D. Albright, G.F. Combs, Jr., R.M. Welch, L. Heller, R.P. Glahn, R.M. Wheeler and G.D. Goins. 1999. Spinach: nitrate analysis of an advanced life support (ALS) crop cultured under ALS candidate artificial light sources. 29th International Confer-ence on Environmental Systems, Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc. ICES99CD, Paper No. 1999-01-2107.
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Progress 01/01/98 to 12/31/98
Outputs
A greenhouse temperature control algorithm based on Pseudo-Derivative Feedback (PDF) was programmed and tested. The algorithm proved capable of greenhouse temperature control to within 0.2 C during times both of constant temperature set point, and changing set point, and with rapidly changing heating loads such as during partly cloudy days. This algorithm is an alternative to conventional temperature control and is a method to control for rapidly changing heating and cooling loads with accurate control and fast response but without temperature overshoot. It is being programmed into a commercial greenhouse controller for test in a commercial production setting during 1999. A commercial demonstration greenhouse was constructed and nearly completed during 1998. This greenhouse will use hydroponic production techniques to produce 1000 heads daily of Bibb lettuce. Production should begin in March, 1999, and will be the culmination of several years of previous research and
development of a greenhouse vegetable production system suitable for the Northeast as well as elsewhere in the U.S. Preliminary tests have been completed that demonstrate how plants respond to the integration of light and carbon dioxide. Previous results have shown the importance of plant production using a consistent daily integral of light. However, during winter in many regions of the U.S., there is need for a great deal of supplemental lighting to meet the required integral. We have shown that moderately high concentrations of carbon dioxide reduce the required integral to obtain the same growth, at much reduced cost. Unfortunately, venting for temperature control works against carbon dioxide supplementation and simulation results have shown that the heat produced by supplemental lights triggers venting many days during the year. Thus, the results have considered this effect in addition to simple lighting cost reduction. The results have yielded an algorithm for control that
integrates light and carbon dioxide in a way to achieve consistent growth at the lowest cost. The model crop for the tests has been lettuce.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Both, A.J., L.D. Albright and R.W. Langhans. 1998. Coordinated management of daily PAR integral and carbon dioxide for hydroponic lettuce production. Acta Horticulturae No. 456:45-52.
- Setiawan, A, L.D. Albright and R.M. Phelan. 1998. Simulation of greenhouse air temperature using PI and PDF algorithms. Proceedings, 1st IFAC workshop on control applications and ergonomics in agriculture. Athens, Greece. June 15-17, 1998.
- Spinu, V.C., L.D. Albright and R.W. Langhans. 1998. Electrochemical pH control in hydroponics systems. Acta Horticulturae No. 456:275-282.
- Albright, L.D. 1998. Method for controlling greenhouse light. United States Patent Number 5,818,734, October 6, 1998.
- Ciolkosz, D.E., L.D. Albright and A.J. Both. 1998. Characterizing evapotranspiration in a greenhouse lettuce crop. Acta Horticulturae No. 456:255-262.
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Progress 01/01/97 to 12/31/97
Outputs
A commercial module of our floating hydroponics lettuce production system has been designed and construction is to begin in March, 1998. The unit will produce 1000 heads of bibb lettuce every day of the year. An innovative water conditioning system has been developed and tested, a system that controls pH in source water and selectively removes unwanted ions, all using electricity rather than chemicals. A thesis has been completed detailing application of the Pseudo-Derivative Feedback algorithm for controlling greenhouse air temperature. The technique is capable of providing temperature control to within 0.1 C. Eleven documents have been prepared for publication are currently are in press.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Albright, L.D. 1997. Specifications, functioning and maintenance of equipment for forced cooling of greenhouses. Proceedings, International Seminar on Protected Cultivation in India. Bangalore,
- Albright, L.D. 1997. Ventilation and shading for greenhouse cooling. Proceedings, International Seminar on Protected Cultivation in India. Bangalore, India, Dec. 18-19, 1997. p.16-24.
- Albright, L.D. 1997. Greenhouse thermal environment and light control. In: Plant production in closed ecosystems, E. Goto, K, Kurata, M. Hayashi and S. Sasi, editors. Kluwer Academic Publishers.
