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Circa 2023, after receiving much hype and investment, two agri-food technologies touted for their world-changing potential, bioengineered animal protein substitutes and vertical (indoor) farms, began to falter economically. Tech sector observers attributed the fall to typical hype cycle dynamics; this paper provides a deeper read. Based on research involving over ninety interviews with agri-food tech sector actors and observation at nearly 100 industry events, we show an unrealized socioecological fix as first conceptualized by Ekers and Prudham. As attempts at preemption, these technologies were able to attract excess capital to an area believed to be in need of fixing, and their backers anticipated and in some cases tried to promote the devaluation of legacy production systems. But the technologies on offer failed to become cost competitive in a timely way since legacy production systems continued to be productive and profitable. It was these new companies that became uncompetitive and overvalued, which in turn turned investments in them into bad ones. Ironically, the agri-food tech sector has eschewed a path which might have made their products competitive, which is social regulation of legacy production systems. Instead they effectively speculated that such systems would implode under their own contradictions.

In cities, a mosaic of different types of urban agriculture can be found. However, knowledge about advantages and disadvantages of the different types is still fragmented. This paper introduces an integrative evaluation framework for assessing the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of urban agriculture by applying a multi-criteria analysis based on an Analytic Hierarchy Process and a participatory approach. Based on a German case study and on the examples of vertical farming and community-supported agriculture, the results suggest that sustainable urban agriculture is a multi-dimensional approach informed by strong sustainability that places nature in the focus. Thus, the environmental dimension received the highest weight, followed by the social and, lastly, the economic dimension. Regarding the sub-criteria, species diversity achieved the highest total weight and food quality and safety the lowest. Conceptually, this paper provides scientific fundamentals for a systematic comparative evaluation of different types of agriculture for sustainable urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the indoor environment of a small-scale high-density controlled environment agriculture (CEA-HD) space was simulated using computational fluid dynamics. Spatial modelling of the indoor environment considering the influential phenomena (e.g. transpiration and photosynthesis) over the indoor temperature, relative humidity, carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration, and airflow velocity is still challenging. These indoor environment conditions were computed for a 3D model of a CEA-HD experimental space while simultaneously modelling crop airflow impingement, transpiration and photosynthesis. The crops being grown were represented in the model as porous media zones and their exchanges with the indoor air were modelled using user defined functions. The air distribution parameters and configuration were optimized using a simplified 2D model to overcome the steep computational time, and associated cost, of 3D simulation. The objective function of the optimization problem relied on a correlation analysis of the simulation output. The optimization of the 2D model yielded an airfoil configuration that reduced the mean airflow speed and relative humidity variations between the cultivation tiers while achieving higher mean velocities (≈1.9 m⋅s-1) at a lower inlet speed (8 m⋅s-1). The proposed modelling and optimization approach is a small step forward towards model-based design and operation of CEA-HD production spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable food production is becoming essential, and a shift from traditional practices to more responsible alternatives aiming to generate nutritious, safe, and accessible food while minimizing environmental impacts is crucial. This review article discusses the importance of sustainable food production technologies in meeting global food demand while addressing problems regarding climate change. Some of the key technologies include precision agriculture, hydroponics, aquaponics and vertical farming. Precision agriculture uses technology to enhance farming efficiency by gathering data on soil and water variations and optimizing practices like planting, fertilization, and irrigation. Hydroponics and aquaponics are other alternatives for growing plants using as much as 90% less water and producing more food compared to conventional methods, while vertical farming can increase crop yield per land area, particularly in urban settings, due to its potential to reduce the strain on conventional agricultural land suitable for urban regions. Additionally, genetic modification can help create desirable traits of some plants making them plausible to integrate in vertical farming systems, but this requires careful management. Furthermore, nanotechnology is emerging as another method poised to transform agriculture by providing sustainable and efficient solutions for nutrient regulation, plant growth, and disease resistance whereas Agriculture 5.0 combines traditional agriculture with modern technologies to improve sustainable food production. Finally, alternative protein sources, such as plant-based, insects, cultured meat, mycoprotein and microalgae have emerged as a sustainable solution to traditional meat production. Integrating the abovementioned technologies into agricultural practices is crucial for achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leafy vegetables, mainly lettuces, are currently the main crop cultivated in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), including vertical farming and plant factories. There is a rising demand to expand this portfolio with a wider variety of underutilized edible plants containing various bioactive compounds and sensory properties seeking to enrich human diets. However, the optimal cultivation conditions for these underutilized plants significantly differ from those optimized for lettuce, basil, and other popular CEA crops. Therefore, this study aims to explore the impacts of light-emitting diode (LED) lighting intensity (photosynthetic photon flux density, PPFD) on green leaf Perilla frutescens cultivated in CEA. Plants were grown under four levels of LED lighting PPFDs from 150 to 300 µmol m−2s−1 for 4 weeks. Plant biomass productivity, soluble sugar contents, antioxidant properties (DPPH, ABTS free radical scavenging activities, FRAP antioxidant power), and total contents of phenolic compounds in leaves were evaluated at harvesting time. Further, harvested plant material was stored in the dark, at +6 °C, and the water content, water loss and transpiration rate, leaf sugar contents, and antioxidant properties were monitored 1, 3, and 5 days after harvesting. The summarized data suggest that higher cultivation lighting PPFD results in better harvest quality preservation during post-harvest storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rise of high-rise vertical farms in cities is helping to mitigate urban constraints on crop production, including land, transportation, and yield requirements. However, separate issues arise regarding energy consumption. The utilisation of wind energy resources in high-rise vertical farms is therefore on the agenda. In this study, we investigate the aerodynamic performance of an ellipsoidal tall building with large openings to determine, on the one hand, the threshold income wind that could impact human comfort, and on the other, the turbulence intensity at specific locations on the roof and façade where micro-wind turbines could operate. To this end, we calculate the wind pressure coefficient and turbulence intensity of two scale models tested within a wind tunnel facility and compare the results with a separate CFD simulation completed in the past. The results confirm that the wind turbines installed on the building façade at a height of at least z/h = 0.725 can operate properly when the inlet wind speed is greater than 7 m/s. Meanwhile, the wind regime on the roof is more stable, which could yield higher energy harvesting via wind turbines. Furthermore, we observe that the overall aerodynamic performance of the models tested best under wind flowing at angles of 45° and 60° with respect to their centreline, whereas the turbulence at the wind envelope compares to that of the free wind flow at roof height. