Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Hydroponik'

Projektet gick ut på att skapa ett system för att automatisera en hydroponisk odling, ta fram vilka storheter som är intressanta att mäta och sedan skapa elektronik för det. Det var snabbt tydligt att det är elektrisk konduktivitet (EC), pH och temperatur som är intressant att mäta. EC är ett estimat över näringsinnehållet i vattnet, pH i vattnet måste vara i rätt nivå för att växterna ska kunna ta upp näringen och temperaturen måste vara inom rätt område för att växterna ska växa. Sensorerna som valdes fungerar väldigt olika och därför skapades olika kretsar för vardera sensor. EC och temperatursensorn fick även två olika kretsar för att kunna utvärdera vilken metod som har fungerat bäst. Kretsarna skapades i en simulator och när de gav önskvärt beteende konstruerades ett PCB utifrån simuleringsritningarna. En mikrokontroller användes för att styra kretsarna och hantera mätdata för att sedan skicka det vidare till en Raspberry Pi för att skriva ut värden på en skärm. Resultaten som kretsarna gav i slutändan är tillfredställande och mycket väl inom noggrannheten som en hydroponisk odling kräver.
The project was to create a system for automating hydroponic cultivation, identifying the quantities that are relevant to measure and then creating electronics for it. It quickly became clear that it is electrical conductivity (EC), pH and temperature that are relevant to measure. EC is an estimate of the nutrient content of the water, the pH of the water must be at the right level for the plants to absorb the nutrients and the temperature must be within a certain range for the plants to grow. The sensors selected work very differently and therefore different circuits were designed for each sensor. The EC and the temperature sensor were also given two different circuits in order to evaluate which method was best suited. The circuits were designed in a simulator and when they provided desirable behaviour, a PCB was designed based on the simulation schematics. A microcontroller was used to control the circuits and manage the measurement data and then pass it on to a Raspberry Pi in order to display values ​​on a screen. The results that the circuits ultimately gave are satisfactory and very well within the accuracy required by hydroponic cultivation.

Hydroponics is a method of cultivating plants without the use of soil. Soil acts as a growth medium which gives plants stability, provides nutrients and allows roots to be kept wet without drowning. In hydroponics the soil’s functions are replaced by synthesized methods. Stability comes from a substrate (i.e. LECA, rockwool perlite).The 16 essential nutrients are solved in water which are distributed to plants’ roots by different techniques. To generate photosynthesis natural light is replaced by artificial light, especially red light in the proximity of 660 nm. Hydroponics has been used as a cultivation method for at least 2000 years. During the 20th century industrial applications became common since plastics allowed for complex systems engineering. The method also makes it possible to grow the same amount of crops with approximately 10% water usage and 25% of the area compared to conventional cultivation. During the past few years systems for home use has emerged but the product genre is still in its cradle. This master thesis covers a new conceptual design of a hydroponic home system. The project was carried out at Omecon AB in Stockholm as a consulting design project. Omecon AB is an engineering consultant agency within mostly mechanical construction looking to widen the competence base. Using a design process based on Human-Centered Design the project involved the stakeholders users, extreme users, Omecon AB, plant experts, electronics engineering and service as well as plastics design engineering. Additional/supplemental economical–, ecological– and social sustainability aspects has been considered during all phases of the process. By using the Human-Centered Design process the problem range is expanded from its initial state which results in a more complete end result. Common methodology altered with some unorthodox twists has been utilized throughout the project. The final result is a conceptual hydroponic system for home environment which is designed as an interior design product as well as a high-performance cultivation system. By using natural materials such as wood and steel the users expands its life span and thus mitigates the negative environmental impact. Another aspect which prolongs the products life span is the modular usage which lets users vary and choose their preferred settings. All manufactured materials included in the final concept were flow resources and the parts were engineered to be easily separable for future replacement and recycling. A new type of pot was invented along with a new way of adjusting the height-wise position of lamps. The aeroponic technique, which was applied to this concept, is generally considered to generate the largest plants and thus comprises higher performance compared to other home systems. The use of substrate was also eliminated which decreases continous material consumption within hydroponics.
Hydroponik är en metod för att odla växter utan jord. Jord i odling agerar som ett växtmedium som ger plantor stabilitet, tillför näringsämnen och tillåter rötter att vara i väta utan att dränka dem. I hydroponik ersätts jordens funktioner med syntetiska metoder. Stabilitet ges av ett substrat (t.ex. LECA-kulor, stenull eller perlit). De 16 essentiella näringsämnena löses i vatten och distribueras till plantors rötter med hjälp av olika tekniker. For att skapa fotosyntes ersätts naturligt ljus med artificiellt ljus. Speciellt rött ljus i närheten av 660 nm. Hydroponik har använts som odlingsmetod i åtminstånde 2000 år. Under 1900-talet blev industiella applikationer vanliga eftersom plast möjliggjorde tillverkling av komplexa system. Metoden tillåter även att odla samma mängd grödor med 10% av vattenmängden och 25% av ytan jämfört med konventionell odling. Under de senaste åren har system avsedda för användning hemma blivit vanligare men produktgenren är fortfarande ung. Det här examensarbetet täcker en ny konceptuell design av ett hydroponiskt system för hemmabruk. Projektet utfördes på Omecon AB i Stockholm som ett konsultarbete inom design. Omecon AB är en konsultfirma som mestadels är verksamma inom mekanikkonstruktion men de vill vidga sin kompetens. Genom användning av en designprocess som har baserats på Human-Centered Design har projektet involverat intressenterna användare, extrema användare, Omecon AB, växtexperter, en elektronikingenjör samt plastkonstruktion. Vidare har aspekter inom ekonomisk–, ekologisk– och social hållbarhet beaktats genom alla faser av processen. Via användning av Human-Centered Design-processen har problemrummet expanderats från den initiala utgångspunkten vilket resulterar i ett mer komplett slutresultat. Vanlig metodik varvat med okonventionella anpassningar har använts genom projektet. Slutresultatet består av ett konceptuellt hydroponiskt system för hemmabruk som är designat som en inredningsprodukt samt ett odlingssystem med hög prestanda. Genom användning av naturliga material som trä och stål förlänger användarna produktens livslängd och på så sätt förmildras den negativa klimatpåverkan. En annan aspekt som förlänger produktens livslängd är moduläriteten som låter användare variera och välja deras föredragna inställningar. Alla tillverkade material inkluderade i slutkonceptet var flödesresurser och delarna konstruerades så att de går lätt att separera för framtida ersättning och återvinning. En ny typ av kruka uppfanns tillsammans med ett nytt sätt att justera höjden av lamporna. Den aeroponiska tekniken, som används is konceptet, är allmänt ansedd att generera de största plantorna och innefattar därför högre prestanda jämfört med andra hydroponiska hemmasystem. Användning av substrat eliminerades också vilket minskar kontinuerlig materialkonsumption inom hydroponik.

In a world with an ever growing population, the ability to grow food eciently is essential. One way to improve the eciency is by automation. The purpose of this project is therefore to investigate how the identification of a plant’s stage in its growth cycle that can be made autonomous. This was done with the method of measuring the amount of green pixels in an image of the plant. To be able to answer our research questions a demonstrator was built. The demonstrator is a greenhouse with a non regulated aeroponic system, a regulation system for humidity and an identification system for determining the plant growth stage. The plant chosen to test the identification system was basil. The identification system successfully identified the stage of plants well into the adult stage, in the seed stage and in the middle of the sprout stage. It was however not always successful in the identification of plants transitioning from the sprout stage into the adult stage.
I en värld med en ständigt växande befolkning är förmågan att odla mat effektivt nödvändig. En metod för att öka denna effektivitet är genom automatisering. Syftet för detta projekt är därför att undersöka hur identifieringen av en plantans stadie i dess växtcykel kan automatiseras. Detta gjordes genom att mäta antalet gröna pixlar i en bild av plantan. För att kunna svara våra forskningsfrågor byggdes en testmiljö. Testmiljön bestod av ett växthus med ett oreglerat aeroponiskt system, ett regulationssystem för luftfuktighet och ett identifikationsssystem för att avgöra en plantas stadie i dess växtcykel. Plantan som valdes för att testa identifikationssystemet var basilika. Identifikationssystemet som togs fram kunde med framgång identifiera stadiet av en planta som är långt in i dess vuxna stadie, i förstadiet eller i mitten av dess groddstadie. Plantor som precis övergått från grodd till vuxet stadie blev däremot inte alltid identifierade korrekt.

This thesis is a product design and engineering master’s project that has been carried out in partnership with a swedish product design and greentech company. In this project, an array of data gathering and design methods were used with the goal of developing a modular solution for an indoor hydroponic micro-farm. The project also investigates the benefits and consequences of designing this type of product in this fashion. A secondary goal was set, as discovered through the research and analysis process. This goal was to investigate the possible impact that a self-sustaining microfarm has on the UX of growing plants and how it can be addressed.
Detta är en masteruppsats i produktutveckling och teknik som har utförts i samarbete med ett svenskt företag med fokus på grön teknologi. Projektet använder sig av flera typer av metoder för datainsamling och design för att ta fram en modulär lösning för en hydroponisk mikromiljö för inomhusbruk. Projektet undersöker vilka fördelar och eventuella konsekvenser en sådan typ av design för med sig. Under analysens gång har ett bimål tagits fram, nämligen att undersöka vilken möjlig påverkan en självdrivande mikromiljö har på användarupplevelsen av att ta hand om växter samt hur detta kan adresseras.

The purpose of this project is to make it easier to grow plants domestically all year round. The objective is to construct a remotely controllable and environmentally independent automated hydroponic system. This would minimize the efforts required by the user to sustain plants in non-native climates. A hydroponic gardening system uses water as a growth medium instead of soil. The system is climate conscious and has benefits compared to conventional agriculture. Hydroponic systems are affected by several factors, this project only focuses on controlling the light intensity by isolating the system, and regulating the nutrient concentration through EC. The system uses a microcontroller for analysis and control. The results are promising, showing that the system works. However, the limitations in time led to a short test period, therefore the data gathered is limited. The discussion based on the results conclude that the system cannot be considered completely automatic but reduces the need of manual labour.
Syftet med detta projekt är att göra det lättare att odla växter inhemskt året runt. Målet är att konstruera ett fjärrstyrbart och miljöoberoende automatiskt hydroponiskt system. Detta ska minimera ansträngningarna från användaren för att underhålla växter i icke-inhemska klimat. Ett hydroponiskt odlingssystem använder vatten som tillväxtmedium istället för jord. Tekniken har fördelar jämfört med konventionell odling vilket gör hydroponi mer miljövänligt. Hydroponiska system påverkas av flera faktorer, men detta projekt fokuserar bara på att kontrollera ljusintensiteten genom att isolera ljuset inom systemet samt att reglera näringsämne-koncentrationen genom att mäta den elektriska ledningsförmågan i vattnet. Systemet använder en mikrokontroll för analys och kontroll. Resultaten är lovande och visar att systemet fungerar. Däremot har begränsningarna i tid lett till en kort testperiod, därför är data som samlas in begränsad. Diskussionen baserad på resultaten drar slutsatsen att systemet inte kan anses vara helt automatiskt men reducerar behovet av manuell arbetskraft.

Research in the field of hydroponics from the second half of 20th century and 21st century described how the components of hydroponic systems are related to each other and established a basis for construction and operation of complex and reliable systems of hydroponic agriculture. These systems are predominantly constructed as means for mass production in agriculture or are built by individuals to be used in their garden or greenhouse. The role of design in production of these devices is rather limited. The goal of this work is to introduce hydroponics as a complex system of many interconnected parameters and to assess hydroponic systems from the perspective of design. The objective is to design such a solution that would incorporate all the elements that make up a hydroponic system and design itself. This design ought to respect not only the need to provide a suitable environment for plant growth but also the need of efficiency, ergonomics and design.

