Source: PHYTOSYNTHETIX, LLC submitted to
BIOLOGICAL FEEDBACK CONTROL OF LED GROW LIGHTS
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1006242
Grant No.
2015-33610-23472
Project No.
GEOW-2015-00725
Proposal No.
2015-00725
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
8.13
Project Start Date
Jun 1, 2015
Project End Date
Jun 30, 2016
Grant Year
2015
Project Director
Mattos, E.
Recipient Organization
PHYTOSYNTHETIX, LLC
200 BEN BURTON CIRCLE
BOGART,GA 30622
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
In controlled environment agricultural (CEA) systems (greenhouses and indoor plant production facilities) light is the most energy consuming, and yet the least controlled, input factor for plant growth. Plants can dissipate up to 80% of the absorbed light energy as heat through physiological protective mechanisms (non photochemical quenching) and this light cannot be used for plant growth. Light energy consumption represents up to 30% of the final cost of the produce. While all other inputs are monitored and controlled based on plant needs, light control is rudimentary (on/off).Knowing the fate of the light that is absorbed by the leaves makes it possible to monitor changes in photosynthetic parameters, and allows for automated changes in lighting based on the physiology of the plants. PhytoSynthetix and the University of Georgia have developed a biological feedback system that monitors how efficiently the plants are using the light for photosynthesis. The system uses this information to optimize energy use efficiency based on the plants physiological performance. The light output from the LED lights can be adjusted based upon the plant's physiology (photosynthetic efficiency). Based on the plants' requirements, the system autonomously adjusts the LED grow lights duty-cycle to match plants requirements reducing the system energy consumption.The primary project goal is improve CEA by reducing the costs associated with artificial lighting, thus promoting energy conservation. Our research represent the next step in the LED grow lighting development. Our technology is unique and complements previous research which has largely focused on LED spectra and light intensity. This project will add a new dimension to the use of LED lighting in CEA. It will yield the first lighting system controlled by plants, increasing energy use efficiency and reducing energy consumption.Our approach involves first testing the already developed biological feedback system to validate our preliminary data. Next, we will improve the capabilities of the system to expend the applications and achieve optimal energy use efficiency. Finally, we will reduce the cost of the system by replacing the most expensive part, the commercial chlorophyll fluorometer. A new, low-cost sensor will be developed to provide the data needed to run the biofeedback system.The electricity savings our technology can offer for CEA will be an important contribution to energy use reduction and food production, and be will be cost effective. At the same time, the reduced energy use will lower CO2 emissions and thus contribute to climate change mitigation. It will bring benefits to CEA growers, reducing their energy consumption and making them more competitive. This will increase the economic feasibility and sustainability of CEA.
Animal Health Component
0%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
100%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
40474101020100%
Knowledge Area
404 - Instrumentation and Control Systems;

Subject Of Investigation
7410 - General technology;

Field Of Science
1020 - Physiology;
Goals / Objectives
PhytoSynthetix in partnership with University of Georgia has developed an intelligent LED grow lighting system designed to maximize controlled environment agriculture (CEA) systems energy use efficiency. Our technology is a biological feedback system, based on chlorophyll a fluorescence measurements, that allows the LED grow light to 'communicate' with the plants and adjust its light output to minimize the energy dissipated as heat and optimize photosynthesis.The main goal of the project "Biofeedback of LED lighting to optimize photosynthesis" project is to reduce the costs associated with artificial lighting in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) and boost food production, ensuring the ability to grow food year-round with a reduced carbon footprint.To achieve our Phase I goals and be successful, the following questions should be answered: 1) Can the system offer at least 20% energy saving compared to traditional lighting systems used in CEA? 2) Can a new and cheaper fluorometer be manufactured to replace the commercially available sensor?To answer these questions, we will work in partnership with the University of Georgia to validate and improve the already developed biofeedback system prototype and built a new chlorophyll fluorometer to reduce the system cost. The outcome from the proposed following tasks will support the technology transfer process from the laboratory to CEA farms. Each task will be performed by specialists and PhytoSynthetix will manage and integrate the individual tasks to achieve the proposed technical objectives.Specific Tasks:1)Sensor Design: Reduce the cost of the plant sensor. Develop a new chlorophyll fluorometer that can provide the necessary information to feed the biofeedback system.Develop