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the integration of photovoltaic (PV) shading devices and vertical farming (VF) in school buildings to optimize indoor daylight, thermal comfort, and energy performance across three different climate regions in China: Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. With rapid urbanization and increasing energy consumption in educational buildings, this research investigates the impact of innovative facade design on both energy efficiency and occupant comfort. Through parametric simulations and multi-objective optimization, various PV and VF facade prototypes were evaluated to determine the best configurations for reducing energy consumption while enhancing thermal and visual comfort. This study optimized facade systems integrating photovoltaic and vertical farming for school buildings in Shenzhen, Beijing, and Shanghai. Key findings include: In Shenzhen, Model B's UDI increased by 5.1% and Model C by 19.02%, with glare areas reduced by 5.4% and 21.40% and stable thermal comfort (PMV 0.52–0.59) throughout the year. In Beijing, Model B's UDI decreased by 0.2%, while Model C increased by 6.55%. Glare areas reduced by 2.92% and 14.35%, with improved winter comfort (PMV −0.35 to −0.1). In Shanghai, Model C's UDI increased by 6.7%, but summer thermal discomfort was notable (PMV up to 1.2). The study finds that PV shading systems combined with vertical farming can provide significant energy savings, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and offer organic vegetable production within school environments. The findings suggest that integrating these systems into the building envelope can optimize the energy performance of school buildings while improving the comfort and well-being of students and staff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannabis sativa, a versatile plant containing over 150 cannabinoids, is increasingly valued for its medicinal properties. It is classified into hemp and marijuana based on its Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) content. The objective of this study was to optimize cannabinoid production in hemp within a vertical farming system by investigating the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on plant growth and specific cannabinoid contents. After propagating hemp plants, they were treated with various concentrations of MeJA (0, 100, 200, and 400 μM). Plant growth parameters, glandular trichome (GT) density, and the contents of specific cannabinoids—cannabidiolic acid (CBDA), cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinolic acid (THCA), and Δ9-THC—were analyzed. The results showed that MeJA treatment decreased plant height and leaf area while increasing GT density and the synthesis of CBDA and THCA at lower concentrations. Specifically, treatment with 100 μM MeJA provided optimal conditions for enhancing cannabinoid production while controlling plant height, which is advantageous for vertical farming. These findings suggest that precise application of MeJA in controlled environments can increase yields of valuable cannabinoids with efficient use of space, thereby enhancing the commercial and medicinal value of hemp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within the current scenario of cropland use and forest surface loss, there is a need for the implementation of viable urban farming systems, e.g., indoor vertical farming (VF). Light management is fundamental in VF, although responses to light spectra are often species-specific. As the interest of consumers and farmers towards baby-leaf vegetables has recently increased, this study aimed at assessing the most effective red:blue (RB) ratio for enhanced baby-leaf production of kale (Brassica oleracea). Within an ebb-and-flow system, increasing RB ratios (RB3, RB5, RB7 and RB9) were tested, sharing a photoperiod of 16 h day−1 and a light intensity of 215 μmol m−2 s−1. A larger yield was obtained for plants under RB5, featuring an intermediate B fraction compared to other treatments, with plants displaying more expanded and thinner leaves. Also, for lighting energy and cultivated surface use efficiency, RB5 was the most effective treatment, performing up to 57 g FW kWh−1 and 54 kg FW m−2 y−1, respectively. From multispectral data, a tendency of reduced Fv/Fm and Fq′/Fm′ was observed as the RB ratio increased, while the chlorophyll index was enhanced under RB ≥ 7. This study highlighted the light recipe with an RB ratio of 5 as the most effective lighting mixture for optimal baby-leaf kale production in terms of balanced growth, resource use efficiency and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroponic greenhouses and vertical farms provide an alternative crop production strategy in regions that experience low temperatures, suboptimal sunlight, or inadequate soil quality. However, hydroponic systems are soilless and, therefore, have vastly different bacterial microbiota than plants grown in soil. This review highlights some of the most prevalent plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) and destructive phytopathogenic bacteria that dominate hydroponic systems. A complete understanding of which bacteria increase hydroponic crop yields and ways to mitigate crop loss from disease are critical to advancing microbiome research. The section focussing on plant growth-promoting bacteria highlights putative biological pathways for growth promotion and evidence of increased crop productivity in hydroponic systems by these organisms. Seven genera are examined in detail, including Pseudomonas, Bacillus, Azospirillum, Azotobacter, Rhizobium, Paenibacillus, and Paraburkholderia. In contrast, the review of hydroponic phytopathogens explores the mechanisms of disease, studies of disease incidence in greenhouse crops, and disease control strategies. Economically relevant diseases caused by Xanthomonas, Erwinia, Agrobacterium, Ralstonia, Clavibacter, Pectobacterium, and Pseudomonas are discussed. The conditions that make Pseudomonas both a friend and a foe, depending on the species, environment, and gene expression, provide insights into the complexity of plant–bacterial interactions. By amalgamating information on both beneficial and pathogenic bacteria in hydroponics, researchers and greenhouse growers can be better informed on how bacteria impact modern crop production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on biohybrid systems—plants with biosensors and actuating mechanisms that enhance the ability of biological organisms to control environmental parameters, to optimize growth conditions or to cope with stress factors. Biofeedback-based phytoactuation represents the next step of development in hydroponics, vertical farming and controlled-environment agriculture. The sensing part of the discussed approach uses (electro)physiological sensors. The hydrodynamics of fluid transport systems, estimated electrochemically, is compared with sap flow data provided by heat-based methods. In vivo impedance spectroscopy enables the discrimination of water, nutrient and photosynthates in the plant stem. Additionally to plant physiology, the system measures several air/soil and environmental parameters. The actuating part includes a multi-channel power module to control phytolight, irrigation, fertilization and air/water preparation. We demonstrate several tested in situ applications of a closed-loop control based on real-time biofeedback. In vertical farming, this is used to optimize energy and water consumption, reduce growth time and detect stress. Biofeedback was able to reduce the microgreen production cycle from 7 days to 4–5 days and the production of wheatgrass from 10 days to 7–8 days, and, in combination with biofeedback-based irrigation, a 30% increase in pea biomass was achieved. Its energy optimization can reach 25–30%. In environmental monitoring, the system performs the biological monitoring of environmental pollution (a low concentration of O3) with tomato and tobacco plants. In AI research, a complex exploration of biological organisms, and in particular the adaptation mechanisms of circadian clocks to changing environments, has been shown. This paper introduces a phytosensor system, describes its electrochemical measurements and discusses its tested applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microgreens are young plants grown from vegetables, grain, or herb seeds in a controlled environment with artificial lighting. LED modules are the preferred option for indoor and vertical farming. Light intensity (LI) is crucial for plant growth and the synthesis of phytochemicals. The study aimed to assess whether growing microgreens under low light intensity but with the addition of algae would produce plants with similar parameters (biometric, active compound content) to those grown under higher light intensity. The experiment evaluated LED white light at two intensity levels: 115 µmol m−2 s−1 (low light, LL) and 230 µmol m−2 s−1 (high light, HL). Pea seeds were soaked in a 10% solution of Chlorella vulgaris algae or water before sowing, and the plants were watered or sprayed during growth with the same solutions. The results showed no positive effect of algae on plant biometric traits. However, plants treated with algae had a significantly higher chlorophyll and carotenoid content index. Light significantly influenced pea growth, with plants grown under high light (HL) showing greater weight, height, and plant area. Additionally, changes in the photosynthetic apparatus and light stress were observed in microgreens watered with water (AW and WW) under high light during the vegetative phase. Raman spectra also indicated changes in the chemical composition of microgreens' leaves based on light intensity and treatment. Microgreens treated with algae solution during seed soaking and water during the vegetative phase produced much more carotenoids compared to other variants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radish (Raphanus sativus L.) is highly nutritious and contains antioxidants that help reduce the risk of diseases. Light is a crucial factor in their growth and the stimulation of secondary metabolite production. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of light spectra on the development, physiological responses, and antioxidant capacity of radish varieties including cherry belle (CB), black Spanish (BS), hailstone white (HW), Malaga violet (MV), and sparkler white tip (SW) under a controlled environment. Various spectra of red (R), green (G), and blue (B) light were used. The study found that using a combination of red and blue light (3R:1B) resulted in the highest growth in root diameter, fresh weight, and dry weight across all five radish varieties, with values ranging from 1.83 to 4.63 cm, 13.58 to 89.33 g, and 1.20 to 4.64 g, respectively. In terms of physiological responses, the CB and BS varieties showed a higher photosynthetic rate after exposure to mixed red and blue light (1R:3B, 3R:1B). Additionally, adding green light to the red and blue light also enhanced the photosynthetic rate, with statistically significant differences ranging from 3.31 to 3.99 µmol m−2 s−1. The SW variety of radish exhibited an increase in phenolic compounds, flavonoids, and anthocyanins when exposed to light spectra of 1R:1G:1B, 1R:2G:1B, 1R:3G:1B, and 1R:3B. The highest levels of phenolic compounds were 4.67–5.14 mg GAE/g DW, flavonoids were 1.62–1.96 mg Rutin/g DW, and anthocyanins were 1.20–1.58 µg/g DW. However, the antioxidant capacity of five radish varieties under different light spectra did not show significant differences. Thus, the growth, photosynthesis, and antioxidant capacity depend on the optimal light spectrum for each radish variety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achyranthes japonica Nakai (AJN) is a medicinal plant known to be beneficial for the joints. Since it takes at least two years from sowing to harvesting in an open field, new AJN cultivation strategies are needed to shorten the production period and improve quality. In this study, high-quality AJN is produced as microgreens in a vertical farm using a commercial ginseng soil mix (Myeongpum-Insamsangto, Shinsung Mineral Co., Ltd., Goesan, Republic of Korea) and controlled environmental conditions. The cultivation conditions included a temperature of 23 ± 2 °C, relative humidity of 50 ± 10%, and a photosynthetic photon flux density of 170 ± 15 µmol·m−2·s−1. Pre-harvest intermittent UV-B exposure, with an intensity of 1.0 ± 0.3 W/m−2, was applied for one day before harvest to evaluate its effects, using controlled environmental conditions in the vertical farm. Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) irradiation increases secondary metabolite levels in plants; however, the effect of UV-B on 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E), an indicator of AJN, is unclear. Therefore, we aimed to investigate whether UV-B treatment of AJN microgreens affected growth and secondary metabolites. The treatment group was set to 12 h of continuous UV-B treatment during the day, two 6 h UV-B treatments, and four 3 h UV-B treatments to confirm the effectiveness of regular and intermittent treatment and recovery. Short-term UV-B treatment before harvesting increased phenols, flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, and 20E levels without affecting AJN biomass. The intermittent 6 h UV-B irradiation with a 6 h recovery time stimulated 20E content by approximately 1.4 times compared to the control. These study findings indicate that short-term UV-B treatment before harvesting, an appropriate recovery time, and intermittent UV-B exposure are more effective at increasing 20E content than continuous treatment. This approach provides a promising strategy for improving the nutritional and health benefits of AJN microgreens in vertical farming systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by population growth, rising living costs, and the urgent need to address climate change, sustainable food production and circular economy principles are becoming increasingly important. Conventional agriculture faces significant challenges, including land scarcity, water shortages, and disrupted supply chains. As a solution, cities are adopting vertical farming to enhance urban food security and promote circularity. This research introduces FLOAT (Farming Lab on a Trough), an innovative vertical farming system made from bio-polymers and recycled polyethylene terephthalate glyco (rPETG) pellets from plastic bottles. FLOAT's design emphasizes sustainability and closed-loop material usage. The study showcases the versatility of additive manufacturing (AM) in creating complex geometries with fully functional 1:1 prototypes. These prototypes highlight FLOAT's potential as a scalable and adaptable solution for sustainable food production in urban settings, contributing to improved food security and environmental sustainability. By integrating FLOAT with conventional practices, we aim to exceed Singapore's 2030 food security targets and achieve lasting urban food resilience. FLOAT aims to scale sustainable food production, fostering community ties with food, and nurturing future responsibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In cities, a mosaic of different types of urban agriculture can be found. However, knowledge about advantages and disadvantages of the different types is still fragmented. This paper introduces an integrative evaluation framework for assessing the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of urban agriculture by applying a multi-criteria analysis based on an Analytic Hierarchy Process and a participatory approach. Based on a German case study and on the examples of vertical farming and community-supported agriculture, the results suggest that sustainable urban agriculture is a multi-dimensional approach informed by strong sustainability that places nature in the focus. Thus, the environmental dimension received the highest weight, followed by the social and, lastly, the economic dimension. Regarding the sub-criteria, species diversity achieved the highest total weight and food quality and safety the lowest. Conceptually, this paper provides scientific fundamentals for a systematic comparative evaluation of different types of agriculture for sustainable urban development.

Urban vertical farming has emerged as a sustainable and innovative approach to addressing the increasing global demand for food in rapidly growing and densely populated cities, where traditional agriculture faces significant challenges due to space and resource constraints. A primary issue in these systems is the efficient management of critical resources, particularly water and energy, which are essential for maintaining high crop productivity and environmental sustainability. This study introduces, develops, and evaluates a mathematical model that integrates Internet of Things (IoT) technology to optimize water and energy usage in a hydroponic vertical farming setup. The model utilizes real-time environmental data collected from IoT sensors to dynamically adjust irrigation and energy consumption, ensuring minimal waste while sustaining optimal conditions for plant growth. Extensive simulations conducted using Python demonstrate substantial improvements in Water Use Efficiency (WUE) and significant energy savings, validating the model’s effectiveness. The study also presents practical case studies from regions like Singapore, Qatar, and Malaysia, showcasing how the integration of renewable energy sources, such as solar photovoltaic panels, with advanced smart irrigation technologies can lead to up to 50% growth rate improvements. Despite existing challenges, such as high initial capital investments, technical complexities, and the need for continuous maintenance, the findings indicate that modular and scalable system designs offer a promising path forward. Future research should aim to reduce overall costs and enhance system adaptability for various urban environments. Ultimately, this research provides a scalable and efficient framework for advancing urban agriculture, with the potential to contribute significantly to global food security and promote the sustainability of urban ecosystems.