Food systems are considered one of the most important anthropogenic activities contributing to climate change. On the other hand, climate change influences the conditions for growth with more frequent droughts and heatwaves. This contradiction poses a significant challenge to future food systems, which need not only become more sustainable, but also increase its production to feed a growing population, as stated in both the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the Swedish action plan on food. This has given rise to alternative ways of producing food, such as urban farming and, in particular vertical hydroponic farming, where food is grown indoors in a controlled environment with artificial lighting and with a minimum use of water and without pesticides. In this study, a vertical hydroponic farm located in Stockholm, Sweden, is examined using life cycle assessment in terms of environmental sustainability. The farm, located in a basement space, works together with the building in a symbiotic network, where the farm provides the building with excess heat from the lighting, and in turn obtains carbon dioxide from an office floor. The findings from the study show that electricity is a major contributor to the environmental performance of the farm, along with the infrastructure employed. The impacts of water use in the farm, is very low, along with the impacts associated with the delivery of the crops; illustrating the advantages of producing food locally. By substituting the synthetic fertilizers employed to biofertilizers, and by substituting the plastic bag material to renewable material, reductions in greenhouse gases are possible. The symbiotic development between the farm and the building is shown very beneficial to the farm, highlighting the importance of synergies between actors in urban areas.
Livsmedelsindustrin anses vara en av de största antropogena drivkrafterna bakom klimatförändringarna. Å andra sidan så förändrar klimatförändringar i sig förutsättningarna för hållbar odling, med mer frekventa torrperioder, extrem värme och extrem nederbörd. Denna konträra situation ställer stora krav på framtidens livsmedelsindustri, som dessutom måste producera mer mat för att mätta en ökande befolkning; ett åtagande som står angivet både i FN:s globala mål och i den svenska Livsmedelsstrategin. Många forskare menar att dagens livsmedelsindustri inte kommer klara denna omställning, och att alternativa metoder för att producera mat behövs. Urban odling har föreslagits som en del av lösningen, och i synnerhet vertikal hydroponisk odling där grödor växer inomhus i en kontrollerad miljö med artificiell belysning, låg vattenanvändning och utan bekämpningsmedel. Den här studien undersökte en vertikal hydroponisk odling i Stockholm, och bedömde dess miljömässiga hållbarhet med hjälp av en livscykelanalys. Odlingen, som sker i en källarlokal, samarbetar med den omslutande byggnaden i en urban symbios, där odlingen förser byggnaden med spillvärme från belysningen, och får i sin tur koldioxid från en kontorslokal. Enligt resultat från studien bidrar elektriciteten till den största miljöpåverkan, men även infrastruktur har stor påverkan. Vattenanvändningen i odlingen är däremot väldigt låg, och miljöpåverkan från leveransen av varorna är mycket låg, vilket belyser fördelarna med att odla mat lokalt. Odlingen kan bland annat minska sin miljöpåverkan genom att byta ut det nuvarande konstgödslet till biogödsel och genom att byta ut plastpåsarnas material till förnybar plast. Symbiosen mellan odlingen och byggnaden visade sig vara väldigt gynnsam, vilket vidare belyser vikten av samspel mellan olika aktörer i den urbana miljön.

Denna rapport behandlar en fallstudie i ett kandidatexamensarbete som utförts tillsammans med en livsmedelsbutik i Stockholmsområdet och som grundar sig i intervjuer, platsbesök och vetenskapliga artiklar. Där livsmedelsbutiken har ett intresse av att implementera en odling i form av ett hydroponiskt system direkt i sin butik.  I fallstudien har det undersökts hur implementering av odling i butik genom ett samarbete med ett odlingsföretag skulle fungera och se ut för butiken. Studien har begränsats till två olika odlingsföretag i Sverige, som har varsitt koncept på hur odlingen kan implementeras, gemensamt för dem är att de använder vertikal odling i form av hydroponiska system. Där det ena företaget erbjuder vertikal odling i en odlingscontainer och det andra vertikal odling inne i ett växthus. Båda företagens olika odlingskoncept har redan implementerats i två andra livsmedelsbutiker inom samma koncern som livsmedelsbutiken i Stockholm befinner sig i.  Fallstudien har genomförts genom att först skapa en bred bakgrund genom litteratursökningar i olika databaser kring relevanta nyckelord för att sedan genomföra intervjuer med båda odlingsföretagen och livsmedelsbutikerna. Därefter har kunskap och svar från respondenterna i intervjuerna sammanställts och ett förslag har tagits fram om vilket odlingsföretag som lämpar sig bäst för livsmedelsbutikens ändamål.  Resultatet visar att möjligheterna och fördelarna vid en implementering av hydroponisk odling för livsmedelsbutiken i Stockholmsområdet att implementera hydroponisk odling är flera och överväger till största del de möjliga utmaningarna. Dessutom gynnas flera av hållbarhetsmålen till livsmedelsbutikens koncern genom implementering av en hydroponisk odling i butiken. Vidare gynnas även några av de Förenta Nationernas Globala mål och även livsmedelsbutikens egna hållbarhetsmål.
This report is the result and outcome of a bachelor's thesis project conducted during the spring of 2021. The report presents the performed case study of a grocery store, in the area of Stockholm, where the company is aiming to implement a hydroponic self-cultivation inside their grocery store. The work is based on conducting interviews and reviewing established scientific articles in the field.  In the case study, it has been investigated how a potential collaboration between the grocery store and a cultivation company can be established. The study was limited to investigating two cultivation companies active on the Swedish market. These two cultivation companies have different solutions of how the cultivation can be implemented on the store area, but both offer vertical hydroponic solutions. Further, both systems of the individual cultivation companies’ have been implemented in other grocery stores that can be used as reference for validation of data.  The literature review of existing publications were conducted by searching in different databases by using the keywords of this work, for the researcher to increase knowledge to create guides for the interviews and for creating the theoretical frame of reference. Thereafter, literature findings and answers from the interviewees were compiled, analyzed and discussed to make a proposition of which cultivation company is best suited for a potential collaboration, with regard to the grocery stores’ wishes of implementing a hydroponic solution.  The results show that several of the grocery stores’ sustainability goals would benefit from a potential implementation of a self-cultivation. Also, implementing a hydroponic farm on the store area would increase the grocery store’s contribution towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

This report includes research into how to automate a small scale system for hydroponics. Hydroponics is a growing technique which features a soil-less environment were the plants roots are exposed to a nutrient-enriched water solution. The research focused mainly on how to regulate the pH and the level of nutrient in the water solvent and finding a system to automate that process. In the research fully grown basil plants were used as test specimens, with the plants roots submerged in a water solvent. The water solvent had sensors that were connected to a micro controller making it possible to monitor the presence of nutrients and pH in the solvent. If the micro controller deemed that the pH and/or the nutrient level was too high or too low, the micro controller would adjust the solvent by activating pumps adding pH down buffer solution and/or nutrient solution to the solvent. The research proved that a way to automate a small scale hydroponics system is by building a computerized system consisting of: • Micro controller. • pH sensor. •EC sensor (to measure nutrient level in solvent). • Temperature sensor. • Fluid pumps connected to pH- and nutrient reservoirs
I denna rapport följer en forskning om hur ett system för hydroponics kan automatiseras. Hydroponics är en odlingsteknik som utesluter nyttjandet av jord. Istället får plantorna näring och vatten via en näringsrik vattenlösning som dess rötter är i kontakt med. Forskningen fokuserade huvudsakligen på hur man reglerar pH och nivån av näringsämnen i en vattenlösning och skapa ett system för att automatisera denna processen. I undersökningen användes fullvuxna basilikaväxter som prover med plantornas rötter nedsänkta i en vattenlösning. Vattenlösningen hade sensorer som var anslutna till en mikrostyrenhet som gjorde det möjligt att övervaka nivån av näringsämnen och pH i vattenlösningen.  Om mikrokontrollen ansåg att pH- och/eller nivån av näringsämnen var felaktig så skulle mikrostyrenheten justera vattenlösningen. Detta skedde genom att mikrostyrenheten aktiverade vätskepumpar som tilsatte pH-buffer och/eller näringslösning. Forskningen visade att ett sätt att automatisera ett hydroponicsystem är att bygga ett datoriserat system som består utav: mikrostyrenhet. pH mätare. EC mätare (används för att mäta näringsnivån i vattenlösningen). Temperaturmätare. Vätskepumpar anslutna till behållare inehållandes pH- och näringslösning.

Forschungsgegenstand war ein neuentwickeltes modulares Kassettensystem mit Hedera helix 'Woerner', das im Folgenden als hydroponische Nutzwand bezeichnet wurde. Die Lebensqualität in Ballungsräumen sinkt aufgrund von steigender Verdichtung. Stadtgrün verbessert die Lebensqualität und sorgt für lokale Klima- und Luftverbesserung. Allerdings besteht ein Nutzungskonflikt mit anderen Bebauungsvorhaben. Hier verspricht der Einsatz der hydroponischen Nutzwand ein hohes Potential, da das wandgebundene Fassadenbegrünungssystem weitgehend bodenunabhängig ist. Es erfolgte eine Studie zur Quantifizierung des Leistungspotenzials. Neben einer detaillierten Beschreibung des Kassettensystems und der Versuchsanlage, die eine nach Norden und eine nach Süden exponierte Nutzwand darstellte, erfolgte die Erstellung einer Wasserbilanz und eines abgeleiteten Bewässerungsplanes. Im Substrat wurden Untersuchungen zum Sauerstoffgehalt durchgeführt. Ebenso war auch die Wirkung auf das Bestandsklima ein wesentliches Kriterium, um das Kassettensystem zu beschreiben. Für die Leistungsabschätzung wurden Wachstumsanalysen zur Beschreibung der Pflanzenproduktion durchgeführt. Für einige Kassettenelemente wurde dabei im Wurzelraum ein Pflanzenstärkungsmittel mit Bacillus subtilis angewendet, mit dem Ziel, eine Wachstumssteigerung zu erreichen. In einem Austrocknungsversuch im Gewächshaus wurde der Effekt verschiedener Konzentrationen des Pflanzenstärkungsmittels auf eine erhöhte Stresstoleranz von Hedera helix 'Woerner' untersucht. Der Wasserhaushalt stellte einen gesonderten Schwerpunkt dar, bei dem zwei Ansätze zur Bewässerungssteuerung verfolgt wurden. Es erfolgte eine Modellierung der Evapotranspiration über Daten aus meteorologischen Messungen und Messungen zur Transpiration der Pflanzen im Bestand. In einem zweiten Ansatz wurden die Möglichkeiten der pflanzenbasierten Sensorik untersucht, wofür ein elektronischer Blattdickensensor zum Einsatz kam. Die Erkenntnisse aus der Dissertation sollten zeigen, welche Praxistauglichkeit eine hydroponische Nutzwand besitzt und ob sie lokal in der Lage ist, dem Problem sinkender Lebensqualität im städtischen Raum entgegenzuwirken.

This thesis deals with the history of a method of plants cultivation without original substrate. The method is hydroponics and its subsequent development is called aeroponics. This work outlines the design of the whole aeroponic system including a control unit. The control unit has been designed to control the injection of nutrient solution, which is essential to the life of plants.Further, the control unit performs the control of lighting period, temperature, air flow and also regulation of nutrient solution pH. The control unit also keeps records of all data necessary for the monitoring process and for the evaluation of time differencies in the system.