a fluorometer capable to measure fluorescence in real-time in plant tissue. To obtain these fluorescence measurements, yet keep instrument costs limited, a fixed-wavelength fluorophotometer will be developed that excites the photosystem with blue light and reads fluorescence at one of the chlorophyll emission peaks (red/far-red). Fluorescence measurements require a low intensity, pulsed excitation light as we ll as a high intensity saturating light. It is imperative that the excitation light source can be pulsed with microsecond duration to obtain fluorescence measurements without saturation the plant's photosynthetic apparatus. Light-emitting diodes and lasers will be tested as light sources, where lasers are particularly attractive as they don't need excitation filtering and have an extremely fast pulse response. Coincidentally, lasers common in blu-ray video players are suitable as excitation sources, and they have a low cost due to their mass-market use. For the detection system, we will examine the use of an avalanche photodiode (APD) instead of the usual photomultiplier. If the APD provides enough sensitivity, its use allows another major cost reduction over traditional devices. A low-cost 8-bit microcontroller, such as the Microchip PIC series, offers enough processing power to pulse the laser and read the APD signal, followed by the necessary computations to determine ETR. The excitation source will double as the source for the saturation pulse, and its power will be variable under control of the microcontroller. As an alternative, we will seek to synchronize the measurement with the off-phase of the pulse-width modulated actinic light to eliminate background light. In this fashion, the microcontroller is responsible for the entire acquisition process and computation of the ETR, and it can provide the data either on a readout, or as a digital, analog, or pulse-width modulated signal to control the LED grow lights.2)LED lighting optimization: Perform short term experiments to determine the optimal duty cycle and frequency of the LED lights for different species.Using three different plants: photos (low light requirement), lettuce (intermediate light), and sweet potato (high light), the LED lights will be optimized for species with different light requirements. Plant CO2 assimilation and electron transport rates will be measured under a wide range of lighting conditions by adjusting both the frequency at which the LEDs are turned on and off (ranging from 1500 to 4000 Hz) and by adjusting the duty cycle (the amount of time within one on/off cycle that the lights are on). We will then correlate electron transport rates and CO2 assimilation rates with frequency, duty cycle and LED light power use. These data will be used to determine to most efficient way to use the LED lights. The goal is to optimize electron transport rates and CO2 assimilation, while minimizing the amount of energy used to power the lights.We will also compare electron transport rates and CO2 assimilation; these are two different measures of photosynthetic performance and should be highly correlated, especially under high CO2 conditions. Under low CO2 conditions, energy generated from electron transport can be used for both photosynthesis and photorespiration, but photorespiration becomes negligible under high CO2 conditions.3)Plant growth Trials:Long term plant growth experiments will be conducted to demonstrate the energy savings by the model used to control the light system based on pulse width modulation adjustments.Plant growth trials will be performed to compare energy use efficiency of the LED biofeedback system with that of high pressure sodium lights (currently the most common source of supplemental lighting). Crop growth and energy use with both types of lights will be quantified to document energy savings from the LED biofeedback system. These energy savings can provide a picture of the energy savings the biofeedback system can provide to growers and its potential for carbon emission reduction.The data collected from these plant growth experiments will also give us basic information that can be used for refinement of the feedback system and further improve the system energy efficiency. These trials will complement the short trials and experiments (Task 2) by testing the results from those trials in a real world scenario over weeks of growth in commercial-style growth chambers.It is expected that the plants under PhytoSynthetix light will have a higher biomass per watt electrical energy used compared to the steady state light.4)Software optimization:The software needs to be able to control the duty cycle and frequency of the LEDs, taking into account the requirements of different species.Using the data collected as part of Tasks 2 and 3, we will optimize the software. The LED control system already has the capability to accept control commands from the datalogger that adjust the light frequency and duty cycle. Using the outcomes from task 2 and 3, the software will be upgraded to incorporate both light frequency and duty cycle adjustment into the light control algorithm. Results from these experiments will be used to improve the control of the LED lights to further decrease in energy use.5)Integration:Integrate the new fluorometer and software in to the biofeedback system.Integrate the new custom-designed chlorophyll fluorometer (hardware) and control algorithms (software) into the biofeedback system for the production of higher plants in controlled environments. The newly developed chlorophyll fluorometer will be able to effectively collect the data necessary to feed the biofeedback system. These data will be used by the biofeedback algorithms in an integrated system to adjust the light output to improve photosynthetic efficiency (see diagram). This task will be completed in collaboration between Phytosynthetix and the University of Georgia.TaskDescriptionMonth 1Month 2Month 3Month 4Month 5Month 6Month 71Sensor designxx2Lighting Optimizationxxx3Growth Trialsxxx4Softwarexxxx5Integrationxxx