"Biomimicry" is an acronym used to describe how people looked at nature for inspiration to tackle a variety of problems. The modern problems of fastincreasing urbanization, land degradation, climate change, pandemics, loss of biodiversity, and widespread use of pesticides and fertilizers seriously threaten our food supply chain. There is a growing consumer demand for nutrient-dense, flavourful plant-based cuisine with minimal environmental impact. Moreover, a considerable portion of food roughly 24% is lost before it reaches consumers, partly as a result of poor quality and protracted supply chains. Researching new methods of producing food is essential since, by 2050, there will be more than 9.7 billion people on the planet, 70% of whom will reside in cities. Vertical farming (VF), which relieves pressure on conventional agricultural land by using vertical space instead of horizontal expansion, is growing in popularity as a solution to these problems. Because VF incorporates soil-less growth techniques, it is well-suited for urban environments. This strategy may help to produce more premium products, such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs. It may also help to produce cosmetics and medications made from plants. Vertical farming, is becoming more favoured as an alternative to traditional agriculture, and provides avenues for enhancing sustainable food production given the growing challenges of climate change and population growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of vertical farms has been expanding rapidly in recent years to provide more resilient and sustainable global food provisioning closer to consumers. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence on whether vertical farms can provide sustainable sourcing of food. The purpose of this study is to assess the environmental performance of a modular cabinet vertical farm producing lettuce and basil on-site at the end-user. To assess the environmental performance of this system, a life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted to determine the total impact of producing lettuce and basil on-site, i.e., a kitchen for an office cafeteria, and compare to conventional sourcing. The results from this study suggest that the modular vertical farm can provide crops with environmental impacts comparable to or less than conventionally sourced options. GHG emissions ranged from 0.78-1.18 kg CO2-eq per kg lettuce and from 1.45-2.12 kg CO2-eq per kg basil from on-site production. The ranges suggest that the environmental performance is sensitive to methodological choices and life cycle inventory (LCI) data choices. These include how to treat the infrastructure for the modular cabinet, as it is often rented as a growingservice system, in addition to the LCI data choices related to the source of electricity. In conclusion, under local conditions (i.e., Stockholm, Sweden) the modular vertical farm can produce lettuce with equivalent emissions and quality to imported lettuce, despite its high energy requirement. The findings and knowledge from this study add to the growing body of literature on vertical farming, providing empirical evidence on the sustainability of an onsite commercial cabinet-based vertical farm. Such information can be used for comparisons and validation of claims in the industry, and to provide empirical evidence to this developing field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the role of technology and analytics in achieving sustainable global development, with a focus on agriculture. It discusses the challenges faced in meeting the United Nations' sustainable development goals and highlights the potential of digital technologies to improve decision-making and connect stakeholders worldwide. The article examines various applications of agri-tech, including labor-intensive to technology-intensive farming, resilient agri-food supply chains, smart technologies in animal science, and smart farming for sustainable agriculture. It concludes by introducing five research articles that delve into the role of agri-tech in achieving sustainable development goals. The text emphasizes the importance of early detection and treatment of plant leaf diseases, water management from a socioecological perspective, vertical farming systems in urban environments, and sentiment analytics to study public perception of smart farming. It also highlights the integration of technologies like AI, IoT, and autonomous systems, as well as advancements in genetic engineering and biotechnology, as key drivers of future agricultural practices. The article stresses the need for upskilling and education in agri-tech to support the adoption of these technologies and ensure economic growth and resilience in the agricultural sector. [Extracted from the article]

The work discusses intermittent light scheduling for energy cost reduction in vertical farming, specifically for growing salad crops (Lactuca Sativa). The study explores how dynamically adjusting lighting schedules based on day-ahead energy prices can improve energy efficiency and reduce operational costs. The research uses a growth chamber equipped with LED lights, controlled environmental factors, and real-time data from the Nord Pool energy market to optimize energy use. The results show that intermittent lighting schedules, aligned with cheaper energy periods, lead to higher crop yields and significant energy cost savings compared to continuous lighting. The findings suggest that such adaptive lighting strategies can make vertical farming more economically viable and sustainable by optimizing resource use, aligning with global sustainability goals. The study also highlights the potential of vertical farms to act as flexible power consumers, adjusting their energy usage based on renewable energy availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban agriculture has emerged as a crucial strategy to address food security and sustainability challenges, particularly in densely populated areas. This study focused on enhancing leafy greens' production, specifically lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and arugula or rocket (Eruca sativa L.), using Nutrient Film Technique (NFT) systems and automation in container-based vertical farming. The study utilized a 20-foot shipping container retrofitted to create a thermally insulated and automated growth environment equipped with energy-efficient LED lighting and precise climate control systems. The results demonstrated significant improvements in crop yields, with the NFT systems achieving productivity up to 11 times higher than traditional methods in protected horticulture. These systems enabled continuous cultivation cycles, responding to the high market demand for fresh local produce. Moreover, the integration of low-cost sensors and automation technologies, each costing under USD 300, ensured that the environmental conditions were consistently optimal, highlighting this approach's economic feasibility and scalability. This low-cost framework aligns with industry standards for affordable technology, making it accessible for small- to medium-sized urban agriculture enterprises. This study underscores the potential of vertical farming as a sustainable solution for urban food production. It provides a model that can be replicated and scaled to meet the growing demand for healthy, locally grown vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facility agriculture, which involves agricultural production in controlled environments such as greenhouses, indoor farms, and vertical farms, aims to maximize efficiency, yield, and quality while minimizing resource consumption and environmental impact. Energy-saving technologies are essential to the green and low-carbon development of facility agriculture. Recently, phase change heat storage (PCHS) systems using phase change materials (PCMs) have gained significant attention due to their high thermal storage density and excellent thermal regulation performance. These systems are particularly promising for applications in facility agriculture and related buildings, such as solar thermal utilization, greenhouse walls, and soil insulation. However, the low thermal conductivity of PCMs presents a challenge for applications requiring rapid heat transfer. This study aims to provide a comprehensive review of the types, thermophysical properties, and various forms of PCMs, including macro-encapsulated