Västertorp, ännu en ansiktslös Stockholmsförort, i stort behov av nya sim- och idrottshallar, samt i kanske ännu större behov av lite WOW-faktor. Hur åstadkommer man detta utan att frångå ett tämligen strikt program? Min utgångspunkt var att först fokusera på funktionalitet och därefter, när jag ritat ett fungerande bad, i detta hitta arkitektoniska kvalitéer jag kunde utveckla. Erkännas måste dock att detta var något slags nödlösning efter att jag under projektets första hälft gått vilse i medeltiden och ritat på något så absurt som en badborg. Förutom funktioner så präglade symmetri och i viss grad realism projektet och slutresultatet påminner om något Santiago Calatrava och Albert Speer skulle kunnat samarbeta fram tillsammans med en funktionalist. Hydropolis saknar fönster, för att verkligen avskärma sig från världen utanför med E4:an som närmaste granne, men täcks av ett böljande glastak så att de som är lagda åt ryggsimshållet får en utsökt utsikt där himlen kikar fram mellan strömlinjeformade, blankputsade betongbalkar.
Västertorp, just another faceless suburb to Stockholm, in big need of new sports halls and indoor swimming facilities, and maybe in even bigger need of some WOW-factor. How do you achieve this without straying from a quite strict program? My starting point was to focus on functionality and thereafter, when a functioning swimming and sports facility had been drawn up, try to find architectural qualities I could enhance. I must admit that this was kind of an emergency solution after having strayed in the Middle Ages for the first half of the project, pursuing the nonsensical idea of a bath castle. Apart from functionality symmetry was an important part of the project, as well as realism and the end-result resembles something that Santiago Calatrava and Albert Speer might have created together with a functionalist. Hydropolis has no windows, to totally shield itself from the outer world and its next door neighbour the E4, but it's covered by a glass roof so that those with a backstroke disposition have a beautiful view where the sky sneaks a peek between streamlined, polished concrete beams.

Städerna växer och samtidigt ökar efterfrågan på närodlade och ekologiska grödor. För att klara av att producera närodlat och mer hållbart skulle ett alternativ vara att odla i så kallade vertikala växthus. I Kiruna finns Sveriges största malmgruva som drivs av företaget LKAB vars olika processer leder till spillvärme. I Kiruna är klimatet kallt jämfört med större delen av Sverige och därför erfordras uppvärmning om odling ska kunna ske året runt i ett växthus. Examensarbetets uppgift är därför att undersöka hur man kan utnyttja spillvärme till ett vertikalt växthus i samband med en ny kontorsbyggnad på LKABs gruvområde. LKABs nya kontorsbyggnad har ett kvadratiskt avtryck på marken med ett hörn i sydlig riktning. Fördelningen mellan växthus och kontor kan förenklas genom att kvadraten delas på diagonalen där den södra halvan är växthus och den norra halvan kontor. Eftersom solförhållandena för odling är speciella i Kiruna har växthusets väggar en lutning som är anpassad efter solens låga infallsvinkel vilket gör att växthusets area minskar med varje våningsplan. Som yttermaterial till växthuset används glas och som stommaterial används stål. Ett hydroponiskt odlingssystem används där plantorna sätts direkt i en cirkulerande näringslösning och på så sätt kan systemet utformas med horisontella odlingsrör i flera vertikala odlingsplan. För uppvärmning av växthuset kommer spillvärme från LKABs verksamhet att utnyttjas, i examensarbetet undersöks två olika alternativ av spillvärmekällor och resultatet är att båda de alternativ som undersökts kan utnyttjas för uppvärmning av hela växthusdelens volym.
While the cities are expanding the demand for locally grown and organic crops is increasing. To be able to produce locally and more sustainable crops, one option could be to grow in a so-called vertical greenhouse. In Kiruna the largest ore mine in Sweden is operated by the company LKAB. Various processes in the mining industry lead to waste heat. In Kiruna, the climate is cold compared to most parts of Sweden, and therefore requires heating for the cultivation to be able to take place all year round in a greenhouse. The project’s task is to explore how to utilize waste heat from the mine to a vertical greenhouse in the context of a new office building at LKAB's mining area. LKAB's new office building has a square footprint on the ground with one of the corners in the south direction. The division between the greenhouse and the office can be simplified by the square divided diagonally where the southern half is the greenhouse and the northern half the office. Since the sunlight is limited in Kiruna the greenhouse walls has been design to adjust to the sun’s low position. The sun’s low position requires a sloped facade in the south direction. The greenhouse’s floor area decreases with each floor. As the external material for the greenhouse glass is used and as framing material steel is used. A hydroponically system is used where the seedlings are put directly in a circulating nutrient solution and in this way the system can be designed with horizontal pipes in several vertical cultivated floors. The greenhouse will be heated with waste heat from LKAB's industry, the project examines two alternatives of waste heat sources, and the result is that both of the alternatives studied can be used to heat the entire volume of the greenhouse.

This report investigates how to build a compact, optimizable and at the same time user friendly hydroponic systemfor growing plants as efficiently as possible. Hydroponics grows plants using water with dissolved nutrients instead of soil, allowing faster and more efficient growth.The focus has been on the implementation and the usability of such a system, centering around monitoring and to some degree controlling important parameters for growth such as humidity, air temperature, nutrition concentration and light intensity, colour and exposure time. The plant is enclosed in a confined space with artificial lighting which allows thorough control of the light environment. In order to achieve the desired level of control over the growth parameters, several sensors along with a microcontroller were used. A touch screen with a custom built graphical user interface was also connected to allow the user to control and monitor important aspects of growth conditions. The conclusion drawn from this project is that there is ahigh order of optimizability within the boundaries of this project. The measured factors are easily read on an intuitive, easily navigated touch screen for direct feedback. Regarding the lights’ effect on plant growth, the conclusionis drawn that plants grow well with many types of lights, but more time is needed to thoroughly investigate different light exposure times, colour and intensity.
I denna rapport undersöks hur man kan bygga ett kompakt, optimerat och samtidigt användarvänligt hydroponiskt system för att odla växter så effektivt som möjligt. Hydroponiska system får plantor att växa genom att användavatten med näring istället för jord, vilket tillåter snabbare och mer effektiv tillväxt. Fokuset i denna rapport har varit på implementeringen och användbarheten av ett sådant system, med tyngpunkt på övervakning och till viss grad styrning av viktiga faktorer i en plantas tillväxt såsom luftfuktighet, temperatur, näringskoncentration och ljusintensitet, färg och exponeringstid. Växten är innesluten i ett begränsat utrymme med artificiellt ljus, vilket tillåter genomgående kontroll av ljusmiljön. För att uppnå önskad kontroll av tillväxtparametrarna, användes ett flertal sensorer tillsammans med en mikrokontroller. Till detta kopplades en pekskärm med ett egen tillverkat användargränssnitt, som tillåter användaren att kontrollera och övervaka viktiga aspekter i tillväxten. Slutsatsen från detta projekt är att det finns en hög grad av optimerbarhet inom denna konstruktion. De uppmätta parametrarna kan enkelt avläsa ljusexponering, ljusintesitet och färg.

It is becoming increasingly evident that agriculture is playing a pivotal role in the socio-economic development of South Africa. The agricultural sector is important because it contributes approximately 2% to the gross domestic product of the country. However, many factors impact on the sustainability of traditional agriculture in South Africa. Unpredictable climatic conditions, land degradation and a lack of information and awareness of innovative farming solutions are among the factors plaguing the South African agricultural landscape. Various farming techniques have been looked at in order to mitigate these challenges. Among these interventions are the introduction of organic agriculture, greenhouse agriculture and hydroponic agriculture, which is the focus area of this study. Hydroponic agriculture is a method of precision agriculture where plants are grown in a mineral nutrient solution instead labour- intensive activity that requires an incessant monitoring of the farm environment in order to ensure a successful harvest. Hydroponic agriculture, however, presents a number of challenges that can be mitigated by leveraging the recent mobile Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) breakthroughs. This dissertation reports on the development of a wireless ICT monitoring application for hydroponic agriculture: HydroWatcher mobile app. HydroWatcher is a complex system that is composed of several interlacing parts and this study will be focusing on the development of the mobile app, the front-end of the system. This focus is motivated by the fact that in such systems the front-end, being the part that the users interact with, is critical for the acceptance of the system. However, in order to design and develop any part of HydroWatcher, it is crucial to understand the context of hydroponic agriculture in South Africa. Therefore, complementary objectives of this study are to identify the critical factors that impact hydroponic agriculture as well as the challenges faced by hydroponic farmers in South Africa. Thus, it leads to the elicitation of the requirements for the design and development of HydroWatcher. This study followed a mixed methods approach, including interviews, observations, exploration of hydroponic farming, to collect the data, which will best enable the researcher to understand the activities relating to hydroponic agriculture. A qualitative content analysis was followed to analyse the data and to constitute the requirements for the system and later to assert their applicability to the mobile app. HydroWatcher proposes to couple recent advances in mobile technology development, like the Android platform, with the contemporary advances in electronics necessary for the creation of wireless sensor nodes, as well as Human Computer interaction guidelines tailored for developing countries, in order to boost the user experience.

Vertical hydroponic farming is a developing sector that has the potential to mitigate the adverse effects of conventional farming while also meeting the demands of rapidly urbanizing populations. The global food system is responsible for up to 30% of anthropogenic GHG emissions, with primary production accounting for the majority of these emissions. Hydroponic farming is a type of crop production in which the plants grow without the use of soil. It is mainly done indoors. Hydroponic production has various advantages for the food system, including water efficiency, space efficiency, year-round production, and system productivity. Despite many advantages mentioned in the literature, hydroponic farming has certain drawbacks, including a reliance on electricity to grow, a limited choice of crops appropriate for hydroponic cultivation, and a higher product price.This paper examines the obstacles and describes how integrated modular farms might be implemented in Sweden to improve urban food resilience. This project aims to design a modular solution for a closed hydroponic farm using various data gathering and design methodologies. In one year, the designed hydroponic system generates about one ton of lettuce in a one-square-meter area while saving 91.27% of water compared to conventional farming methods. The secondary goal was to assess the designed system's long -term viability interms of social, environmental, and economic sustainability indicators and study the structure from an engineering standpoint.

Thesis (MTech (Horticultural Sciences))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2017.
The increasing demand for medicinal plants has led into serious over-harvesting of wild populations and presents an opportunity for potential profitable cultivation. Production of medicinal plants in controlled environments particularly hydroponic technology provides opportunities for high quality biomass accumulation and optimizes production of secondary metabolites. Water availability and supplies are becoming scarce, thus search for innovative irrigation practices is desirable and vital. The proper irrigation interval and growing media can play a major role in increasing the water use efficiency. Thus, Siphonochilus aethiopicus was cultivated by means of the hydroponic technique, under various substrate combinations and watering regimes.

CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior
Traditional soil based strawberry production currently faces some obstacles, both by excessive use of pesticides, as the diseases caused by fungi and other pathogens and ergonomic difficulties of cultivating the soil. Strawberry soilless cultivation combined with greenhouse and the use of substrate promotes some advantages such as: eliminating the use of products for soil disinfection, precocity, increased yields, better crop management conditions and crop protection against adverse weather conditions, pest attacks and diseases.. The objective of the study was to evaluate yield and nutrition of four strawberry cultivars in three cropping systems in Serra da Ibiapaba â CearÃ. The experiment was conducted in 3 x 4 factorial design, randomized blocks, with three cultivation systems arranged in strips (soil, hydroponic in gutters and bags), with four strawberry cultivars (Oso Grande, Albion, and Camarosa and Festival) and five replications. Coconut fiber was used as substrate in the hydroponic systems. In the period between the sixth and thirty-eighth week after transplanting, the number and average fruit weight, yield per plant and yield were determined. From the beginning of flowering, leaves were collected every two months to determine the levels of macro and micronutrients. Hydroponic gutter and bag systems increased the number of fruits per plant, but did not increase average fruit weight. The strawberry yield in hydroponic cultivation system was superior to soil cultivation. Cultivar Festival presented more fruits than the other cultivars in hydroponic systems. The Oso Grande and Festival cultivars stood out as the average fruit weight and yield, respectively, and may be recommended for hydroponic cultivation for the region of Serra da Ibiapaba. Based on the leaf nutrient contents, it is suggested adjustments in concentrations of phosphorus and magnesium in the nutrient solution used in hydroponic strawberry crop. Keywords: Fragaria x ananassa, cultivar, nutrients, crop system,
O cultivo do morangueiro no solo enfrenta atualmente alguns entraves, tanto pelo uso excessivo de defensivos, como pelas doenÃas causadas por fungos e outros patÃgenos e as dificuldades ergonÃmicas do cultivo no solo. O cultivo em sistemas sem solo combinado com ambiente protegido e o uso de substrato proporciona algumas vantagens como: eliminaÃÃo do uso de produtos destinados à desinfecÃÃo do solo, antecipaÃÃo do inÃcio das colheitas, aumento da produÃÃo, proteÃÃo da cultura Ãs condiÃÃes meteorolÃgicas adversas, ataque de pragas e doenÃas e melhores condiÃÃes de manejo da cultura. O experimento teve como objetivo avaliar a produÃÃo e nutriÃÃo de quatro cultivares de morango em trÃs sistemas de cultivo na Serra da Ibiapaba â CearÃ. O experimento foi conduzido em esquema fatorial 3 x 4, em blocos casualizados, sendo trÃs sistemas de cultivo dispostos em faixa (solo, hidropÃnico em calhas e em s a c o l a s ), com quatro cultivares de morangueiro (Oso Grande, Albion, Camarosa e Festival), com cinco repetiÃÃes. No sistema hidropÃnico foi utilizado como substrato fibra de coco. No perÃodo entre a sexta e trigÃsima oitava semana apÃs o transplantio, foi determinado o nÃmero e peso mÃdio de frutos, produÃÃo por planta e produtividade. A partir do inÃcio do florescimento, foram coletadas a cada dois meses folhas para determinaÃÃo dos teores de macro e micronutrientes. Os sistemas hidropÃnicos em calha e em sacolas aumentaram o nÃmero de frutos por planta, porÃm nÃo aumentaram o peso mÃdio de frutos. A produtividade do morangueiro cultivado no sistema hidropÃnico foi superior ao cultivo no solo. A cultivar Festival apresentou maior nÃmero de frutos em relaÃÃo as demais cultivares nos sistemas hidropÃnicos. As cultivares Oso Grande e Festival destacaram-se quanto a peso mÃdio de frutos e produtividade, respectivamente, sendo recomendadas para cultivo hidropÃnico para regiÃo da Serra da Ibiapaba. Com base nos teores de nutirentes na folha sugere-se ajustes nas concentraÃÃes de fÃsforo e magnÃsio na soluÃÃo nutritiva utilizada no cultivo hidropÃnico do morangueiro. Palavras-chaves: Fragaria x ananassa, cultivar, sistema de cultivo, nutrientes.

Předložená diplomová práce byla zpracována s cílem vytvořit přehled poznatků v oblasti akvaponické potravinové produkce. Informace získané během tvorby tohoto přehledu pak měly vést, v kombinaci s daty získanými z funkčního provozu, k vytvoření matematického modelu akvaponického cyklu. Na akvaponické farmě provozované společností Flenexa plus s.r.o., která byla zdrojem potřebných procesních dat, měla být dále zpracována a vyhodnocena bilance energie a vody. Nakonec měla být v průběhu práce posouzena možnost implementace mikrořasového fotobioreaktoru do akvaponického cyklu. Úvod práce představuje motivaci vedoucí k potřebě inovovat dnešní potravinovou produkci. Kriticky jsou zhodnoceny predikce vývoje lidské populace, a to pak hlavně z pohledu dopadu, který by tento růst měl na zemědělskou produkci. Současná situace se na základě získaných poznatků ukazuje jako neudržitelná, primárně pak v oblastech vodohospodářství a energetické spotřeby. Následně je jako možné řešení vedoucí ke zlepšení udržitelnosti potravinové produkce zkoumána akvaponie. Akvaponie je definována a její jednotlivé komponenty jsou představeny z hlediska mechanismu jejich fungování a z pohledu jejich návrhu. Mezi popsané oblasti patří například principy tzv. coupled a decoupled akvaponie a popis možných typů hydroponického komponentu. V této části práce je pozornost věnována také představení cyklů jednotlivých živin v rámci akvaponie. Následující a poslední teoretická část práce je pak věnována mikrořasovému fotobioreaktoru. Jsou zde popsány mechanismy, jak motivující, tak odrazující od zakomponování bioreaktoru do akvaponie. V oblasti výhod se jedná hlavně o jeho roli ve stabilizaci pH a spotřebě toxikého amoniaku. Na druhou stranu jeho ekonomické dopady na profitabilitu akvaponie jsou velmi proměnlivé v závislosti na způsobu implementace. Samotný mikrořasový fotobioreaktor je pak v práci detailněji představen. Jednotlivé procesní ukazatele ovlivňující růst řas jsou rozebrány, a to společně s jednotlivými typy fotobioreaktoru, metodami sklizně a využitími pro vyprodukované mikrořasy. Na základě poznatků schromážděných v této práci pak lze jako nejvhodnější k implementaci do akvaponie doporučit hybridní fotobioreaktory, u kterých je většina osvětlení zajištěna v podobě slunečního svitu. Samotná experimentální část práce pak začíná popisem zkoumaného provozu společnosti Flenexa plus s.r.o. z pohledu aplikovaného akvaponického procesu. Jednotka podrobená měření byla provozně stabilní a využívala implementace hydroponického komponentu typu Deep Water Culture (DWC). Spolu s detailním popisem celého provozu jsou poskytnuty a vyhodnoceny vypracované bilance vody a energií. Pozornost je pak přesunuta k matematickým modelům vypracovaným a ověřeným na základě dat a poznatků shromážděných z provozu společnosti Felenexa plus s.r.o. Logika a algoritmy, na kterých jsou oba modely postaveny, jsou v této části vysvětleny a diskutovány společně s hlavními funkcemi a schopnostmi obou modelů. První, primárně statistický model je představen jako nástroj pro použití při uvádění akvaponie do provozu. Druhý, fyzikální model pak v uživatelsky přívětivém formátu představuje základ pro model řízení akvaponické farmy s mikrořasovým fotobioreaktorem. V neposlední řadě jsou nastíněny také cesty možného budoucího vývoje pro oba vytvořené modely. Práce je následně završena shrnutím a diskusí nad poznatky a výstupy získanými během celého tvůrčího procesu.