Project Methods
A NIFA SBIR Phase I grant will be used to leverage PhytoSynthetix technology and expand its range of applications. Phase I investment will allow PhytoSynthetix to validate the biological feedback system and optimize the technology to offer maximum light controllability and subsequently maximum energy efficiency. This Phase I grant is the most important step for the program. Validating the existing technology is crucial to support technology development and guide the project towards commercialization. Results from Phase I SBIR will provide the basis to support product development and ensure the technology fits the growers demand for a more energy efficient lighting system, capable to reduce indoor farms operational costs.Optimization of the light control software and system cost reduction are the main objectives of the R&D. The research for software optimization will optimize the algorithms developed through the plant physiology experimentation, and use this to improve the software program which controls LED output based on plants physiological indicators. First, the developed biofeedback system will be tested to ensure the system is capable of autonomously adjusting light PWM output parameters based on plants response in a reliable and constant way. Next, studies adjusting light frequency and duty cycle will be conducted to optimize the controllability of the system. In a parallel track, a new and cheaper chlorophyll fluorometer will be designed to replace the expensive commercial sensor available on the market.By the end of Phase I, PhytoSynthetix will have a functional biofeedback-controlled grow light capable of demonstrating the functionality and benefits of energy savings. The development and integration of the new and cheaper chlorophyll fluorometer and the control software for the LED lights will set the ground for Phase II in which the system will be optimized and designed to be used in commercial operations.During Phase II all parts of the system will be improved for cost reduction and increase in energy use efficiency, focusing on the development of a commercial product to fulfill the needs of CEA growers. Advancements in the chlorophyll fluorometer design and further optimization of the control software will also be part of the goals on Phase II.As an effort to expand the applications of the biofeedback system, two different LED lighting systems will be designed to cover low light intensity applications and high light intensity applications. The different designs will fit both, medium and large commercial grower's needs. Moving forward on the commercial side, during Phase II part of the investment will be designated to computer-aided designs (CAD), computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses, and product safety and quality certifications. Those are necessary aspects needed to obtain a commercial product to sale. At the end of Phase II PhytoSynthetix will have a product ready to be deployed in commercial CEA operations.

Progress 06/01/15 to 06/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The 2012 Census of Agriculture reported that the market value of greenhouse, nursery and floriculture production classified as "under glass or other protection" was $2.93 billion. Compared to the previous Census of 2007 there was a market expansion of 58.6%, 16% and 6.5% in the greenhouse, nursery and floriculture controlled environment agriculture (CEA) fields, respectively.Supplemental lighting can increase CEA crop production quality. Greenhouses located at the northern latitudes will receive the greatest benefits from our technology, but the 32,360 CEA production facilities across the entire country (2012 USDACensus of Agriculture) will be provided with a solution for the problem of unpredictable weather year-round, avoiding production and financial losses due to bad weather. During the SBIR Phase I award, PhytoSynthetix reached out to thelarge Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) sector to identify the market niche which will mostly benefit from our technology.Using iCorps inspired customer discovery techniques, PhytoSynthetix has identified a strong value proposition, customer segments and a straight path to technology implementation. In the different fields of CEA facilities (research, vegetable, pharma, greenhouses), the initial phase of plant production (5 - 20 days) is considered the most important step of their entire production process. Initial plant development is crucial to ensure physical integrity and healthy plant growth. Poor plant health during the seedling stage will negatively impact plant performance throughout the entire production cycle. The formation of well-developed root and leaf systems are important characteristics, which will ensure robust plants that can handle the impacts of automated systems, transportation and transplantation. Because most CEA systems have the same interest in early stage plant production nursery greenhouses was selected as the initial entrance market. In 2017, we will expand our target audience to vegetables and floriculture greenhouses. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Professional development: As acurrent USDA SBIR Phase I grantees,PhytoSynthetix' management team participated inthe Commercialization Assistance Program Phase I (USDA-CAP1) offered by LARTA.This programassists companies in the development of a Commercialization Plan in order to prepare them for the Phase II grant submission. Working with a knowledgeable and experienced PrincipalAdvisorwe developed a business plan toreduce the risks associated with the technology transfer and market entrance.The development of our company'scomprehensive commercialization plan will serve as a good framework for ouroverall commercial market entry, regardless of the outcome of ourPhase II application. The following topics were developed: 1)Financial Issues and Business Model:Raise capital, determine the type of capital needed, explore valuation issues and develop a financial plan/strategy;2)IP Strategy:Improve your technological advantage by strengthening your IP protection/ portfolio;3)Market Strategy:Develop or improve market and customer identification, definition, and market research capabilities and/or improve market positioning; 4)Regulatory Process:Understand the regulatory process, seek regulatory approvals and perform clinical trials; 5)Reimbursement:Develop the framework to establish reimbursement strategy/codes 6)Strategic Business Planning:Develop or improve strategic business/commercialization planning (i.e. general business strategy, market entry, scale-up); 6)Strategic Partnership Planning:Attain and develop a roadmap for strategic introductions and partnerships with industry players & investors. As a result of our project sponsored in part by USDA SBIR Phase I, our CTO Erico Mattos receivedthe Emerging Leader of the year award by the Georgia Research Alliance in 2015. -- Innovation Gateway - http://research.uga.edu/gateway/gabio-names-erico-mattos-a-2015-emerging-leader-of-the-year/ -- Emerging leader 2015 (Business Wire) - http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150115005031/en/GaBio-Names- --Emerging Leader 2015 - http://www.gabio.org/?page=47 As previous outlined at the previous "other products" section, students and technitians working on our project have reveived multiple awards is recognition totheoutstanding quality of their work.Students have won the following awards based on these presentations: - David Gianino: First place, ASHS controlled environment working group graduate student competition, 2016 - Shuyang Zhen: Second place, ASHS controlled environment working group graduate student competition, 2016 - David Gianino: First place, Southern Nursery research Conference MS student competition, 2016 - Shuyang Zhen: First place, Southern Nursery research Conference PhD student competition, 2016 - Geoff Weaver: Second place, Southern Nursery research Conference PhD student competition, 2016 - Shuyang Zhen: second place, University of Georgia, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Broadus Browne graduate student competition Training Activities:The technician working on the USDA SBIR sponsored project received the necessary training protocols to operate research equipment andperform data analyzes. The specific areas of training included the use of chlorophyll fluorometers, spectroradiometers,datalogger programing, and automated systems. The people involved on the project attended and presented at the three main conferences in Horticulture during the project period: The2015American Society for Horticultural Sciences annual conference,The2016American Society for Horticultural Sciences annual conference, and the 2016 International Lighting Symposium organized by the International Society for Horticulture Sciences. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of ourUSDA SBIR sponsored project have beendisseminated at multiplecommunities of interest. Academic community: Results have been published in peer reviewed journals, national and international conferences, academic society's websites and scientific news feed. Local community:PhytoSynthetix has donated LED lights and provided basic trainingfor theAtlanta basedBenjamin Elijah Mays High School urban agriculture club which has become aflagship program for urban agriculture in the state of Georgia. As one of the outcomes, a high school student has received the Governor's Honors for her project using LEDs for food production. Outreach activities that have been undertaken to reach members of communities who are not usually aware of these research activities:The innovative approach and elegance of the project has attracted attention of many media outlets with a target audience focused ontechnology, innovation and global problems like food security. During the one year period of the project PhytoSynthetix has presented at different non-academic conferences, TED talks, and entrepreneur competitions. At all these appearances, our project has always caught the interest of the general public and in many occasions PhytoSynthetix was the only company focusing