PCMs, shape-stabilized PCMs, and phase change capsules (PCCs), as well as their preparation methods. The research methodology involves an in-depth analysis of these PCMs and their applications in active and passive PCHS systems within facility agriculture and related buildings. The major conclusion of this study highlights the critical role of PCMs in advancing energy-saving technologies in facility agriculture. By enhancing PCM performance, optimizing latent heat storage systems, and integrating intelligent environmental control, this work provides essential guidelines for designing more efficient and sustainable agricultural structures. The article will serve as the fundamental guideline to design more robust structures for facility agriculture and related buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the global population projected to reach 8.6 billion by 2050 and urbanization on the rise, sustainable food production in cities becomes imperative. Vertical farming presents a promising solution to meet this challenge by utilizing space-efficient, controlled-environment agriculture techniques. In a vertical farming system, high quality, high nutritional value products can be produced with minimum water consumption, using LEDs as energy-efficient light sources. Microgreens are a new market category of vegetables among sprouts and baby leaf greens. The most critical challenge in their cultivation is the choice of growing medium, lighting, and light spectrum, which affect photosynthesis, plant growth, and yield. This review explores various cultivation methods, including hydroponics, within the context of vertical farming. Using current research, it investigates the effect of LED lighting on the physiological properties and growth of microgreens and baby leaf lettuce, but further research is needed to determine the response of the varieties and the optimal light spectrum ratios to meet their needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This publication presents an innovative tower cultivation device designed to significantly increase vertical farming's efficiency. The device divides the cultivation system into separate chambers. One division corresponds to the different growth phases of the plants, while another reflects the daily variation in conditions. Each chamber presents slightly different conditions and cultivation patterns from the others. For the early stages, crops are grown horizontally in trays; once they mature, they are transplanted into mobile cultivation towers. The closed circulation of ventilation and irrigation reduces water consumption by up to 95%. A unique separate day–night division optimises light, temperature, and humidity conditions, mimicking natural growth patterns. This approach not only saves water and energy but also improves cultivation in a three-dimensional space. The presented solution focuses on the often-overlooked aspects of cultivating in vertical farms and makes this method of growing much more cost-effective and feasible to implement on a large scale. Our comparative analysis with other vertical farming solutions is based on publicly available data and provides valuable insights, while acknowledging the potential limitations at play. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the global population grows, achieving Zero Hunger by 2030 presents a significant challenge. Vertical farming technology offers a potential solution, making the path planning of agricultural robots in vertical farms a research priority. This study introduces the Vertical Farming System Multi-Robot Trajectory Planning (VFSMRTP) model. To optimize this model, we propose the Elitist Preservation Differential Evolution Grey Wolf Optimizer (EPDE-GWO), an enhanced version of the Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) incorporating elite preservation and differential evolution. The EPDE-GWO algorithm is compared with Genetic Algorithm (GA), Simulated Annealing (SA), Dung Beetle Optimizer (DBO), and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). The experimental results demonstrate that EPDE-GWO reduces path length by 24.6%, prevents premature convergence, and exhibits strong global search capabilities. Thanks to the DE and EP strategies, the EPDE-GWO requires fewer iterations to reach the optimal solution, offers strong stability and robustness, and consistently finds the optimal solution at a high frequency. These attributes are particularly significant in the context of vertical farming, where optimizing robotic path planning is essential for maximizing operational efficiency, reducing energy consumption, and improving the scalability of farming operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global fertilizer production and mismanagement significantly contribute to many harmful environmental impacts, revealing the need for a greater understanding of crop growth and nutrient uptake, which can be used to optimize fertilizer management. This study experimentally adapts first-principles microbial modeling techniques to the hydroponic cultivation of Bibb lettuce (Lactuca sativa) under nitrogen-limited conditions. Monod and Michaelis–Menten's approaches are applied to predict biomass productivity and nutrient uptake and to evaluate the feasibility of reclaimed wastewater as a nutrient source of nitrogen. Experimental and modeling results reveal significantly different kinetic saturation constants ( K s = 1.331 and K m = 17.887 mg L−1) and a corresponding cell yield strongly dependent on nutrient concentration, producing visually and compositionally distinct tissue between treatments receiving ≤ 26.2 and ≥ 41.7 m g N L−1. The resulting Monod model overestimates dry mass predictions during low nutrient conditions, and the collective results support the development of a dynamic Monod curve that is temporally dependent during the plants' lifecycle. Despite this shortcoming, these results support the feasibility of reclaiming nitrogen from wastewater in hydroponic agriculture, expecting to produce lesser biomass lettuce exhibiting healthy tissue. Furthermore, this study provides a mathematical foundation for agricultural simulations and nutrient management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding far-red (FR, 700–800 nm) light to photosynthetic active radiation (400–700 nm) proved to be a possible approach to increasing plant biomass accumulation for lettuce production in indoor vertical farms with artificial lighting as a sole-source lighting. However, how FR light addition influences plant growth, development, and metabolic processes and the optimal value of FR photon flux density for greenhouse-grown lettuce under sunlight are still unclear. This work aims to quantify the value of supplementary FR light with different intensities on lettuce morphological and physiological characteristics in a greenhouse. Lettuce 'Dasusheng' (Lactuca sativa L.) was grown in a greenhouse under seven light treatments, including white plus red LEDs with FR photon flux density at 0, 10, 30, 50, 70, and 90 µmol m−2 s−1 (WR, WR + FR10, WR + FR30, WR + FR50, WR + FR70, and WR + FR90, respectively), and lettuce grown with sunlight only was marked as natural light (NL). FR light addition improved the electron transport flux per cross section and performance index (PIabs, PItotal) and decreased the changes in relative variable fluorescence of lettuce leaves compared to plants under NL. Specifically, the PIabs of lettuce leaves were 41%, 41%, 38%, 33%, 26%, and 25% lower under control than in plants under treatments WR + FR90, WR + FR70, WR + FR50, WR + FR30, WR + FR10, and WR, respectively. Leaf number, leaf area, and biomass accumulation of lettuce followed a quadratic function with increasing FR light intensity and were the highest under treatment WR + FR50. The shoot fresh weight and dry weight of lettuce were increased by 111% and 275%, respectively, under treatment WR + FR50 compared to NL. The contents of vitamin C, reducing sugar, total soluble sugar, and starch in lettuce showed a similar trend with biomass accumulation. In conclusion, with commonly used photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD, 400–700 nm) around 200 μmol m−2 s−1, supplementary FR light intensity of 30~50 μmol m−2 s−1 was suggested to enhance the photochemistry efficiency, biomass accumulation, and carbohydrates' contents in greenhouse-grown lettuce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Local