Thesis (MScAgric)--University of Stellenbosch, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: An open air hydroponic production system (OHS) is based on classic hydroponic principles, with the difference that it lacks climatological control because the plants are not produced in greenhouses and are cultivated in the outside environment. In these systems the plant is provided with all the essential nutrients through the irrigation system, which is scheduled according to accurate measurements of the available soil water, in three to seven pulses a day. The rationale is that, by delivering nutrients each day, the mixes can be representative of what the plant actually requires for that specific phenological stage. The aim of this study was to monitor the usefulness and impact of OHS on table grape production within the framework of a case study. For this purpose, it was necessary that all factors involved in the development and growth of the plant should be studied and integrated in a multidisciplinary approach. Currently very limited information exists on basic guidelines for the effective implementation of these systems for table grape production, particularly with regard to local conditions. As a start, and to establish some guidelines and measurable parameters for the implementation of these systems, vegetative growth parameters were analysed within the framework of yield and fruit quality. The experiments were performed in a commercial vineyard in the Paarl region and the cultivars used were Dan ben Hannah (DBH) and Waltham Cross (WC). Relevant soil and climatic conditions, irrigation scheduling, fertiliser application, as well as cultivation practices, were taken into account. The soil maps provided information on the soil types identified in the blocks prior to the establishment of the two cultivars. The conventionally treated vines were irrigated and fertilised according to historical block data, and the OHS-treated vines according to programmes established by two different consultants. The experimental layout included a comparison of conventional cultivation methods and vines that had been switched over from conventional methods to OHS in the middle of 2000. All measurements within the different treatments were done at specific measuring points laid out statistically. Ten phenological stages were chosen to monitor the various aspects throughout the season for both cultivars treated conventionally and hydroponically. All relevant climatic parameters were collected for this specific production unit. The growth, fertility and quality indicators of these cultivars under the mentioned cultivation practices are discussed and established through quantitative analysis One of the aims, namely to show that established table grape vines could adapt from micro-irrigation to drip irrigation within two seasons in terms of root adaptation, was proven in this study. Initially the soil types were identified as Cartref, Clovellyand Glenrosa for both cultivars. The WC block contained an Avalon and the DBH a Westleigh soil type as well. The soil pits in all four treatments revealed the soil type to be a Tukulu form with differences in the clay content. Active roots developed underneath the drip lines for the OHS-treated cultivars, while the roots were still evenly distributed over the entire soil profile for the conventionally treated vines. Also, both cultivars adapted to OHS in terms of yield and production within two seasons, especially WC, which produced a higher yield in the 2001/2002 season than in the previous four seasons. DBH showed a strong vegetative reaction to OHS in terms of excessive vegetative growth, which had an indirect effect on fruit quality and bud fertility. A higher rate of bud mite infection in the OHS-treated vines also had a negative influence on bud fertility. The excessive vegetative growth was due to a rainy 2001/2002 growth season, in combination with the irrigation and fertiliser programmes. The irrigation and fertiliser programmes were changed from the 2000/2001 to the 2001/2002 season because of the change in consultants. As a result of this change, the OHS-treated vines were given very high nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and micronutrient applications in the 2001/2002 season. The penetration of light in the canopy of the OHS-treated DBH was lower than in the conventionally treated DBH as a result of the above-mentioned factors, but the situation in Waltham Cross was the opposite. In the winter season of 2001, both OHS-treated cultivars were not fully adapted to the new system, as their pruning mass was lower than in the conventionally treated cultivars. No significant differences were determined for the winter cane starch content of both cultivars under conventional and OHS treatments. Effective fertiliser uptake proved to be suboptimal, especially in the case of calcium. Fruit analyses showed a lower calcium content in the OHS-treated fruit, which led to a poor skin cell structure and higher Botrytis infection during cold storage. The OHStreated cultivars showed more compact bunches, with an overall smaller rachis structure, which was another reason for the higher Botrytis infection during cold storage. However, the more compact rachis structure could not be explained on the basis of the elemental analyses. The OHS-treated DBH showed a more intense red berry colour, while the OHS-treated WC had a higher Fosscan Brix value. Both OHS-treated cultivars therefore ripened earlier than the conventional treatments. One of the advantages of the use of OHS in table grape production shown in this study was the ability to manipulate the phenology of the grapevine to provide fully ripened grapes a few days earlier than the conventionally treated grapes. This kind of advantage could be used to manipulate the production of table grapes for a better market window. Despite its limitations, this study concluded that the use of OHS for table grape production might be a useful tool for future production management, but that accurate management regarding irrigation and nutrient applications is a prerequisite. This will have to be developed systematically through experimentation to fully unlock the potential of the OHS management system for table grape production. This study provides a starting point for future research to elucidate these aspects and has clearly shown that even established vineyards can be switched to OHS in a relatively short period of time. It is envisaged that the advantages of this system, as long as the correct management protocols are in place, could have a positive effect on the production of high quality fruit for the international market.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: 'n Oop hidroponiese produksiestelsel (OHS) is gebaseer op klassieke hidroponiese beginsels, met die verskil dat OHS nie klimatologies beheer kan word nie. Die plante word nie in glashuise of tonnelsisteme verbou nie, maar wei onder buitelug toestande. Binne hierdie sisteme word die plante van alle noodsaaklike voedingstowwe deur die besproeiingstelsel voorsien. Hierdie voedingstowwe word in drie tot sewe pulse per dag volgens akkurate beskikbare grondwaterbepalings geskeduleer. Die rasionaal is dat, deur die daaglikse lewering van voedingstowwe, die mengsels verteenwoordigend is van die plant se behoefte vir 'n spesifieke fenologiese stadium. Die doel van die studie was om die bruikbaarheid en impak van OHS op tafeldruifproduksie binne die raamwerk van 'n gevallestudie te monitor. Alle faktore wat by die groei en ontwikkeling van die plant betrokke is, moet in 'n multidissiplinêre benadering bestudeer en geïntegreer word. Daar is tans slegs beperkte inligting oor die basiese riglyne en effektiewe implementering van dié sisteme vir tafeldruifproduksie wat spesifiek is vir plaaslike toestande. As 'n beginpunt, en om sekere riglyne en meetbare parameters vir die implementering van die sisteme te vestig, is vegetatiewe parameters binne die raamwerk van opbrengs en vrugkwaliteit geanaliseer. Alle eksperimente is in kommersiële wingerdblokke in die Paarl-omgewing uitgevoer. Die kultivars wat vir die studie gebruik is, is Dan ben Hannah (DBH) en Waltham Cross (WC). Alle relevante grond- en klimaatstoestande, sowel as besproeiingskedulering, bemestingprogramme en verbouingspraktyke is vir die projek in ag geneem. Ou grondkaarte het inligting ten opsigte van die verskillende grondtipes wat voor die vestiging van die verskillende kultivars geïdentifiseer is, verskaf. Die wingerde, onder konvensionele behandeling, is volgens historiese blokdata besproei en bemes, terwyl die wingerde onder OHS volgens geskeduleerde programme wat vanaf konsultante verkry is, besproei en bemes is. Die eksperimentele uitleg het 'n vergelyking van konvensionele verbouingsmetodes en wingerde wat in die middel van 2000 van konvensionele na OHS-verbouing oorgeskakel is, ingesluit. Alle metings en analises binne die verskillende behandelings het by spesifieke statistiesbepaalde punte plaasgevind. Tien fenologiese stadia is gekies om die verskillende aspekte vir beide kultivars onder konvensionele en OHSbehandeling gedurende die seisoen te monitor. Alle relevante klimaatsdata is vir die spesifieke produksie-eenheid aangevra. Alle groei-, vrugbaarheids- en kwaliteitsparameters van die kultivars onder die bogenoemde behandelingsmetodes is bespreek en gevolglik deur kwantitatiewe analises bepaal. Een van die doelwitte, naamlik om uit te vind of reeds gevestigde ouer wingerde in terme van wortelaanpassing binne twee seisoene kan aanpas van mikrobesproeiing na drup OHS, is deur die studie bevestig. Aanvanklik was die grondtipes geidentifiseer as die vorme, Cartref, Clovelly en Glenrosa vir beide kultivars, met 'n Avalon vorm adisioneel by WC, en 'n Westleigh vorm by die DBH. Grondprofiele het egter getoon dat die grondtipes vir al vier behandelings 'n Tukulu vorm is met verskillende klei inhoude. Aktiewe wortels het vir die OHS-behandelde wingerde onder die druppers ontwikkel, terwyl die wortels in die konvensionele behandeling steeds eweredig oor die hele grondprofiel versprei was. Beide kultivars het ook in terme van opbrengs en produksie binne twee seisoene ná die oorskakeling van die konvensionele behandeling na OHS aangepas. WC het in die 2001/2002 seisoen 'n hoër opbrengs gelewer as in die vorige vier seisoene. Afgesien van die goeie aanpasbaarheid, het DBH 'n sterk vegetatiewe groeireaksie ten opsigte van die OHS-behandeling getoon, wat 'n indirekte effek op vrugkwaliteit en oogvrugbaarheid geopenbaar het. 'n Hoër mate van knopmiet infeksie in die OHSbehandelde stokke kon ook 'n negatiewe bydrae tot oogvrugbaarheid gemaak het. Die sterk vegetatiewe groei kon aan die hoër reënval gedurende die 200112002 groeiseisoen, tesame met die besproeiings- en bemestingsprogramme, toegeskryf word. Die besproeiings- en bemestingsprogramme is verander van die 2000/2001 seisoen na die 2001/2002 seisoen weens die aanstelling van 'n ander konsultant. As gevolg van hierdie verandering het die OHS-behandelde stokke baie hoë toedienings van stikstof, fosfaat, kalium en mikroelemente in die 2001/2002 seisoen ontvang. Sonligpenetrasie in die wingerdlower van die OHS-behandelde DBH was laer as in die konvensionele behandeling as gevolg van die bogenoemde faktore. Die situasie vir WC was egter die teenoorgestelde. Tydens die winterseisoen van 2001 was beide oorgeskakelde kultivars nie ten volle by die nuwe OHS-behandeling aangepas nie, soos gesien kan word in die laer lootmassas in vergelyking met die konvensionele kultivars. Geen beduidende verskil is vir die hoeveelheid stysel in die winterlote van beide kultivars onder konvensionele en OHS-behandeling verkry nie. Effektiewe voedingstofopname was suboptimaal, veral betreffende kalsium. Vruganalises het 'n laer kalsiuminhoud in die OHS-behandelde druiwe getoon, wat aanleiding gegee het tot 'n swakker seistruktuur in die druiwedoppe en 'n hoor mate van Bottytis-infeksie gedurende koelopberging. Die OHS-behandelde kultivars het meer kompakte trosse getoon met kleiner trosraamwerke, wat ook aanleiding kon gegee het tot 'n hoër Botrytis-infeksie. Die kleiner trosraamwerke kon nie deur voedingstofanalises verklaar word nie. Die OHS-behandelde DBH het 'n hoër kleurintensiteit getoon, en die OHS-behandelde WC het 'n hoër suikerinhoud getoon ten opsigte van die konvensionele behandeling. Beide OHS-behandelde kultivars was dus vroeër ryp as die konvensionele behandelings. Een van die voordele van OHS wat uit die studie voortspruit, is die vermoë om wingerdfenologie te manipuleer om ryper druiwe vroeër in die seisoen te verkry. Hierdie tipe voordeel kan aangewend word om druiwe vir "n beter markvenster te produseer. Hierdie studie, tesame met al sy beperkinge, kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die gebruik van OHS vir tafeldruifproduksie 'n nuttige instrument vir toekomstige produksiebestuur is, maar dat die optimale bestuur van besproeiing en bemesting as kritiese faktore beskou moet word. Hierdie faktore sal sistematies deur intensiewe navorsing ontwikkel moet word om die volle potensiaal van OHS te ontsluit, spesifiek vir tafeldruifproduksie. Hierdie studie kan as 'n beginpunt gebruik word vir toekomstige navorsing vir meer toegeligte verklarings van die bogenoemde aspekte, veral met die voordeel dat reeds gevestigde wingerde maklik en vinnig by OHS kan aanpas. Die voordele van OHS kan 'n groot positiewe invloed op die produksie van hoër kwaliteit tafeldruiwe vir die internasionale mark hê, mits die regte bestuursriglyne in plek is en toegepas word.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 1995.
Advisor: T.H. Short, Dept. of Agricultural Engineering. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-152). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico
Although it had been early developed aiming to search on the plants mineral nutrition, the hydroponic gained more importance between the growers due to possibility a better nutritional control that confers greater plant quality and minor incidence of pests. Some hydroponic systems have been considered for the lettuce grown, between them NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) and Floating System. This last one consists of the use of great amounts of nutrient solution in tanks where the plants are floating on plates with its roots flooded. This system has been showing promising for hot climates where the high temperatures can to limit the growing in other systems as the NFT. Therefore, a trial was carried out to evaluate the floating system in its diverse characteristics as stability of the electrical conductivity and pH, availability of dissolved oxygen to the plants and temperature of the nutrient solution. Also was evaluated, through the total fresh weight and root length, the cultivars VerÃnica and Vera, which are spread out between the growers that use hydroponic systems, in regards to its adaptability to the floating system. Each one of the cultivars were submitted at two levels of electrical conductivity (1,5mS/cm and 2,5 mS/cm) and two levels of artificial aeration (20min/h and 60min/h) in split-split-plot design. The study showed that the cultivar Vera was significantly better than VerÃnica concerning to the total fresh weight and root length. It did not have significant difference between the studied levels of electrical conductivity and artificial aeration in the development of the plants. It could still be observed that the system revealed sufficiently steady in regards to the evaluated parameters.
Embora tenha sido desenvolvida primeiramente com o objetivo de pesquisar sobre a nutriÃÃo mineral das plantas, a hidroponia ganhou bastante importÃncia entre os produtores devido à possibilidade do controle nutricional mais estreito que confere maior qualidade Ãs plantas e menor incidÃncia de problemas fitossanitÃrios. VÃrios sistemas hidropÃnicos tÃm sido propostos para o cultivo de alface, entre eles o NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) e o sistema de leito flutuante (Floating System). Este Ãltimo consiste da utilizaÃÃo de grandes quantidades de soluÃÃo nutritiva dispostas em tanques onde as plantas ficam flutuando sobre placas de material leve com suas raÃzes imersas. Este sistema tem se mostrado promissor para climas quentes onde as altas temperaturas podem ser limitantes ao cultivo em outros sistemas como o NFT. Diante do exposto foi realizado trabalho no sentido de avaliar o sistema de leito flutuante em suas diversas caracterÃstica como estabilidade da condutividade elÃtrica e pH, disponibilidade de oxigÃnio dissolvido Ãs plantas e temperatura da soluÃÃo nutritiva. TambÃm foram avaliadas, atravÃs da matÃria fresca total e comprimento radicular, os cultivares VerÃnica e Vera, os quais sÃo os mais difundidos entre os produtores que utilizam o sistema hidropÃnico, quanto à sua adaptabilidade ao sistema de leito flutuante. Para isso cada cultivar foi submetido a dois nÃveis de condutividade elÃtrica (1,5mS/cm e 2,5 mS/cm) e dois nÃveis de aeraÃÃo artificial (20min/h e 60min/h) utilizando o delineamento em parcelas subsubdivididas. O estudo mostrou que o cultivar Vera foi significativamente superior ao VerÃnica em relaÃÃo à matÃria fresca total e comprimento radicular. NÃo houve diferenÃa significativa entre os nÃveis de condutividade elÃtrica e aeraÃÃo artificial estudados no desenvolvimento das plantas. PÃde-se observar ainda que o sistema mostrou-se bastante estÃvel em relaÃÃo Ãs variÃveis avaliadas.

Hydroponics is used extensively in food production and plant research, allowing optimal control over the supply of elements to the plant. In hydroponics, nutrient can be delivered via a solution that is supplied to the growing plant or as a seed coat or treatment that is applied to the seed before sowing and germination. The form in which the nutrients are supplied to the plant influences their bioavailability, up-take, and distribution within the plant. Commercially produced hydroponic nutrients are typically supplied as two separate concentrated solutions. If these are mixed before being diluted then precipitates are formed which limit the bioavailability of certain elements in the nutrient solution. The chemical nature of the precipitate has been investigated by XRD, XRF, ion-chromatography and IR and Raman spectroscopies, with the aim of understanding its composition. Mass spectrometry is a highly sensitive analytical technique which has been applied to the monitoring of uptake and distribution of elements and compounds in plant tissue. Techniques including MALDI-MS, LA-ICP-MS and HPLC-ICP-MS have been utilized in the work presented here to demonstrate the distribution and accumulation of elements and compounds within plant material that has been grown hydroponically. The use of a zinc based seed coating as a nutrient source for barley seeds in a hydroponic fodder production system has been investigated. The effect of the zinc on the yield and dry mass of the fodder was determined. The total zinc content in the fodder has been determined using ICP mass spectrometry. A method to map the location and distribution of zinc and other metallic elements in seeds and the fodder plants using Laser-Ablation ICP Mass Spectrometry LA-ICP-MS has been developed. Selenium is an essential element for human health. Broccoli is known to be a hyper-accumulator of selenium and the use of selenium-containing hydroponic nutrients for the biofortification of broccoli with selenium is presented. Laser-Ablation ICP Mass Spectrometry LA-ICP-MS has been used to monitor the accumulation and distribution of selenium in the broccoli plants. Imaging MALDI-MS has allowed the demonstration of the nitrogen cycle in plants and to show pictorially that atoms and molecules from dead plants are incorporated into new life. Radish plants were grown hydroponically using a nutrient solution system containing isotopically-enriched nitrogen-15 KNO3 (98% labelled) as the only source of nitrogen. Plants were cropped and left to ferment in water for 2 weeks to create a radish "tea", which was used as a source of nitrogen for radish grown in a second hydroponics experiment. After 5 weeks of growth, the radish plants were harvested and cryosectioned, and sections were imaged by positive-ion MALDI imaging. The presence of labelled species in the plants grown using 15N KNO3 as nutrient and those grown from the radish "tea" was readily discernible. The uptake of 15N into several identifiable metabolites has been studied by MALDI-MS imaging.

