Controlled Environment

Agriculture
Dr. Krishna Nemali
Assistant Professor, Controlled Environment Agriculture
Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
Purdue University
Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA)
• integrates both science- and engineering-based approaches
• involves growing vegetable crops under managed environments
• improves productivity and optimizes resource use
 CEA plays an important role in the ‘local food movement’

• Freshness
• Safety
• Improves local economy Smithonian.org
• Availability of unique varieties
• Knowing where your food is
coming from!

Gothamgreens.com
Commonly grown vegetables in controlled environment agriculture

• Lettuce
• Basil
• Spinach
• Microgreens
• Tomatoes
• Peppers
• Melons
• Sweet corn
 Common platforms in controlled environment agriculture

Vertical-warehouse style

Horizontal-greenhouse style

Gothamgreens.com AeroFarms.com
Hydroponics
 Hydroponics

Flow= 1 L/min

1‘ Gully or channel

Thin nutrient film

Fertilizer solution

• Roots receive oxygen, water and nutrients

• Water and nutrients recirculated
Hydroponics video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kUm_I7bLYw
Aeroponics

• Good supply of oxygen

• Disease free systemsRequires
sophisticated mist systems
Aeroponics
 Flood and drain system

Fertilizer solution

• Soilless media is used in containers

• Water is not supplied continuously
 Flood and drain system

Greensensefarms.com
Plants are grown under high intensity artificial lights for year-round
production
Water and fertilizer supply to plants is controlled using sensors

Cropking.com
CEA is an intensive farming system where input costs are high

Source: Alberta Agric. & Rural Development, 2013

 Monitoring input use using sensors in CEA
Lamp Heat Lamp
Image
Boom processing

Infra-red sensor Spectral

reflectance sensor

Camera

Automation
& Control

Sub-irrigation bench

16 Low EC Moderate EC High EC

Smartphone Apps to monitor crop input use
Cameras monitor how crops are growing

25
y = 2E-10x2 + 2E-05x
20 R² = 0.9991

Dry weight
15

10

0
0 50000 100000 150000 200000 250000 300000
Pixel area
Thermal imaging for crop temperature
Controlled Environment Agriculture is a signature area of research in
the Dept. Horticulture and Landscape Architecture

Dr. Cary Mitchell Dr. Krishna Nemali Dr. Steve Hallett Dr. Petrus Dr. Hye-Ji Kim Dr. Wenjing Guan
(NASA-CEA) (CEA-Advanced (Sustainable Langenhoven (Aquaponics) (High tunnels)
sensing farming systems) (Hydroponics/High
technologies) tunnels)