indoor farming plays a significant role in the sustainable food production sector. The operation and energy costs, however, have led to bankruptcy and difficulties in cost management of indoor farming operations. To control the volatility and reduce the electricity costs for indoor farming, the agrivoltaics agrotunnel introduced here uses: (1) high insulation for a building dedicated to vertical growing, (2) high-efficiency light emitting diode (LED) lighting, (3) heat pumps (HPs), and (4) solar photovoltaics (PVs) to provide known electric costs for 25 years. In order to size the PV array, this study develops a thermal model for agrotunnel load calculations and validates it using the Hourly Analysis Program and measured data so the effect of plant evapotranspiration can be included. HPs are sized and plug loads (i.e., water pump energy needed to provide for the hybrid aeroponics/hydroponics system, DC power running the LEDs hung on grow walls, and dehumidifier assisting in moisture condensation in summer) are measured/modeled. Ultimately, all models are combined to establish an annual load profile for an agrotunnel that is then used to model the necessary PV to power the system throughout the year. The results find that agrivoltaics to power an agrotunnel range from 40 to 50 kW and make up an area from 3.2 to 10.48 m2/m2 of an agrotunnel footprint. Net zero agrotunnels are technically viable although future work is needed to deeply explore the economics of localized vertical food growing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Container farms (CFs), a controlled environment agricultural technology designed to solve food insecurity, are receiving increasing attention from researchers. However, the complex geometric structures and artificial lighting used in CFs present challenges in effectively controlling the thermal environment. This study aims to identify the primary factors that impact the thermal environment of CFs while conducting factor ranking and significance analysis, providing a theoretical basis for future thermal environment optimization. The research method of theoretical analysis, CFD simulation, and an orthogonal experimental design were adopted to achieve the above objectives. Theoretical analysis revealed that factors influencing the thermal environment are the HVAC system's supply air temperature, humidity, flow rate, and the light source used. Four evaluation indices, including the mean value and range between layers of temperature and moisture content, were used. The results revealed that supply air temperature and light source are significant for mean temperature, while supply air temperature and humidity are significant for mean moisture content. In the case of range between layers, supply air flow rate and light source display a significant correlation. These findings suggest that future optimization should prioritize the regulation of the HVAC system's supply air and light source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the ratio of red and blue light on fruit biomass radiation-use efficiency (FBRUE) in dwarf tomatoes has not been well studied. Additionally, whether white light offers a greater advantage in improving radiation-use efficiency (RUE) and FBRUE over red and blue light under LED light remains unknown. In this study, two dwarf tomato cultivars ('Micro-Tom' and 'Rejina') were cultivated in three red-blue light treatments (monochromatic red light, red/blue light ratio = 9, and red/blue light ratio = 3) and a white light treatment at the same photosynthetic photon flux density of 300 mmol m-2 s-1. The results evidently demonstrated that the red and blue light had an effect on FBRUE by affecting RUE rather than the fraction of dry mass partitioned into fruits (Ffruits). The monochromatic red light increased specific leaf area, reflectance, and transmittance of leaves but decreased the absorptance and photosynthetic rate, ultimately resulting in the lowest RUE, which induced the lowest FBRUE among all treatments. A higher proportion of blue light (up to 25%) led to a higher photosynthetic rate, resulting in a higher RUE and FBRUE in the three red-blue light treatments. Compared with red and blue light, white light increased RUE by 0.09-0.38 g mol-1 and FBRUE by 0.14-0.25 g mol-1. Moreover, white light improved the Ffruits in 'Rejina' and Brix of fruits in 'Micro-Tom' and both effects were cultivar-specific. In conclusion, white light may have greater potential than mixed red and blue light for enhancing the dwarf tomato FBRUE during their reproductive growth stage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of a changing climate and a rising number of "food deserts" in both rural and urban areas, there is a demand to supply fresh produce year-round to communities at the end of the traditional agriculture supply chain. Vertical indoor farming is a promising mode of next-generation agriculture that boasts reduced water and pesticide usage, improved yields, more consistent quality, year-round cultivation, and cheaper transportation and harvesting costs. Indoor farms can rival industrial greenhouses in size, but small-scale "pod farms" can be deployed to smaller communities and areas where large swaths of land are either unavailable or too costly. These pods are often the size of shipping containers with their temperature, humidity, and plant nutrient supply carefully controlled. Plants inside the pods are grown hydroponically with light supplied by panels of LEDs and, thus, this mode of farming is fundamentally different from greenhouse farming. Many indoor farming pods have recently become commercially available claiming high energy efficiency, but little analysis and optimization work has been done to prove these claims. To drive innovation in the design of these physical systems, we have developed a digital-twin and genomic optimization framework for the optical design of vertical indoor farming pods. We model a completely enclosed indoor farming pod with plants in the three mutually-orthogonal planes and illuminated by LED "walls." We employ ray-tracing methods and a genetic algorithm to determine the LED source tube area size, beam aperture spread, and power requirements for maximal power absorption by the plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of sole-source lighting on the growth and yield of hydroponically grown lettuce have been extensively studied, but research of postharvest performance is limited. We grew frill-leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa) 'Green Incised' and 'Hydroponic Green Sweet Crisp' hydroponically in an indoor vertical research farm under daily light integrals (DLIs) of 12 or 18 mol.m-2.d-1 and the following three ratios of blue (B; 400-499 nm) and red (R; 600-699 nm) light from light-emitting diode fixtures: B5:R95, B20:R80, and B35:R65. We postulated that biomass accumulation would increase with the DLI and decrease with the B light fraction, and that postharvest longevity would increase with the DLI and the B light fraction. As expected, shoot fresh weight, leaf length and width, leaf number, and relative chlorophyll content (SPAD; 'Green Incised' only) decreased as the proportion of B light increased from 5% to 35%. Decreasing the DLI from 18 to 12 mol.m-2.d-1 reduced the shoot fresh weight and leaf number of both cultivars. Leaves of 'Green Incised' were up to 27% wider under B5:R95 and 60% longer under B5:R95 at 12 mol.m-2.d-1 than those under treatments with a higher DLI or more B light. The shoot fresh weight of 'Hydroponic Green Sweet Crisp' was greatest when grown under B5:R95 at 18 mol.m-2.d-1 and decreased as B light increased or DLI decreased. At the time of harvest, leaves of each cultivar and treatment were placed in clamshells and stored at 7 ℃ in darkness and evaluated for decay. 