Kyoto University (京都大学)
0048
新制・課程博士
博士(農学)
甲第21155号
農博第2281号
新制||農||1059(附属図書館)
学位論文||H30||N5129(農学部図書室)
京都大学大学院農学研究科地域環境科学専攻
(主査)教授 川島 茂人, 教授 星野 敏, 教授 藤原 正幸
学位規則第4条第1項該当

Chez les plantes supérieures, la distribution des sucres entre organes sources et puits requiert l'activité de transporteurs membranaires de sucre. Les flux de sucre variant au cours du développement de la plante et en réponse à des stress, il est logique de penser que les transporteurs de sucres sont impliqués dans ces changements. Le but du travail était de suivre la répartition des sucres et l'expression des transporteurs correspondants dans les racines de la plante modèle Arabidopsis thaliana, en réponse à un stress osmotique. Afin de pouvoir récolter des racines, un système de culture en hydroponie a été mis en place. Après avoir vérifié l'homogénéité des plantes cultivées dans ce système, une étude de l'expression des gènes de transporteurs de sucre a été effectuée au cours du développement des plantes et de d'une journée (24h), en utilisant la technique de macroarray. Cette étude a révélé l'expression dans les racines de 3 transporteurs de saccharose (AtSUC1, AtSUC2 et AtSUC5), 2 transporteurs de polyols (AtPLT5 et AtPLT6) et 2 transporteurs d'hexoses (AtSTP7 et AtSTP13). Le suivi de la teneur en sucres solubles et en amidon ainsi que du transport à longue distance de [U-14C]-saccharose a permis d'émettre des hypothèses quant au rôle des transporteurs de sucres exprimés dans la racine. Afin de mimer un stress hydrique en hydroponie, un protocole d'application progressif d'un agent osmotique (polyéthylène glycol 6000) dans le milieu de culture a été élaboré. Ce système a permis de mettre en évidence que 5 des gènes de transporteurs de sucre identifiés dans la racine ont une expression qui varie dans ces conditions. Trois d'entre eux sont fortement réprimés : AtSUC1
In plants, sugar allocation between source and sink organs is based on the activity of membrane transporters for sugars. As sugar fluxes are changing during development and in response to stress, sugar transporters are supposed to be involved in those changes. The aim of this work was to study sugar allocation and the corresponding transporters gene expression in the roots of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana during an osmotic stress. In order to have access to the roots, an hydroponic culture system was developped. The homogeneity of the plants obtained with this system was checked and the expression of sugar tranporter genes was followed during development and during a 24h period was studied by a macro-array technique. The expression in the roots of the following genes was found: 3 sucrose transporters (AtSUC1, AtSUC2 and AtSUC5), 2 polyol transporters (AtPLT5 and AtPLT6) and 2 hexose transporters (AtSTP7 and AtSTP13). The sugar and starch content and the long distance of 14C-sucrose were measured and used to build some hypothesis on the role of sugar transporters in the roots. To mimick a water stress, an osmotic stress due to the progressive addition of Polyethylene-glycol was applied. This system demonstrated that 5 of the identified transporter genes display a change in expression: 3 are repressed (AtSUC1, AtSUC5 and AtPLT6) and 2 are over expressed (AtSUC2 and AtSTP13). Moreover, soluble sugar and starch accumulate in the leaves and 14C-sucrose transport to the roots is decreased in plants subjected to an osmotic stress. The respective role of transporters is discussed. The gene expression data were also confirmed with plants grown in rhizoboxes

Master of Science
Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering
Stacy L. Hutchinson
The energy sector needs to transition to renewable energy to provide energy and economic security in the future (Murray & King, 2012). Liquid biofuels are an important renewable fuel in this transition because they are the preferred renewable energy source in the transportation sector (Lange, 2007), and the only renewable energy alternative for the aviation industry [International Air Transport Association (IATA), 2015]. Biofuels produced from food crops (first-generation biofuels) are being produced at an industrial scale, but they create several environmental and social conflicts (Mohr & Raman, 2013). Currently, there is a demand for the next generation of biofuels to resolve the environmental and social conflicts associated with first-generation biofuels. Salicornia, a salt tolerant oil seed crop (Panta et al., 2014), is one feedstock that might be able to resolve some of those conflicts because it can be irrigated with saline water (Warshay et al., 2017). The ability of Salicornia to tolerate saline environments suggests that it might be able to be cultivated in a hydroponic system designed to treat industrial wastewater. A hydroponic system designed to treat industrial wastewater and produce Salicornia as a biofuel feedstock could prevent some of the detrimental effects of industrial sources of saline water on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (Gerhart et al., 2006), and produce a feedstock that resolves some of the issues with first-generation biofuels. The first step in the development of the proposed hydroponic system is to determine if Salicornia can be cultivated with industrial wastewater in a hydroponic system. Studies were conducted with two sources of industrial wastewater, Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD) wastewater and Cooling Tower Blowdown Water (CTBW), to determine how the composition of water affects the germination, survivability, early seedling growth, and lignocellulosic composition of Salicornia. The composition of water was shown to have no effect on seed germination and visual signs of phytotoxicity. These studies found that full strength CTBW and 20% FGD wastewater could be used to cultivate Salicornia in a hydroponic system if nutrients are added. Full strength FGD wastewater was shown to have a negative impact on seedling growth. These studies also found that Salicornia is not a good lignocellulosic biofuel feedstock because of its low lignocellulosic composition (e.g. 14.9-9.1% glucan, 13.2-6.7% xylan, 5.2-2.4% arabinan, and 9.8-6.2% lignin). However, a large percentage of the extractives content is unidentified and could have a monetary value. Additional research is needed to determine if a hydroponic system that cultivates Salicornia is able to provide any water quality treatment.

The use of hydroponic feeding systems for horses has gained in popularity during recent years. Typically, this feeding system allows for a more efficient use of the whole plant, including the shoot, root, and seed remnants rather than traditional grazing in which only the shoot of the plant is consumed. Vertical systems have practical uses in largely developed areas where traditional forage sources are limited, in arid countries or in areas with severe droughts where forage growth is minimal. Though there is some research on fodder utilization in production animals, there are currently no published data on the effects of fodder in horses. Our study, approved by the Southern Illinois University Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (#13-043) utilized eight Quarter Horse mares randomly assigned to one of two diets. Control (CON) horses were offered 2% of their body weight (BW) in hay (DM) and treatment (TRT) horses received 1% of their BW in hay (DM) and 1% of BW in fresh wheat fodder (AF) twice daily. Body weight and hoof temperature data were recorded weekly. Fecal samples were collected weekly and analyzed for pH, NH3, and VFA concentration as well as DM, ash, NDF, ADF, N, CP, and EE. Hay and fodder samples were also collected weekly to monitor nutrient profiles of the two forage types for the duration of the study. Additionally, nutrient profiles from seed to mature (8 d growth) were developed for fodder. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design using PROC MIXED of SAS (v. 9.4) and significance was established at P < 0.05. There were no significant differences in body weight, left or right front hoof temperatures between treatments. Fecal pH was significantly lower (P ≤ 0.01) in the TRT when compared to CON, and isobutyric acid was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) higher in TRT as compared to CON. A comparison of the nutrient values of the two forages demonstrated significantly higher DM, ash, NDF, and ADF (P <0.0001) in hay while N, CP, and EE (P <0.0001) were significantly higher in fodder overall. Daily growth of the fodder decreased DM content (P <0.0001) while ash, NDF, ADF, N, CP, and EE (P <0.0001) increased as the fodder reached maturity. These results indicate that utilizing fodder affects fecal metabolites associated with digestion.

The imbalance between global population growth and resource consumption is indicative of unsustainable practices and foreshadows a grim future of continued resource depletion, food and water scarcity, social inequality, and deteriorating public and environmental health. Meanwhile, the urban centers of the world continue to experience exponential growth resulting in overwhelmed food, water, and sanitation infrastructure. Decentralized and satellite wastewater treatment technologies capable of resource recovery, such as anaerobic membrane bioreactors (AnMBR), foster synergistic opportunities to help manage the food, energy, and water sectors of urban environments. Specifically, the nutrient concentration and high effluent quality of permeate produced by AnMBR systems present applicability in controlled environment agriculture (CEA). The efficacy of AnMBR permeate is evaluated in a hydroponics growth study of cucumber (Cucumis sativus) grown in an outdoor greenhouse and tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum) grown indoors. Nutrient analysis of permeate generated by a small, pilot scale AnMBR developed for the treatment of domestic wastewater at ambient temperature indicated sufficient concentrations of N and P elements, however high proportion of NH4+ in N species decreased growth performance. Opportunities for optimizing AnMBR permeate for hydroponics applications exist and thus imply synergistic integration of decentralized AnMBR technology with controlled environment agriculture (CEA) such as hydroponics. A model is proposed for the integration of decentralized AnMBR and CEA systems capable of producing usable plant products within the urban environment. The integration of these systems is proposed as a solution to the challenges of with food security, stressed water supplies, and environmental degradation associated with unchecked urban growth in the developing and developed world

Intensive livestock farming in feedlot producing large amounts of manure and wastewater. Hydroponic and electrolysis treatments were studied for the remediation of nutrients from feedlot runoff. Water hyacinth, water lettuce, and sorghum were hydroponically grown in 10 L of feedlot runoff and Hoagland solution individually in plastic bucket in batches in a greenhouse. All three plants performed well in uptaking NH3-N (more than 90%) in feedlot runoff. From the feedlot runoff, TP reduction by sorghum, water hyacinth, and water lettuce ranged from 70% to 100% , 61% to 74%, and 49% to 93%, respectively. With electrolysis process, 500 mL of feedlot runoff was treated with two rectangular parallel aluminum (Al-Al), iron (Fe-Fe), or hybrid (Al-Fe) electrode at 5 V, 10 V, and 15 V DC up to 30 minutes. The TP reductions were higher (100%) followed by COD (50 % to 75%) and TN (25% to 60%) by tested electrode.
North Dakota Department of Health (EPA section 319 grants)