- Ciolkosz, D.E. and L.D. Albright. 1997. Evaluation of whole plant transpiration as affected by greenhouse air movement. Paper No. 974029. ASAE, The society for engineering in agricultural, food and
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Progress 01/01/96 to 12/30/96
Outputs
Components of a floating hydroponics method for CEA lettuce production continue to be developed and funding has been obtained to construct and operate during 1997 a demonstration module of commercial size based on our system.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Albright, L.D. and H.I. Henderson. 1996. Air conditioning to increase effectiveness of carbon dioxide enrichment. Paper No. 964007. ASAE, St. Joseph, MI. 15 pp.
- Albright, L.D. 1996. The importance of design and control of light in high-productivity controlled environment agriculture (CEA). Proc. of the Int. Conf. on Agricultural and Biological Environment. Beijing, P.R. China, 15-19 August, 1996.
- Albright, L.D. 1996. Controlled environment lettuce production models. Proc. of the Twenty-Sixth National Agr. Plastics Congress and the American Greenhouse Veg. Growers Assoc. Conf. June 14-18, Atlantic City, NJ: 265-270.
- Both, A.J., A.R. Leed, E. Goto, L.D. Albright and R.W. Langhans. 1996. Greenhouse spinach production in a NFT system. Acta Hort. No. 440: 187-192.
- Goto, E., A.J. Both, L.D. Albright, R.W. Langhans and A.R. Leed. 1996. Effect ofdissolved oxygen concentration on lettuce growth in floating hydroponics. Acta Hort. No. 440: 205-210.
- Albright, L.D. and R.W. Langhans. 1996. Controlled environment agriculture scoping study. Report CR-107152. EPRI Agricultural Technology Alliance, Palo Alto, CA, 70 pp.
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Progress 01/01/95 to 12/30/95
Outputs
Supplemental lighting control rules have been defined and a computer implementation used in conjunction with ten years of hourly weather data to test the adequacy of the rules for commercial greenhouses to achieve a prescribed daily PPF integral on days of insufficient solar irradiation.Control decisions are based on the current day's accumulating solar data.The model is sensitive to time-of-day electricity rates, changing seasons, weather, greenhouse and component characteristics, and greenhouse location (latitude and longitude).The rules contain parameters with values suggested for northeastern United States solar conditions, but which may be adjusted for local solar climates that are significantly different.Additionally, a simple algorithm based on intuitively developed rules has been developed to control movable shade systems in commercial greenhouses.The algorithm has been implemented in a greenhouse light environment simulation computer program and tested in
conjunction with ten years of hourly weather data.Simulations show the algorithm is useful for controlling a movable shade system to reach a consistent value of integrated daily PPF on days when the target would otherwise have been exceeded.The algorithm requires neither historical weather data, nor a daily forecast of solar conditions.Control decisions can be based on only the solar PPF accumulated during the previous hour.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- Albright, L.D.1995.Greenhouse lighting control to a daily PPF integral, with energy andcost consequences.Paper No. 954487.ASAE, The Society for engineering in agricultural,food and biological systems, St. Joseph, MI. 22 pp.Albright, L.D.199.
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Progress 01/01/94 to 12/30/94
Outputs
One important component of our work this year has involved designs of supplemental lighting systems for greenhouses. A commerciallyavailable lighting design computer program has been used in a series of studies of greenhouse and plant growth chamber lighting systems, and the results have been presented at two international conferences. Another aspect of our project has seen completion of a computer program that can be used to calculate the cost of mechanical ventilation of greenhouses. The program is intended as an analysis and design tool to assess fan control, timeofdayrates, fan selection, and other greenhouse design factors for their impact on the energy use and cost of mechanical ventilation. A third aspect has involved studies to quantify environmental effects on nitrate uptake by plant (lettuce) roots in hydroponic growing systems. The work has reulted in a modified form of the MichaelisMenten relationship, with parameters a function of light level and previous
nitrate concentration. The work is part of a doctoral thesis that should be completed early in 1995. This project is associated with a significantly funded project with the objective of bringing energy use efficiency to vegetable production greenhouses in New York State. That project is currently in the initial phases of designing vegetable production modules in cooperation with two major New York State corporations.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- WHEELER, E.F., ET AL. 1994. Plant growth and nitrogen uptake, Part I: beyond the MichaelisMenten relationship. Paper No. 947506. ASAE, St. Joseph, MI. 15 pp.