'Green Incised' that grew under B35:R65 and a DLI of 18 mol.m-2.d-1 had the shortest storage life, with 9.5 d and 11.4 d for replications 1 and 2, respectively, which were ~2.5 to 4.0 d and 1.4 to 3.6 d earlier, respectively, than the storage life of lettuce grown under other treatments. In contrast, 'Hydroponic Green Sweet Crisp' was not influenced by light quality or DLI and had a storage life of 12.6 to 13.3 d and 13.5 to 14.3 d for replications 1 and 2, respectively. Therefore, a B light fraction between 5% and 20% and a DLI of 18 mol.m-2.d-1 produced high-yielding frill-leaf lettuce with a relatively long storage life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of green leafy vegetables is crucial for improving our nation's nutritional security. Challenges like limited arable land and excessive fertilizer use have become significant concerns on cultivating in open field. To address these issues, vertical farming technology, with a focus on space optimization and hydroponic integration to manage fertilizer use, is gaining attention. This experiment aims to determine the best growing media and nutrient solutions for palak in an A-framed vertical unit. Three growing media were tested: coir pith (M0), Rockwool (M1), and a 1:1 mix of coir pith and vermiculite (M2). Various combinations of water-soluble fertilizers [Ca (NO3)2, MAP, and SOP] were used for each crop's nutrient recipe preparation. Optimal yields were achieved when palak were grown in a coir pith and vermiculite mix with nutrient concentrations of 60:50:60 ppm. Despite high yields, green leafy vegetables face rapid spoilage and storage challenges. The study examined factors affecting post-harvest quality, including storage conditions (ambient at 35 ± 5°C, refrigerated at 5 ± 5°C), packing substrates (low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene covers), and gas compositions with modified atmosphere packaging. Results showed that refrigerated storage with low-density polyethylene packing and a gas composition of 6% O2, 5% CO2, and 89% N2 (G2) resulted in the least deterioration in physiological attributes and overall visual quality. This study highlights the potential of vertical farming technology, precise nutrient management, and advanced post-harvest techniques for sustainable production and preservation of green leafy vegetables to meet our nation's nutritional security needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the emergence of Agriculture 4.0, which integrates automation, robotics, and data-driven systems to optimize farming operations and increase productivity. Advanced machinery and production systems in Agriculture 4.0 improve efficiency, reduce labor costs, and minimize environmental impact. The integration of automation and robotics allows farmers to optimize crop productivity while conserving resources. Data-driven systems enable farmers to make more informed decisions about planting, irrigation, and pest control. Modern agricultural technologies, such as vertical farming and hydroponics, maximize land use and save water. Artificial intelligence and machine learning enable predictive analytics, resulting in more consistent crop output. However, there are concerns about job displacement, affordability for small-scale farmers, technical failures, data privacy, and environmental impact. The article emphasizes the need for a balanced discussion about the implications of Agriculture 4.0 to ensure social equity, environmental sustainability, and resilience in farming practices. The article also highlights five research manuscripts that contribute to the knowledge in the field of modern agricultural machines and production systems. [Extracted from the article]

Improving edible biomass space use efficacy (EBSUE) is important for sustainably producing edamame and dwarf tomatoes in plant factories with artificial light. Photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) may increase EBSUE and space use efficacy (SUE). However, no study has quantitatively explained how PPFD affects EBSUE in edamame and dwarf tomatoes. This study aimed to quantitatively validate the effects of PPFD on EBSUE in dwarf tomatoes and edamame and verify whether this effect differs between these crops. The edamame and dwarf tomato cultivars 'Enrei' and 'Micro-Tom', respectively, were cultivated under treatments with PPFDs of 300, 500, and 700 µmol m−2 s−1. The results showed that the EBSUE and SUE increased with increasing PPFD in both crops. The EBSUE increased depending on the increase in SUE, the dry mass ratio of the edible part to the total plant in the edamame, and the SUE only in the dwarf tomatoes. In conclusion, a high PPFD can improve the EBSUE and SUE of edamame and dwarf tomatoes in different ways at the reproductive growth stage. The findings from this study offer valuable information on optimizing space and resource usage in plant factories with artificial light and vertical farms. Additionally, they shed light on the quantitative impact of PPFD on both EBSUE and SUE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In controlled environments (CE), temperature can be adjusted to increase anthocyanin concentration and thus improve foliage color of crops before harvest. Our objective was to quantify how end-of-production (EOP) cooling influences yield, growth, development, quality parameters, and foliage color of red leaf lettuce (Lactuca sativa). Seeds of red leaf lettuce ‘Barlach’, ‘Rouxai’, and ‘Thurinus’ were sown in a growth chamber with a mean daily temperature (MDT) set point of 22 °C, carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration of 500 µmol·mol−1, and a photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of 180 µmol·m−2·s−1 provided by light-emitting diodes (LEDs). After 11 days, seedlings were transplanted into deep-flow hydroponic tanks in the same growth chamber with a CO2 concentration of 800 µmol·mol−1, day/night temperature set point of 28/21 °C (MDT of 26 °C) and under LEDs that provided a PPFD of 300 µmol·m−2·s−1 for 17 h·d−1. During the last 6 to 8 days of production, plants were either left in the same conditions or transferred to growth chambers with a constant MDT of 8, 14, 20, or 26 °C. In addition, spectrum was adjusted to a ratio (%) of 75:25 blue (400 to 500 nm):red (600 to 700 nm) (B:R) light and a PPFD of 150 µmol·m−2·s−1. EOP cooling negatively influenced shoot fresh mass (SFM) and dry mass of ‘Barlach’, ‘Rouxai’, and ‘Thurinus’. Compared with uncooled plants, the SFM and shoot dry mass (SDM) in the 14 °C EOP cooling treatment were 27% and 17% (‘Barlach’), 25% and 20% (‘Rouxai’), and 51% and 52% (‘Thurinus’) smaller, respectively. The chromametric a* value of each cultivar increased, indicating a change in color from green to red, under all EOP cooling treatments. By day 2, a* of ‘Rouxai’ and ‘Thurinus’ at 14 °C increased from −1.7 to 0.06 and from −0.99 to 1.08, respectively. By day 6 of EOP treatment, a* of ‘Barlach’ under the EOP 14 °C treatment increased from −4.18 to −1.66, whereas the a* of uncooled plants decreased from −5.06 to −6.97. Plants exposed to EOP cooling also had greater anthocyanin concentrations. At 14 °C ‘Barlach’, ‘Rouxai’, and ‘Thurinus’ possessed 62%, 53%, and 59% greater anthocyanin than the control. Foliar concentrations of magnesium, manganese, and zinc increased by 23%, 20%, and 21% in ‘Barlach’, and by 26%, 21%, and 13% in ‘Rouxai’ at 14 °C. We observed the highest concentration of violaxanthin, lutein, and total carotenoids in ‘Barlach’ at 14 °C and at 20 °C in ‘Thurinus’. Total water-soluble vitamin (WSV) concentration of ‘Rouxai’ and ‘Thurinus’ was reduced under EOP cooling. In addition, we observed altered concentrations among the WSV, such as reduced vitamin B1, but the highest concentration of vitamin B6 for each cultivar in plants exposed to EOP. Vitamin C was 24%, 29%, and 37% greater in ‘Barlach’; 19%, 23%, and 24% greater in ‘Rouxai’; and 34%, 29%, and 45% greater in ‘Thurinus’ control plants than plants exposed to 20, 14, or 8 °C, respectively.

Abstract The vast majority of the food we eat comes from land-based agriculture, but recent technological advances in agriculture and food technology offer the prospect of producing food using substantially less or even virtually no land. For example, indoor vertical farming can achieve very high yields of certain crops with a very small area footprint, and some foods can be synthesized from inorganic precursors in industrial facilities. Animal-based foods require substantial land per unit of protein or per calorie and switching to alternatives could reduce demand for some types of agricultural land. Plant-based meat substitutes and those produced through fermentation are widely available and becoming more sophisticated while in the future cellular agricultural may become technically and economical viable at scale. We review the state of play of these potentially disruptive technologies and explore how they may interact with other factors, both endogenous and exogenous to the food system, to affect future demand for land.