L'utilisation de machines lourdes et la fertilisation des sols ont été la solution pour améliorer le rendement agricole et augmenter les aires des sols cultivés. Les pays émergeants Est-Méditerranéens souffrent d'un manque crucial des législations et des règlementations qui organisent l'usage des fertilisants chimiques. Cela est principalement dû à l'insuffisance des données sur les caractéristiques des sols et les pratiques agricoles. La fertilisation excessive est devenue une source potentielle de contamination des sols par les éléments traces métalliques (ETM) susceptible de migrer vers les différentes chaines alimentaires. Dans ce cadre, l'Institut de Recherches Agronomiques Libanais (IRAL) avait comme préoccupation principale d'évaluer les risques associés aux apports en ETM issus des engrais phosphatés en usage dans des sols de nature alcaline sous un climat aride à semi-aride. Ainsi, l'investigation sur les engrais phosphatés commercialisés au Liban et les pays voisins ont montré que le cadmium est porté principalement dans une phase sulfate quand cette dernière est présente dans les engrais. L'apport moyen annuel du Cd, Cu, Pb et Zn aux sols est trouvé inferieur aux limites recommandées dans certains pays comme le Brésil et la Grande-Bretagne. Cependant, dans le contexte régional où l'étude est réalisée, cet apport est relativement élevé quand la nature alcaline du sol est prise en considération. Ainsi, une norme établie pour un sol acide n'est pas nécessairement adaptable dans un sol alcalin, sachant que ce dernier est un milieu favorable pour stabiliser les ETM et limiter leurs disponibilités. Les Lactuca sativa (laitues), étant une espèce amplement consommée dans les pays du bassin méditerranéen, ont été choisis comme une espèce cible dans l'objectif de suivre la distribution du cadmium dans les différents tissus de l'espèce et le coefficient de partage entre les compartiments eau, sol et plante. Les effets de la densité des sols, en présence du cadmium et des engrais phosphatés ont été étudiés dans des colonnes de sols cultivés par les laitues. Les caractères morphologiques et physiologiques de la plante, la mobilité du cadmium dans le sol et son transfert vers les laitues, la population microbienne (le nombre de bactéries totaux, champignons totaux, bactéries résistantes au cadmium BRC et micro-organismes solubilisant le phosphore MSP) et l'activité enzymatique des phosphatases alcalines (ALP) et acides et les déshydrogénases (DHA) ont été suivis. La présence du Cd et du phosphore dans le sol a diminué la mobilité du cadmium et la compaction a augmenté l'accumulation du Cd dans la partie aérienne des laitues et l'infiltration des nitrates. La combinaison entre la compaction du sol, la présence de cadmium et du phosphore en même temps a montré une diminution du nombre de bactéries, des champignons totaux et de l'activité d'ALP mais une augmentation du nombre de MSP, de BRC et de l'activité de la phosphatase acide est notablement identifiable. En absence de toute matrice d'interaction avec les ETM et les fertilisants phosphatés autre que les laitues, les effets du cadmium et de l'engrais phosphatés ont été évalués sur les caractères morphologiques et physiologiques des laitues en culture hydroponique et sur l'absorption du cadmium par ces laitues. En présence d'engrais phosphaté, la culture des laitues en hydroponie avait une influence positive sur le développement de ce végétal plus qu'en culture dans le sol. Malgré la croissance rapide des laitues en hydroponie, ce système est désormais une source de cadmium disponible aux laitues puisque ce métal est transféré des racines vers la partie aérienne de Lactuca sativa en induisant des changements morphologiques
Soil compaction and contamination with heavy metals were the response of the use of heavy machinery and phosphate fertilization to improve and expand agricultural productivity. The Eastern Mediterranean emerging countries suffer from lack in legislations and regulations organizing the chemical fertilizers use. This is due to the insufficient data on soil characteristics and agricultural practices. Thus, excessive fertilization can be considered as potential sources of soil contamination by trace metals susceptible to be transferred to the different food chains. One of the main occupations of the Lebanese Agriculture Research Institute (LARI) was to evaluate the associated risks to the trace metals inputs coming from phosphate fertilizers. The investigation of phosphate fertilizers used in Lebanon and neighboring countries showed that cadmium is well bonded to sulfate-phase when sulfate is present in the fertilizers. The annual average of the deposition of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn in soil was found lower than the recommended limits in some countries like Brazil and Britain but such contribution is relatively high when considering the alkaline nature of the soil. Thus, norms and legislations for acidic soil cannot be necessarily adaptable and used for alkaline soil knowing that such soil is the best environment to stabilize the metals and limit their bioavailability. Lactuca sativa (lettuce), widely consumed specie in Mediterranean countries, has been chosen as target specie to be studied in order to follow cadmium in different parts of the plants and its partition between water, soil and plants. The effects of the compaction, cadmium and phosphate fertilizers were evaluated on morphological and physiological characteristics of Lactuca sativa cultivated in columns. Cadmium mobility in soil and its transfer to lettuce, the microbial population (the number of total bacteria, total fungi, cadmium resistant bacteria CRB and phosphate solubilizing microorganisms PSM) and the enzymatic activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), acid phosphatase and dehydrogenase activity (DHA) were also studied. Cadmium mobility was decreased in the soil amended with cadmium and phosphorus and compaction increased the Cd accumulation in the lettuce's aerial part and the nitrate infiltration. A decrease of the number of total bacteria, fungi, ALP and an increase in the number of PSM, CRB and acid phosphatase activity were observed in the treatment where the soil was compacted and amended with cadmium and phosphate fertilizers. In absence of any interactive matrix with the metals and the phosphate fertilizers other than the lettuces, the effects of cadmium and phosphate fertilizer were evaluated on morphological and physiological characteristics of lettuces grown in hydroponic culture. Cadmium absorption and transfer to aerial part was also studied. The lettuces development's was important in the hydroponic culture more than in soil cultivation in presence of phosphate fertilizer. Despite the rapid growth of lettuces in hydroponic culture, this system is a potential source of bioavailable cadmium that is absorbed by lettuces and transferred to roots and aerial parts conducting to morphological changes

Denna litteraturstudie har tagits fram genom en semi-systematisk litteraturgenomgång samt genom modellen grindbalanser: en modell för att beräkna näringsbalanser och näringseffektivitet i jordbruk. I litteraturstudien undersöks näringsutnyttjandet av kväve och fosfor i två jordlösa växtodlingssystem som förespråkas vara strategier för framtidens matproduktion: Recirkulerande hydroponik (enbart växtodling) och akvaponik (samodling med fisk). I studien undersöks även källorna till kväve och fosfor i respektive odlingssystem och hur effektivt näringsutnyttjandet är jämfört mot svenskt jordbruk (avseende hela jordbrukssektorn). Studien syftar till att skapa förståelse för betydelsen av resurseffektiva och resursmässigt hållbara odlingssystem i matproduktionen med fokus på kväve och fosfor. Kväve och fosfor är två essentiella näringsämnen för vår matproduktion. De är naturresurser som människan lärt sig att tillföra till jordbruksmark och har möjliggjort ökade skördar. I takt med en växande befolkning har behovet av kontinuerlig tillförsel till jordbruk gjort oss beroende av gruvbrytning av fosfor och industriell kvävefixering vilket också lett till allvarliga miljö- och klimatproblem. Mängderna som genom mänsklig aktivitet tillförs globala matproduktionen beräknas nu uppgå till 150 miljoner ton kväve/år respektive 17.5 miljoner ton fosfor/år. Framställningsmetoderna och läckaget av kväve och fosfor är årligen orsaker till förstärkt växthuseffekt, eutrofiering, föroreningar, förluster av habitat och biologisk mångfald. Dessutom beräknas fosforn ta slut om 50 - 100 år. Grindbalanserna visar att kväveeffektiviteten i recirkulerande hydroponik är högre än i både akvaponik och svenskt jordbruk med ett medelvärde på 54 %, 42 % respektive 39 %.Fosforeffektiviteten är högre i svenskt jordbruk än akvaponik, 85 % respektive 73 %. Underlag för att beräkna fosforeffektiviteten saknas för recirkulerande hydroponik och vetenskapliga studier på resursutnyttjande är överlag väldigt få. Källorna till kväve och fosfor i båda odlingssystemen är direkt eller indirekt kopplade till industriell kvävefixering och gruvbrytning. Källorna bidrar även till skogsomvandling, förstörelse av habitat och biologisk mångfald.

This thesis has been written for Hollbium AB, a Stockholm based Startup that provides a system called the Loop that grows edible plants in office spaces. This degree project reviews literature on hydroponics systems and design formanufacturing (DFM). The reviewed material alongside identified needs from the stakeholders serve as input for the design of an electronics board that controls The Loop.
Denna masteruppsats har skrivits för Hollbium AB:s räkning, ett Stockholmsbaserat startupföretag som levererar ett system kallat The Loop vars syfte är att odla ätbara växter i kontorsmiljö. Det här examensarbetet har innefattat granskning av litteratur relaterat till hydroponiksystem samt design för tillverkning (DFM). Den granskade litteraturen i kombination med av intressenterna identifierade behov har legat till grund för utformningen av ett elektroniksystem för styrning av The Loop.

The purpose of this project is to create a fully automatedgreenhouse that can produce year-round crops, using sensorsand actuators. Temperature in both water and air,relative humidity, water level, nutrient level and pH are allmeasured with different sensors. Though only water level,pH and nutrients will be regulated. The greenhouse will berelying on a hydroponic growing technique, meaning thatthe growing is soil-less and will be done in water. Thismakes measuring and controlling said levels easier and alsominimizes water waste and makes for a more environmentalsystem. The main focus of this project is on regulating pHand nutrient levels of the water. The system has shown tobe stable and self regulating within the desired intervals fornutrient concentration and pH for growing basil.
Syftet med det här projektet är att skapa ett automatiserat växthus som kan producera grödor året runt med hjälp av sensorer och aktuatorer. Med olika sensorer mäts temperaturen i både vattnet och luften, relativa luftfuktigheten, vattennivå, pH- och näringsvärden. Dock kommer endast vattennivå, pH- och näringsvärden regleras. Växthuset använder sig av så kallad hydroponisk odling, vilket innebär att odlingen inte sker i jord utan i vatten. Detta underlättar bland annat mätningar och kontrollering av systemet men minimerar även vattenkonsumptionen och bidrar till ett mera miljövänligt system. Projektet kommer i huvudsak inrikta sig på reglering av pH och näringsnivåer av vattnet. Systemet har visats stabilt och har förmågan att reglera sig självt inom önskat intervall för näringskoncentration och pH för att odla basilika.

Denna rapport beskriver ett designarbete för att utveckla en produkt inom produktgenren hydroponisk inomhusodling. Arbetet sker i samarbete med uppdragsgivaren Clas Ohlson AB under våren 2017 vid Luleå tekniska universitet. Arbetet omfattar15 hp och är ett examensarbete för högskoleingenjör-teknisk design. Clas Ohlson är en butiksvarukedja med butiker både i Sverige men också runt om i Europa. De erbjuder sina kunder ett brett och prisvärt produktsortiment för att täcka de vardagliga behoven inom kategorierna hem, el, fritid, bygg och multimedia. De säljer varumärken som de själva producerar men är också återförsäljare av andra både större och mindre etablerade varumärken. En växande trend i Sverige idag som kan kallas för ”den gröna livsstilen” handlar om fokus på miljömässig hållbarhet för att säkerställa både sin egen men också miljöns välfärd. Vad som kan ses som en påföljd av denna trend är det ökade intresset för att odla ätbara växter inomhus, dels för att ha kontinuerlig tillgång men också för att kunna vara säker på att grönsakerna man äter är närodlade och besprutningsfria. En teknik för att åstadkomma en effektiv inomhusodling är att använda hydroponisk odling, även kallat hydrokultur. Det innebär att istället för att använda jord odlas växten i näringsberikat vatten. Fördelar med denna teknik är att det är mer lätthanterligt då det inte sker någon hantering av jord, odlingen blir platseffektiv och tillväxttakten hos växten ökar samtidigt som underhållskraven minskar. Därför är Clas Ohlson intresserade av att utveckla sitt sortiment inom detta område och uppdraget är då att utveckla konceptuella lösningar för hur detta kan se ut och fungera. Arbetet inleddes med en förstudie som i huvudsak handlar om att framställa de designkrav som lösningen behöver tillfredsställa. Men också en omfattade fördjupning i området genom att använda väl etablerade metoder såsom benchmarking och kvalitativa intervjuer. Processen övergick sedan i ett idéarbete där projektet framställde lösningar utifrån den problematik som fastställts. Detta med stöd av kreativa metoder såsom till exempel ”katalogmetoden” och ”brainstorming”. Det utfördes även en ”workshop” för att säkerställa att användaren var en central del av arbetet. Idéerna utvecklades till konceptuella förslag genom att genomgå en prototypfas där projektet bland annat skissade och konstruerade mock-ups för att testa funktion. Sedan validerades koncepten genom ett implementeringsmoment för att till sist mynna ut i ett val av koncept. Där valdes ett koncept ut för vidareutveckling i samråd med uppdragsgivaren Clas Ohlson. Därefter utfördes ett detaljarbete där material, färg ochslutlig formgivning fastställdes samtidigt som konceptet produktionsanpassades. Detta resulterade sedan i konceptet Flyt. Det är ett minimalistiskt självbevattnande hydroponiskt odlingssystem för förstagångsanvändare utan de tekniska funktioner som många konkurrerande produkter använder. Flyt består av fyra flytande krukor i en vattenreservoar, de kan plockas ut individuellt och fungerar som markörer förvattennivån i reservoaren. Detta tillsammans med en unik odlingsfrihet och variationsmöjlighet gör Flyt till en användarvänlig, underhållseffektiv och smart odling för vardagen.

Thesis (M.S.)--West Virginia University, 2009.
Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 178 p. : ill. (some col.), maps (some col.). Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 112-115).

