Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Greenhouse operators and others interested in indoor vegetable production. Additionally, eight horticultural program graduates were provided a summer-long internship experience. Changes/Problems: No changes are anticipated; the project has ended. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Eight horticulture program graduates were provided (paid) summer internship opportunities. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Through more than two dozen workshops located around New York State, and published articles. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Topic 1, Energy Conservation and Alternative Energy Sources: Continuation and expansion of research (and three patents) related to supplemental lighting and movable shade control for commercial greenhouses to minimize energy use and supplemental lighting during peak hours of the day. Grant funding has been obtained to continue to expand the capabilities of the daily light integral control algorithm, as well as develop an energy-related addition to the popular "Vegetable Grower" software package developed by USDA. Topic 2, Water and Nutrient Solution Management: Municipal water quality has been a major issue in the Challenge Industries lettuce greenhouse operated in collaboration with the Cornell CEA program. We will continue research to identify the best water treatment methods, particularly related to chlorine residuals. Extensive tests have led t the conclusion that DI-treated water is the best option for raft-technology hydroponics, when combined with a charcoal filter to remove organic pollutants. Topic 3, Sensors and Control Systems: Light and CO2 control algorithms, patented by Cornell, will be developed into commercially-viable hardware and software through a USDA phase 2 SBIR grant. Commercial hardware/software has yet to be accomplished. A single beta test site has operated with the software for one year, at this point. Topic 4, Environmental Effects on Plant Composition: Environmental effects on production of several valuable Phytochemicals in GMO tobacco will be quantified through a USDA phase 2 SBIR grant. Extensive studies of lighting effects on genetic expression of modified tobacco (to produce cellulase) have been completed and the work is in preparation for a journal article. Topic 5, Natural Ventilation Design and Control: Funding will be sought, in collaboration with the University of Arizona, to implement and test a natural ventilation control algorithm developed at Cornell.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Li, Y., J. Qin, N.S. Mattson, and Y. Ao. 2013. Effect of potassium application on celery growth and cation uptake under different calcium and magnesium levels in substrate culture. Scientia Horticulturae.
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Progress 10/01/11 to 09/30/12
Outputs
OUTPUTS: A collaborative effort with the RPI Lighting Research Center in Troy, NY, was completed to evaluate the use of LEDs for greenhouse and plant growth chamber lighting. The result was a white paper submitted to NYSERDA, the project sponsor. Topics included the wavelength dependence of photosynthesis, the potency of photomorphogenetic effects over time is demonstrated by discussion of some key articles, an examination what would be desirable in a research greenhouse to advance greenhouse food production methods in our part of the world, and what are the ways in which one can hope to reduce energy use and cost of production, and improve product quality in greenhouse food production. The CEA Technology Transfer Center efforts for the year included presentation of two dozen workshops around New York State on CEA technologies, particularly lighting and energy conservation. Additionally, an intern from SUNY Cobleskill completed three months of training under the direction of Dr. Brechner, the Center director. PARTICIPANTS: Participants in the efforts were: Albright, L.D., Professor Langhans, R.W., Professor de Villiers, D.S., Research Associate Brechner, M.L., Extension Associate Shelford, T.J., Post-Doctoral Associate TARGET AUDIENCES: Target audiences for research efforts were colleagues in greenhouse environmental control around the world. Target audiences for the technology transfer workshops were the general public, current greenhouse operators, potential greenhouse operators, and students. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
The white paper on LED lighting for commercial plant production led to a grant proposal to NYSERDA. The proposal is based on a deeper understanding of the effects of circadian rhythms in photosynthesis and how light cycling now possible with LEDs may possibly make it possible to achieve higher photosynthetic efficiencies. The proposal is currently under review by NYSERDA.
Publications
- Albright , L.D., de Villiers, D.S. and Tuck , R. 2012. Energy-efficient, uniform, supplemental plant lighitng for research greenhouses. Acta Hort. (ISHS) 956:99-106
- Brechner, M.L., Albright, L.D. and Weston, L.A.. 2011. Effects if UVB on secondary metabolites of St. John's Wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) grown in controlled environments. Photochemistry and Photobiology 87(3):680-684.