- WHEELER, E.F., ET AL. 1994. Plant growth and nitrogen uptake, Part II: effects of light level and nitrate nutrition. Paper No. 947505. ASAE, St. Joseph, MI. 14 pp.
- ALBRIGHT, L.D. 1994. Fan operating costs for controlled environment agriculture. Proceedings, National Agricultural DemandSide Management Conference, Albany, NY. NRAES, RileyRobb Hall, Cornell Univ., p. 5160.
- ALBRIGHT, L.D. 1994. Fundamentals of Environmental Control for Plants. Proceedings, Greenhouse Systems Conference: Automation, Culture and Environment. NRAES, RileyRobb Hall, Cornell Univ. pp. 140152.
- ALBRIGHT, L.D. 1994. Predicting greenhouse ventilating fan duty factors and operating costs. Paper No. 944576. ASAE, St. Joseph, MI. 20 pp.
- GOTO, E., ET AL. 1994. Plant spacing management in hydroponic lettuce production. Paper No. 944574. ASAE, St. Joseph, MI. 13 pp.
- ALBRIGHT, L.D. 1994. FANDUTY. A computer program that calculates the cost of greenhouse ventilation, written in Pascal. 9,000 lines. Copyrighted by the author.
- SANDERSON, J.P., ET.AL. 1994. Effect of pesticide applications, supplemental lighting and spider mite (Acari: Tetranychidae) injury on yield of greenhouse r.
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Progress 01/01/93 to 12/30/93
Outputs
1) Progress has been made to quantify effects of environmental conditions on thenitrate uptake kinetics of lettuce roots in hydroponic solution. The immediate objective is to formulate a Michaelis-Menten model of nitrate uptake by lettuce roots that is sensitive to the environmental condition of light. A series of experiments has been completed within a plant growth chamber wherein the nitrate uptake rates of lettuce roots have been measured under a range of light environments, and hydroponic solution nitrate levels. 2) A plant growth model has been developed to describe lettuce growth in controlled environment agriculture conditions (supplemental lighting, careful temperature control, hydroponic growing methods). The model predicts the response of lettuce to integrated incident light very well and is now being used to assess various supplemental lighting scenarios. 3) Mechanical ventilation is one energy user in controlled environment agriculture. A computer program
has been completed that predicts the energy cost of mechanical venitlation based on greenhouse characteristics, greenhouse environmental control set points, ventilating fan efficiencies, weather, and the electricity cost rate structure. 4) A nutrient-film system for hydroponic lettuce production has been tested thoroughly over the past year. Many horticultural details related to seeding, seedling selection, transplanting, and plant re-spacing have been investigated with the goal to publish a HOW TO manual.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- SANDERSON, J.P., WHITLOW, T.H., LANGHANS, R.W., HORST, R.K., ALBRIGHT, L.D. AND WEILER, T.C. 1993. Effect of pesticide applications, supplemental lighting and spider mite injury on...greenhouse roses. J. Econ. Entom. (in-press).
- BOTH, A.J., CHOU, C.A., ALBRIGHT, L.D. AND LANGHANS, R.W. 1994. A microwave powered light source for plant irradiation. Acta Horticulturae (in-press).
- BOTH, A.J., ALBRIGHT, L.D., LANGHANS, R.W., REISER, R.A., AND VINZANT, B.G. 1994. Hydroponic lettuce production influenced by integrated supplemental light levels in a controlled envir. agric. facility. Acta Hortic. (in-press).
- BOTH, A.J., ALBRIGHT, L.D., LANGHANS, R.W., VINZANT, B.G. AND WALKER, P.N. 1994. Elec. energy consumption & light output of 400W high pressure sodium luminaires & a greenhouse applic. of results. Acta Horticulturae (in press).
