Can lettuce plants grow under continous light, challenging crops to grow in un natural environment.

Vertical Farming is a new model in food production with high water, fertilizer and land use efficiency compared to traditional cultivation. No pesticides are applied and since this novel system allows worldwide cultivation, it reduces food mileage promoting local production (even within urban areas!). Vertical farm its revolutionary! due to the full control of the light environment that is not possible in open field or greenhouse production. Unfortunately, the high investment costs and energy use threats its profitability and sustainability. promising preliminary results has been observed in modern cultivars of lettuce growing under continous light the goal is to enhance growth, and increase light use efficiency, making vertical farms more sustainable. all this by a coherent/rational use of light. The MSc thesis work will focus on the effect of long days even continous light at equivalent DLI (photoperiod + noctoperiod within 24 hrs).

Used skills

• Carbohydrate analysis
• GE on samples coming from Climate chamber experiment

Interested in doing a BSc or MSc thesis at HPP? Please contact the HPP student coordinator Katharina Hanika.