The vast majority of the food we eat comes from land-based agriculture, but recent technological advances in agriculture and food technology offer the prospect of producing food using substantially less or even virtually no land. For example, indoor vertical farming can achieve very high yields of certain crops with a very small area footprint, and some foods can be synthesized from inorganic precursors in industrial facilities. Animal-based foods require substantial land per unit of protein or per calorie and switching to alternatives could reduce demand for some types of agricultural land. Plant-based meat substitutes and those produced through fermentation are widely available and becoming more sophisticated while in the future cellular agricultural may become technically and economical viable at scale. We review the state of play of these potentially disruptive technologies and explore how they may interact with other factors, both endogenous and exogenous to the food system, to affect future demand for land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Lettuce is an important crop in indoor production ("vertical farming") systems. In the current study, seedling growth habits were analyzed to make predictions about mature plant growth and development under narrow bandwidth light. We show that the lettuce variety Thai Oakleaf demonstrates defects in normal red-light-mediated development, which is reminiscent of mutations in a central red light photosensory pathway. Photomorphogenic development in seedlings may be diagnostic of future plant performance. In this report, we characterize the Thai Oakleaf lettuce genotype, as it exhibited abnormalities in photomorphogenic development that were the most conspicuous under red light, including defects in hypocotyl growth inhibition, decreased cotyledon expansion, and constitutive shade avoidance tendencies. These observations are consistent with defects in red light sensing through the phytochrome B (phyB) photoreceptor system. This genotype is sold commercially as a heat-tolerant variety, which aligns with the evidence that phyB acts as a thermosensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberries (Fragaria ×ananassa) are being produced increasingly in indoor vertical farms, where the light quality of sole-source lighting is a primary factor that influences the outcomes of crop production. Far-red (FR) light (700-750 nm) has been shown to promote plant responses such as leaf expansion, biomass accumulation, and flowering in some long-day plant species. However, the impacts of including FR light in sole-source lighting on strawberries have not been fully understood. This study investigated the impacts of FR light on the growth and development of long-day strawberries 'Albion' and 'Monterey' in an indoor vertical farm. We hypothesized that the addition of FR light under a long photoperiod would promote leaf expansion, biomass accumulation, flowering, and fruit production in long-day strawberries. Bareroot strawberry plants were grown in a deep-water-culture hydroponic system at an air temperature of 22 °C and an 18-hour photoperiod using 90 lmol.m-2.s-1 of blue (peak 5 455 nm) + 250 lmol.m-2.s-1 of red (peak 5 660 nm) light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with or without adding 50 lmol.m-2.s-1 of FR (peak 5 730 nm) LEDs. After 5 weeks of lighting treatments, additional FR light increased the leaf area and shoot dry mass of strawberry 'Monterey' by 74% and 73%, respectively, and the number of crowns per plant of strawberry 'Albion' by 33%. However, FR light did not influence flowering time in either cultivar. Adding FR light increased the number of fruit harvested per plant by 36%, the total fruit yield by 48%, and the total soluble solids of fruit by 12% in strawberry 'Albion', but not in 'Monterey'. In both cultivars, FR light did not affect the individual fruit mass. Our results suggest that the addition of FR light in sole-source lighting can promote leaf expansion, biomass accumulation, fruit yield, and fruit quality in at least some long-day strawberry cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During this study, an indoor experiment was conducted to determine the effect of mixed seeding rates of legumes used as green manure on the substrate fertilizer, growth characteristics, and bioactive compounds of baby leaf vegetables. The mixed seeding treatment was designed for milkvetch (Astragalus sinicus L.), tatsoi (Barassica rapa L.), kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica L.), and spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) using five rates for each. Accordingly, a total of 15 treatments (3 baby leaf species × 5 mixed seeding rates) were constructed using a randomized complete block design with three replications for each treatment. During the baby leaf vegetable harvest, we evaluated the macronutrient levels (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium) in the substrate as well as the growth parameters and carotenoid contents. The substrate in the treatment mixed with milkvetch showed significantly higher levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium compared with those of tatsoi and kale sown alone (P ≤ 0.05). However, there were no significant differences in macronutrients observed in substrate-sown spinach with or without the milkvetch mixture. The growth and carotenoid levels of each baby leafy vegetable sown alone were significantly higher than those of each baby leafy vegetable sown with the mixed seeding treatment (P ≤ 0.05). Sowing the milkvetch-vegetable mixtures did not result in a significant increase in the growth and carotenoid levels of the three baby vegetables. The results showed that planting milkvetch with tatsoi and kale had a significant impact on substrate fertilization. However, regarding short-term vertical indoor farming, the growth and carotenoid responses of the three greens may be different. Nonetheless, we still believe that the combined interactions of legumes can provide long-term benefits by enhancing the biological functionality of the growing medium for balanced indoor agriculture production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By 2050, the global population is expected to exceed 9.7 billion, increasing the demand for food production. Vertical hydroponic (VHF) systems, which enable hydroponically growing plants in space-constrained situations emerge as a promising solution to these difficulties. To address the limitations of traditional farming methods and the challenges faced in VHF, such as manual monitoring and inefficient resource utilization, this survey paper examines how IoT and ACS are integrated into VHF to enhance crop management. It discusses the advantages of this integration, including real-time monitoring, automation, and improved environmental control. Examples of IoTACS implementations in VHF, such as automated nutrient dosing systems and real-time root monitoring, are provided to illustrate the diverse applications of these technologies. This paper also presents the challenges such as connectivity issues and sensor calibration must be addressed for successful implementation. Finally, this article demonstrates how IoT and ACS have the potential to change agriculture and handle the growing demand for food production in a sustainable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When compared to traditional field production, controlled environment agriculture (CEA) such as greenhouses and indoor vertical farms (VF) have sustainability benefits such as reduced land use, less product transportation to consumers, improved resource and land-use efficiencies, food safety, and local food availability. Despite its potential as an environmentally beneficial complement to conventional farming, CEA has numerous issues that limits its adoption and viability as a sustainable option. This review summarizes the literature on key areas of sustainability in CEA, such as (1) sustainability challenges, (2) technologies identified to address sustainability in CEA, (3) quantification and reporting of sustainability in CEA, and (4) gaps and opportunities in addressing CEA sustainability. To filter the available literature from the databases including Web of Science, this scoping review employed a combination of the keywords "sustainability," "controlled environment agriculture," "urban farm," "vertical farm," and "indoor farm." According to the review, main obstacles in CEA were high electricity use, geographical location-related tradeoffs, and an unfavorable public perception of CEA in comparison to field production. These issues are now being addressed by optimized lighting and sensor technology, models, decision support tools to reduce electricity use, and marketing tactics to educate people about the benefits of CEA. This scoping review offers two critical areas to focus sustainability improvement efforts: lowering electrical demand and using circular techniques for organic waste and wastewater reuse in CEA to increase water, nutrient, and energy use efficiency and recovery. In addition, it discusses the techniques and approaches to sustainability assessment in CEA, particularly within the research and application contexts. This scoping review, thus, outlines strategies for enhancing sustainability in CEA, highlighting the importance of integrating circular economy principles and advanced technologies to optimize resource use, and advocates for ongoing research and education to shift public perceptions toward the sustainable potential of CEA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultivation of cashew crops carries numerous economic advantages, and countries worldwide that produce this crop face a high demand. The effects of wind speed and wind direction on crop yield prediction using proficient deep learning algorithms are less emphasized or researched. We propose a combination of advanced deep learning techniques, specifically focusing on long short-term memory (LSTM) and random forest models. We intend to enhance this ensemble model using dynamic time warping (DTW) to assess the spatiotemporal data (wind speed and wind direction) similarities within Jaman North, Jaman South, and Wenchi with their respective production yield. In the Bono region of Ghana, these three areas are crucial for cashew production. The LSTM-DTW-RF model with wind speed and wind direction achieved an R2 score of 0.847 and the LSTM-RF model without these two key features R2 score of (0.74). Both models were evaluated using the augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test, which is commonly used in time series analysis to assess stationarity, where the LSTM-DTW-RF achieved a 90% level of confidence, while LSTM-RF attained an 87.99% level. Among the three municipalities, Jaman South had the highest evaluation scores for the model, with an RMSE of 0.883, an R2 of 0.835, and an MBE of 0.212 when comparing actual and predicted values for Wenchi. In terms of the annual average wind direction, Jaman North recorded (270.5 SW°), Jaman South recorded (274.8 SW°), and Wenchi recorded (272.6 SW°). The DTW similarity distance for the annual average wind speed across these regions fell within specific ranges: Jaman North (±25.72), Jaman South (±25.89), and Wenchi (±26.04). Following the DTW similarity evaluation, Jaman North demonstrated superior performance in wind speed, while Wenchi excelled in wind direction. This underscores the potential efficiency of DTW when incorporated into the analysis of environmental factors affecting crop yields, given its invariant nature. The results obtained can guide further exploration of DTW variations in combination with other machine learning models to predict higher cashew yields. Additionally, these findings emphasize the significance of wind speed and direction in vertical farming, contributing to informed decisions for sustainable agricultural growth and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]