EIRA Proof of Concept:
Using plant physiological signals to adjust environmental inputs in horticultural settings
Rationale: The market for UK herbs is worth hundreds of millions of pounds annually. Basil is the second largest fresh herb cultivated in the UK, but production is not optimised for abiotic stresses such as drought, heat or light intensity or quality. This project aims to reduce the uncertainty by showing that plant's own responses to stress can be used to control environmental inputs through the development of an intelligent smart LED system. The objectives are to understand the range of responses of basil to varying light conditions; to characterise the typical responses to light inputs by monitoring stress levels using chlorophyll fluorescence and thermography; and to feed back from the stress responses to input light intensity.
There are four work programmes within the project. The first will characterise the developmental responses of basil to a variety of growth light conditions from square wave light to sinusoidal and assymmetric regimes using commercial LED systems. These data will give an understanding to the optimal routes to maximise yield or flavour. The second and third work programmes seek to understand the complexity of physiological responses by monitoring chlorophyll fluorescence and temperature at the leaf level through the day and under a variety of lighting regimes. The final work programme will link the physiological responses to the light inputs through the development of novel software and hardware. Initially both actinic (ie growth) light and modulated light (ie from plant feedback) will be controlled. In the second stage, the feedback system will be separated from natural sunlight conditions such as is typically found in a greenhouse.
There are four work programmes within the project. The first will characterise the developmental responses of basil to a variety of growth light conditions from square wave light to sinusoidal and assymmetric regimes using commercial LED systems. These data will give an understanding to the optimal routes to maximise yield or flavour. The second and third work programmes seek to understand the complexity of physiological responses by monitoring chlorophyll fluorescence and temperature at the leaf level through the day and under a variety of lighting regimes. The final work programme will link the physiological responses to the light inputs through the development of novel software and hardware. Initially both actinic (ie growth) light and modulated light (ie from plant feedback) will be controlled. In the second stage, the feedback system will be separated from natural sunlight conditions such as is typically found in a greenhouse.
Meet the team
Essex
Project Lead Essex:
Professor Tracy Lawson
Professor of Plant Physiologist
University of Essex.
tlawson@essex.ac.uk
Professor Tracy Lawson
Professor of Plant Physiologist
University of Essex.
tlawson@essex.ac.uk