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Progress 10/01/10 to 09/30/11
Outputs
OUTPUTS: Funding has been received to initiate a Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) and Modified-Environment Agriculture (MEA) technology transfer center for New York State. A series of workshops has begun, ranging from overview presentations for the general public, to workshops focused on potential and current CEA and MEA owners and managers. Additionally, summer internships were created to begin the process of training employees and managers of CEA facilities in colder climates, such as New York State. Workshops around NY State are coordinated with local Cooperative Extension agents. Cornell University has worked with Cycloptics Technologies, LLC, to install and test more efficient plant lighting luminaire designs. A walk-in plant growth chamber has been retrofitted with fourteen of the new luminaires. Further luminaire designs have been completed for research greenhouses to light plants uniformly while preventing light spill-over into the aisles, and commercial greenhouses to provide lighting intensity uniformity and improved efficacy. As soon as available (early 2012) from the manufacturer, these luminaires will be installed and their performances monitored and quantified. Results were disseminated in an international scientific conference of the International Society for Horticultural Sciences in June of 2011. Cornell University has fabricated and installed a beta version of a Daily Light Integral (DLI) controller in a commercial greenhouse in Ontario, Canada. The controller implements the DLI control algorithm patented by Cornell. Operation of the DLI controller will be monitored and quantified for one year. Other sites are being investigated currently to provide a range of climate and solar conditions for beta tests. Pythium aphanadermatum zoospores reproduce more slowly as hydroponic solution temperature decreases. This is especially important with spinach production, for spinach is particularly sensitive to the disease. Experiments were completed to quantify possible significant differences between the final harvest fresh weights of the spinach plants grown with a root zone temperature of 15 C and those of plants grown with a root zone temperature of 20 C. Chilling nutrient solution in a floating hydroponic system requires relatively little energy due to the presence of insulating rafts between the solution and the greenhouse environment, used to hold the plants. PARTICIPANTS: Collaborative work with the small firm, Cycloptics Technologies, LLC, located in Dayton, OH, has led to design of metal-halide lighting for plant growth chambers and greenhouses that are significantly more energy efficient than currently available luminaires. The collaboration has been supported by a USDA SBIR grant to Cycloptics, with a sub-contract to Cornell. TARGET AUDIENCES: Audiences for the CEA Center workshops include current greenhouse operators, potential greenhouse operators, secondary-school teachers, and the general public. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
One of the most difficult problems for those wishing to create and operate a successful CEA facility is to find head growers able to manage large hydroponic facilities. The Cornell CEA Technology Transfer Center was created to begin to meet this need. In particular, the student internships that are planned will advance young growers beyond the level of training and specialization available in local agricultural colleges. Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) farming in cloudy climates is an obvious application that can benefit from energy efficiency, beam control, and PPF uniformity provided by supplemental lighting systems. The CEA challenge is to implement supplemental lighting systems at a cost making local plant production competitive with large, centralized farms and long-distance shipping. Cycloptics reflector technology ("one bounce and out") has been demonstrated to reduce electricity required for supplemental lighting for optimized plant growth, making it a potential enabling technology to encourage local, CEA farming to expand throughout the world. The technology is expected to enhance plant lighting research by providing more uniform irradiation with less light waste and higher lighting efficacy. Consistent productivity of greenhouse vegetables is important to hold market place. Of all the environmental variables, the Daily Light Integral (DLI) is central to predictable and consistent daily growth and production. The DLI can be controlled in a greenhouse when supplemental lighting and movable shades are installed and used. However, supplemental lighting is expensive to operate, so control that does not waste energy, and takes advantage of the least cost times of day, will be critical to profits. A DLI control algorithm has been patented by Cornell and is moving toward commercial availability. The DLI Controller will be positioned for commercial adoption after testing in a commercial greenhouse, and shown to be as capable of controlling the DLI as tests on campus have shown.
Publications
- de Villiers, D.S., H.C. Wien, J.E. Reid, and L.D. Albright. 2011. Energy Use and Yields in Tomato Production: Field, High Tunnel and Greenhouse Compared for the Northern Tier of the USA (Upstate New York). Acta Horticulturae. vol. 893, pp. 373-380
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Progress 10/01/09 to 09/30/10
Outputs
OUTPUTS: A USDA Phase 2 SBIR grant was completed with the goal to develop a commercially-viable system to optimize the interrelated control of supplemental lighting, movable shade operation, and carbon dioxide concentration in commercial greenhouses. A stand-alone controller, based on the platform of a commercially-available data station, was fabricated and tested. The system permits control of multiple air spaces. Copies will be installed during the coming year for real-world testing at four potential beta test sites, chosen for their differing solar and temperature climates, and electricity rate structures. All four are in cold and cloudy winter climate areas, where using the controller is expected to be most advantageous. Three sites are in the northeastern U.S., and the fourth is in Ontario, Canada. A secondary task for the project was to expand the knowledge base of DLI (Daily Light Integral, mol/m2) and CO2 concentration (PPM) interactions. St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) is a popular herbal remedy which also exhibits marked variance in active ingredient concentration among products. Concentration changes of three biologically active metabolites of H. perforatum after exposure to ultra-violet light while plants were still vegetative. Treatments were performed with 55 day old plants grown under 400 umol/m2-s of PAR for 16 hours a day. Three ultra-violet light treatments were evaluated: a single dose, a daily dose, and an increasing daily dose. Concentrations of hyperforin, pseudohypericin and hypericin were monitored for seven days after each treatment. PARTICIPANTS: Louis D. Albright, Principal Investigator Davis S. de Villiers, Project Director Timothy J. Shelford, Post-Doctoral Associate Melissa L. Brechner, Post-Doctoral Associate TARGET AUDIENCES: Greenhouse growers using supplemental lighting in cold and dark winter climate zones PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Results to this point for the interactions of CO2 concentration and (Daily Light Integral) DLI for baby leaf spinach and arugula follow closely previous results for for lettuce. Results indicate that major reductions in light requirements are possible in these crops, as in lettuce, using carefully coordinated CO2 enrichment. The growth of spinach and arugula grown with a DLI of 10 at 1200 ppm [CO2] matched or slightly exceeded growth under a DLI of 16 at ambient [CO2], a reduction in DLI requirement of 37% under only artificial lighting, and a greater percentage energy savings when light is supplemented to sunlight. It appears the investment in CO2 enrichment and control in these baby-leaf crops will be more effective than in lettuce and lead to significant energy use reductions in local hydroponic production of vegetative fresh vegetables in dark winter locations where supplemental lighting is required. A daily dose and an increasing daily UV dose did not produce significantly greater increases in secondary metabolites compared to single dose treatments. These results suggest small but significant transient metabolite concentration increases in H. perforatum can be induced by ultra-violet light exposure. Information from this study can be useful in optimizing total biomass and metabolite production in controlled environments.
Publications
- Brechner, M.L., Albright, L.D. and Weston, L. 2010. Effects of UV-B on secondary metabolites of St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum L.) grown in controlled environments. Photochemistry and Photobiology (in press)
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