With the recent development of nanotechnology, there has been increased production of engineered nanomaterials but limited containment strategies, resulting in inevitable release of a large amount of engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in the environment. Many ENPs have potential adverse impacts on the environment, and one of the most commonly used ENPs, silver nanoparticle (AgNP), has attracted increased global concern. The current study focused on phytotoxicity of AgNPs to a model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana. Silver nanoparticles were introduced into the growth medium for the wild type A. thaliana plants and root uptake and translocation of AgNPs were examined in hydroponic growth condition. We also conducted growth stage based phenotypic analysis by growing A. thaliana throughout its life cycle in soil. The result indicated that: (1) wild type seeds germination was not affected by either AgNPs or their dissolved Ag+ ions; (2) AgNPs exposure resulted in a concentration- and size- dependent inhibition effect to the root elongation; (3) confocal and electron microscopy indicated that AgNPs could be taken up by seedling roots, yet most of AgNPs attached to the surface of seedling root cap; (4) AgNPs and their dissolved Ag+ ions at tested concentrations had little influence on the vegetative growth of A. thaliana, but they accelerated the floral development; and (5) the effect on the floral development stage reduced the quality of second-generation (F1) seeds, as indicated by their lower germination rate. In conclusion, AgNPs displayed both acute and chronic phytotoxicity to A. thaliana.

Brewery effluent that had undergone treatment in an anaerobic digester (AD) was used as an alternative water and nutrient source for hydroponic crop production. Brewery effluent was demonstrated to contain sufficient nutrients to support the growth, flowering and fruiting of Lycopersicum escolentum "Moneymaker" tomato crops. The adjustment of the effluent pH with phosphoric acid to between pH 6.0 and 6.5 increased the development of the crops by around 100% compared to crops grown in unaltered effluent. The pH adjusted effluent-grown plants grew to a mean height of 831.4 ± 21.1 mm and a dry biomass weight of 42.34 ± 2.76 g compared to the unaltered pH effluent plants which grew to a height of 410.6 ± 20.5 mm and a weight of 7.65 ± 0.68 g after 49 days. Effluent treatment in high-rate algal ponds (HRAP) was determined to have no positive effect on the nutritional potential of the effluent for Moneymaker production. The effluent-grown plants did not perform as well as plants grown in inorganic-fertilizer and municipal water. Plants grown in effluent grew taller but did not produce significantly more fruit when phosphoric acid (height: 1573.3 ± 50.4 mm, 19.4 ± 1.4 fruit per plant) was compared to nitric acid (height: 1254.1 ± 25.4 mm, 15.6 ± 1.5 fruit per plant) as the pH adjustment over 72 days. Direct and secondary plant stresses from effluent alkalinity, ammonium nutrition, nitrogen limitation, sodium concentrations and heat stress among other factors were probably confounding variables in these trials and require further investigation. Considering the raw effluent composition and manipulating the AD operation is a potential opportunity to improve overall AD performance, reduce chemical inputs in the effluent treatment process, reduce the final effluent alkalinity, and increase available nitrogen content in the final effluent. The anaerobic digester discharging >1000 m³ of nutrient enriched effluent every day is a resource with considerable potential. The benefits of developing this resource can contribute to cost-reduction at the brewery, more efficient water, nutrient and energy management at the brewery, and offer opportunities for job creation and potentially benefit local food security.

The world’s population is growing at an average of 1.2 percent per annum and forecasts see the global population reaching 9.6 billion by 2050. This places great demands on the sustained production capacity of agricultural organisations to meet the desperate need for nutrition. This problem will continue to persist if production methods do not evolve to improve production and quality. Hydroponics and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) was first seen in Rome during the 1st Century. Then sixteen Centuries later Greenhouses were developed in France and England as experimental hydroponics for basic laboratory research. Rapid expansion took place from about the 1950’s in areas where traditional openenvironment agriculture was difficult or impossible such as the deserts of Iran, Abu Dhabi and California. Sixty-five years later in 2015 hydroponics and CEA are well established around the world with thousands of hectares under propagation. Hydroponics is a method of agricultural production that has been refined over the years to become an exact science. Through the application of technology and know-how the physiological processes within plants can be manipulated and controlled to produce superior results. These results require less land area and less water to accomplish. It can be seen, based on this development, that hydroponics is such an evolution that has the capacity to meet the needs of a growing global population and its nutritional needs. The challenge lies, though, in the scientific understanding and application of knowledge in growing and managing a hydroponics farm. This study seeks to determine the internal data and external information needs of farmers in the hydroponics industry. This data and information will be integrated into a Farm Management Information System (FMIS) model that will be used for decision making, report generation and documentation. The problem leading to this study is the dissemination of data and information sources that are currently underutilised and difficult to access. In determining the internal data and external information needs, an empirical study was conducted using structured interview. Thirty farm managers were interviewed to assess what their current information system consisted of, whether they had a need for an FMIS and what internal data and external information was needed which related to four functional components of hydroponic farming. The results of this study indicate that there is a need for an FMIS for the hydroponic industry in South Africa. The results also indicate that managers are not fully satisfied with the performance of their current information system and would be interested in considering alternative information systems. Data points relating to the four functional components were assessed and integrated into an FMIS model for the hydroponic industry. This model sets out to integrate internal data and external information for purposes of decision making, report generation and documentation.

As human population increases, the need for water increases in domestic, agricultural, industrial and urban sectors. Wastewater reuse after treatment is gaining acceptance world wide, as availability of fresh water sources decreases. However, it is also important to point out social and cultural differences that still exist in different pars of the world including those where reuse of wastewater for food production or any domestic use is not yet acceptable. The major concerns with effluent reuse are primarily its impact on human health and environmental risk. As a result, effluent reuse should be undertaken with caution after careful consideration of the potential impacts and risks. This thesis examined the potential to use the hydroponics nutrient film technique to grow commercially important crops using secondary-treated domestic wastewater. The crops chosen were a fruit crop (Lycopersicon esculantum - tomato), a leafy crop (Beta vulgaris ssp. cicla - silver beet) and a flower crop (Dianthus caryophyllus - carnation). Secondary-treated domestic wastewater was chosen because of the reduced risk of pathogen and heavy metal contamination in the crops and due to the guideline requirements for use of treated effluent for food crops. The possibility of using the effluent after the hydroponics treatment for further irrigation was also studied. The ability of secondary-treated effluent to supply adequate nutrients to the crops was assessed relative to a commercially available hydroponics solution (Chapter 3). The amount of time the solution was left in the system (nutrient solution retention time) was dependant on the plant uptake of the solution. The results obtained showed that the nutrients in secondary treated effluent was adequate for the carnations, but not for the food crops. The food crops from both treatments were compared to the produce purchased from a supermarket. The food crops showed signs of nutrient deficiency, particularly nitrogen. Based on the findings of the first experiment, the nutrient solution retention time was amended to 14 days. The carnations were not tested with the shorter nutrient solution retention time (NSRT) because they performed well in the previous trial with the longer nutrient solution retention time. The edible food crops performed better and did not show signs of nutrient deficiency when the nutrient solution retention time was reduced to 14 days. Further statistical analysis was conducted with the data from Chapters 3 and 4. Nutrient and water balances were calculated and the possible reason that the plants grown in the 14-day nutrient solution retention time took up more water, was a result of increased nutrients and better growth. A simple model was constructed to calculate height of the plants using multiple regression. The model was validated against the data collected from this study. The experiment conducted in Chapter 6 determined the nutritional quality of the food crops. The harvests from the wastewater and commercially available hydroponics solution were compared to produce purchased from a supermarket and tested for total caroteniods, total soluble solids and ascorbic acid concentrations. The nutritional quality of the wastewater grown produce was comparable to those grown in the hydroponic solution and those purchased. The risk of pathogen contamination to food crops and the die-off of pathogens in the hydroponic channels were studied in Chapter 7. This was tested by spiking the commercial hydroponic medium with Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium and monitoring bacterial pathogen die-off in the secondary treated domestic wastewater. The pathogen quality of the crop was tested in all treatments as well as on organically grown produce found at a local supermarket. The results of this experiment did not show any contamination on the surface of the food crops or within the food crops. This study demonstrated that growing tomatoes, silver beet and carnations using secondary-treated domestic wastewater was successful when the nutrient solution retention time was adjusted to the optimum level. In arid, developing and remote communities, this system is ideal as it conserves and reuses water for commercially important crops without compromising the health of the environment or of human beings. It can also be implemented in urban areas, as the system can be scaled according to the availability of space. In addition to this, the effluent after going through this system can be used for open irrigation as it meets the World Health Organisation guidelines. However, a number of additional concerns need further investigation. They include the transmission risk of other types of pathogen, which depends on the source of wastewater, and the effects of hormones and antibiotics on food crops and their effect on human health.

As human population increases, the need for water increases in domestic, agricultural, industrial and urban sectors. Wastewater reuse after treatment is gaining acceptance world wide, as availability of fresh water sources decreases. However, it is also important to point out social and cultural differences that still exist in different pars of the world including those where reuse of wastewater for food production or any domestic use is not yet acceptable. The major concerns with effluent reuse are primarily its impact on human health and environmental risk. As a result, effluent reuse should be undertaken with caution after careful consideration of the potential impacts and risks. This thesis examined the potential to use the hydroponics nutrient film technique to grow commercially important crops using secondary-treated domestic wastewater. The crops chosen were a fruit crop (Lycopersicon esculantum - tomato), a leafy crop (Beta vulgaris ssp. cicla - silver beet) and a flower crop (Dianthus caryophyllus - carnation). Secondary-treated domestic wastewater was chosen because of the reduced risk of pathogen and heavy metal contamination in the crops and due to the guideline requirements for use of treated effluent for food crops. The possibility of using the effluent after the hydroponics treatment for further irrigation was also studied. The ability of secondary-treated effluent to supply adequate nutrients to the crops was assessed relative to a commercially available hydroponics solution (Chapter 3). The amount of time the solution was left in the system (nutrient solution retention time) was dependant on the plant uptake of the solution. The results obtained showed that the nutrients in secondary treated effluent was adequate for the carnations, but not for the food crops. The food crops from both treatments were compared to the produce purchased from a supermarket. The food crops showed signs of nutrient deficiency, particularly nitrogen. Based on the findings of the first experiment, the nutrient solution retention time was amended to 14 days. The carnations were not tested with the shorter nutrient solution retention time (NSRT) because they performed well in the previous trial with the longer nutrient solution retention time. The edible food crops performed better and did not show signs of nutrient deficiency when the nutrient solution retention time was reduced to 14 days. Further statistical analysis was conducted with the data from Chapters 3 and 4. Nutrient and water balances were calculated and the possible reason that the plants grown in the 14-day nutrient solution retention time took up more water, was a result of increased nutrients and better growth. A simple model was constructed to calculate height of the plants using multiple regression. The model was validated against the data collected from this study. The experiment conducted in Chapter 6 determined the nutritional quality of the food crops. The harvests from the wastewater and commercially available hydroponics solution were compared to produce purchased from a supermarket and tested for total caroteniods, total soluble solids and ascorbic acid concentrations. The nutritional quality of the wastewater grown produce was comparable to those grown in the hydroponic solution and those purchased. The risk of pathogen contamination to food crops and the die-off of pathogens in the hydroponic channels were studied in Chapter 7. This was tested by spiking the commercial hydroponic medium with Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium and monitoring bacterial pathogen die-off in the secondary treated domestic wastewater. The pathogen quality of the crop was tested in all treatments as well as on organically grown produce found at a local supermarket. The results of this experiment did not show any contamination on the surface of the food crops or within the food crops. This study demonstrated that growing tomatoes, silver beet and carnations using secondary-treated domestic wastewater was successful when the nutrient solution retention time was adjusted to the optimum level. In arid, developing and remote communities, this system is ideal as it conserves and reuses water for commercially important crops without compromising the health of the environment or of human beings. It can also be implemented in urban areas, as the system can be scaled according to the availability of space. In addition to this, the effluent after going through this system can be used for open irrigation as it meets the World Health Organisation guidelines. However, a number of additional concerns need further investigation. They include the transmission risk of other types of pathogen, which depends on the source of wastewater, and the effects of hormones and antibiotics on food crops and their effect on human health.