Masters Theses
Date of Award
12-2024
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science
Major
Plant Sciences
Major Professor
Carl E. Sams
Committee Members
Natalie R. Bumgarner, Ernest F. Bazen
Abstract
The rising human population is increasing the demand for food production and decreasing food security, especially in urban areas. The loss of arable land due to urbanization and residential expansion has created a reliance on controlled environment agriculture (CEA) for crop production. Shipping container farms (SCFs) are a feasible alternative for expanding food production in closer proximity to urban consumers, providing fresh produce, and reducing transportation costs. However, growers are limited in their decision-making about growing systems by the lack of comparison data among different CEA growing systems. In this experiment at the University of Tennessee, the growth of kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala cul. ‘Toscano’) was evaluated in terms of labor, production costs, nutritional quality, yield, and energy usage when grown in a SCF and a greenhouse. The greenhouse also compares three hydroponic growing systems: ebb and flood (EF), nutrient film technique (NFT), and deep water culture (DWC). This was a year-long study to determine how seasonal effects alter the yield of kale and energy consumption at both locations. All plants were grown using the SCF manufacturer’s recommended nutrient solution. Kale grown in the SCF had a photoperiod of 20 hours with light emitting diodes (LEDs) at an intensity of 100 mmols.m-2.s-1 and an 80:20 red: blue ratio. Plants in the greenhouse were provided with 200 mmols.m-2.s-1 with a broad spectrum LED for 24h until transplanted into the main production systems. The greenhouse plants had no supplemental lighting after transplant. All plants were harvested at the twelfth leaf stage. A total of 12 and 16 plants were chosen from each replication for analysis from the greenhouse systems and the SCF, respectively. Labor hours, production costs, morphology, mass, mineral nutrient content, glucosinolate content, and energy consumption were recorded weekly. The SCF required twice the amount of weekly labor than the greenhouse. The SCF produced twice the total mass of kale than all three greenhouse systems combined during the year of production. NFT plants had the greatest percent dry mass across all production periods. The SCF energy consumption was highest during the hotter months due to increased need for cooling.
Recommended Citation
Rector, Katelynn Nicole, "Kale (Brassica oleracea var. acephala) Production Efficiency, Yield, and Quality When Hydroponically Grown in a Greenhouse and Shipping Container Farm. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 2024.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/12826
