Disentangling the effect of photoperiod lenght and PPFD and DLI within a 24h diel cycle

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. Growth and quality have confounding responses to DLI, photoperiod and PPFD, the goal is to disentangle these parameters of the light environment to enhance growth, and increase light use efficiency, making vertical farms more sustainable. The MSc thesis work will focus on the effect of light intensity, photoperiod length and DLI (photoperiod + noctoperiod within 24 hrs).

Used skills

• Destructive harvest measurments plant fresh and dry biomass,
• Light quality and light intensity measurmentes with apogee and licor li190,
• Phenotyping using a microcontrolled camera to acquire the projected leaf area,
• Morphology measurements at harvest leaf number and leaf area.

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