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Progress 01/01/92 to 12/30/92
Outputs
Work has been completed to characterize the light output of a dozen commerciallyavailable luminaires used for plant lighting. The work was completed using facilities in the laboratories of the Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering at The Pennsylvania State University. Using the data, a lighting system has been developed for five sections of the greenhouse research complex at Cornell. A commercially available computer program (LumenMicro) was used for design and the results were within a few percent of desired values in terms of light levels and uniformity. As part of this effort, analysis was completed of the total installation and operating costs of lighting a greenhouse range using the twelve tested lights. The results show a subtle interaction between luminaire cost, light uniformity and total light output characteristics of the luminaire, and the cost of electricity. A computer program has been initiated to calculate the operating cost of a
mechanical ventilation system, based on fan efficiency as well as the thermal characteristics of the greenhouse, fan air flow characteristics, weather, and fan control strategies (thermostat set points). Work on this program continues. Five greenhouse sections have been configured to conduct experiments to characterize the effect of supplementary lighting and carbon dioxide supplementa- tion on the growth of hydroponic lettuce. Experiments have commenced and the first phase is expected to be completed during the late spring of 1993.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- BOTH, A.J., ALBRIGHT, L.D., LANGHANS, R.W., VINZANT, B.G. AND WALKER, P.N. 1992. Research on energy consumption of HID lighting. Proceedings, Nat. Agric. Demand-Side Management Conf., Syracuse, NY, pp. 125-34. Oct. 20-22.
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Progress 01/01/91 to 12/30/91
Outputs
During the current reporting year, a significant research grant was obtained to investigate several aspects of energy efficient lighting and ventilation for greenhouses. The monies are to support renovation of one research greenhouse on the Cornell campus, and three years of experimentation and computer modelling. A computer model has been started to explore energy efficiency in ventilation fan operation. The model will be useful in assessing effects of greenhouse characteristics, crop characteristics, control specifications, electric rate structures, and fan characteristics in determining the yearly cost of ventilating commercial greenhouses in New York State conditions. A 5-section greenhouse is currently being renovated to provide a state of the art research facility, having efficient lighting, computer control of the environment, and hydroponic equipment for growing greenhouse lettuce. The climate control computer program is based on the single airspace climate
controller developed at Cornell several years ago, to encompass the five air spaces of the renovated facility. It is also being moved to a PC base rather than a locally devised controller.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- ALBRIGHT, L. D. 1991. Production solar greenhouses. Chapter 6, In: Solar Energy in Agriculture, B. F. Parker, Ed., Elsevier. Amsterdam pp. 213-32.
- ALBRIGHT, L.D. 1991. Controlling the greenhouse environment. Proceedings, NYS Vegetable Conference. Cornell Cooperative Extension, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY.
- MARSH, L. S. and ALBRIGHT, L. D. 1991. Economically optimum day temperatures for greenhouse hydroponic lettuce production. Part I: a computer model. Transactions, American Society of Agricultural Engineers 34(2):550-56.
- MARSH, L.S. and ALBRIGHT, L.D. 1991. Economically optimum day temperatures for greenhouse hydroponic lettuce production. Part II: results and simulations. Transactions of American Society of Agricultural Engineers 34(2):557-62.
- SEGINER, I., SHINA, G., ALBRIGHT, L.D. and MARSH, L.S. 1991. Optimal temperature setpoints for greenhouse lettuce. J. of Agricultural Engineering Research 49:209-26.
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Progress 01/01/90 to 12/30/90
Outputs
Work during the current year has focused on evaluating screening materials to limit entry of arthropod pests, primarily thrips, into commercial greenhouses. A small screen material test apparatus was fabricated that permitted samples of screens to be tested. Results showed most commercially available screen materials are incapable of preventing passage of thrips. Tests were conducted over 24 hours to allow time for exploration and passage, and honey was used as an attractant to encourage movement through the screens. The two screen materials that prevented passage (one a commercially available greenhouse screening material and the other a fine mesh aluminum screen not currently used for greenhouse screens) showed potentially large restrictions to ventilation airflow. A wind tunnel was constructed to test pressure drops across screens, and the effects of dust buildup. Tests showed that daily cleaning of screens will be necessary to prevent undue impairment of
ventilation. The greenhouse environmental control program reported previously has now been completed, and successfully transported to a commercial controller based on the Intel 8096 microprocessor. Commercial adoption will be possible if an interested firm can be located.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- ALBRIGHT, L.D. and BOTH, A.J. 1990. Screening materials for thrips exclusion in greenhouses. Proceedings of the 52nd Annual New York State Pest Management Conference. pp 21-27.
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Progress 01/01/87 to 12/30/87
Outputs
This project is a revision and renewal of project NYC-123437, and work related to the effort is reported for this year under the old project number.
Impacts
(N/A)
Publications
- NO PUBLICATIONS REPORTED THIS PERIOD.
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