on farming and food production. Here is the list of public appearances: - Innovation Gateway Newsletter (July 2016) - http://research.uga.edu/gateway/uga - ASHS Press release (May 2016) - http://www.ashs.org/news/news.asp?id=288543#.VzvVd4UntH4.facebook - Science Daily (May 2016) - https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/05/160509145527.htm - COFES talk 2016 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwEMVDOuttE - Ocean Exchange presentation - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLzjanBx4KU - Saporta Report - http://saportareport.com/georgia-firm-misses-top-award-but-reaches-big-sustainability-audience-at-ocean-exchange/ - NC Biotech Showcase - http://www.ncbiotech.org/article/ncbiotech-showcase-proves-it-ag-new-culture/79831 - South Escapes article (Spring 2015) - http://www.caes.uga.edu/alumni/news/southscapes/spring15/the-future-is-now.html - TEDxPT GA Bio announcement - http://tedxpeachtree.com/2015-emerging-leader-of-the-year/ - TEDxPeachtree video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4vXVU3utL0 What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The main goal of the "Biofeedback of LED lighting to optimize photosynthesis" project to reduce the costs associated with artificial lighting in controlled environment agriculture (CEA) was successfully achieved. We have developed in partnership with the University of Georgia an intelligent lighting control system based on crops lighting requirements capable to identify individual crops lighting requirements andreduce energy consumption in greenhouse production systems. Using the biofeedback control of LED lights, it was possible to achieve the same lettuce biomass production using32% less energythan the non-controlled conventional lighting system. That represented anincrease of more than 40% in biomass produced per dollar.The system was also validated for other 5 commercial crops indicating a vast application in the CEA industry. 1) Can the system offer at least 20% energy saving compared to traditional lighting systems used in CEA? - YES 2) Can a new and cheaper fluorometer be manufactured to replace the commercially available sensor? - YES 1)Sensor Design: Change in knowledge- Development of a new chlorophyll fluorescence detection system: Phase Synchronizing Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PSPAM) - Published at the2016 Annual Institute of Biological Engineering Results: Design of a chlorophyll fluorometer and the development of a working prototype • with the capability to acquire fluorescence through a pulse train of 45μs duration • with the capability to suppress constant actinic background light emitted from a 100W LED module • with the capability to apply a saturation pulse and measure saturation fluorescenceFmax' • with total material costs of $250, in part due to the use of a low-cost laser excitation source, whichallowed us to reduce the number of optical components. 2)LED lighting optimization Change in action- new measurement protocolfor constant chlorophyll fluorescence monitoring Electron Transport Rate (ETR) was identified as the most suitable parameter to be used as the main control factor for the Biofeedback algorithm. As a function of light intensity and plant light use efficiency, ETR was manipulated by controlling light intensity based on duty-cycle adjustments (0 - 100%). At the range of light intensities necessary to efficiently grow plants, light frequency control varying from 1500 to 4500 Hz did not show any significant effect on plants' light use efficiency. Light control experiments conducted with three different plant species (lettuce, sweet potato, and pothos) demonstrated that the biofeedback (BFB) system was able to control the LED lights intensity based on plants light use efficiency. Based on fluorescence measurements the BFB system could calculate the plants' electron transport rate (ETR) and provide the necessary amount of light required to meet the pre-determined target electron transport rates (ETRt). In conclusion, the biofeedback system was capable to control the LED lights intensity based on the electron transport rate parameter calculated from fluorescence signal collected from different plant species. The BFB control was able to adapt to the different species-dependent light requirements necessary to achieve the determined target electron transport rates. 3)Plant growth Trials Change in condition- measured reduction in energy required to provide supplemental lighting in greenhouses Two side-by-side plant growth trials were conducted using two different lettuce species (Green Towers and Buttercrunch). In a split growth chamber, our LED lighting system controlled by the biofeedback (BFB) system was compared to conventional high pressure sodium lighting. The BFB control was used to adjust LED light intensity to maintain a pre-determined electron transport rate (ETR). For the first growth trial both lighting systems had the maximum capacity of 400W, whereas in the second trial both lighting systems had a maximum capacity of 250W. Using biofeedback control of LED lights, it was possible to achieve the same lettuce biomass production using32% less energythan the non-controlled conventional lighting system. That represented anincrease of more than 40% in biomass produced per dollar. It is possible to optimize plants' light use efficiency using BFB control of LED lights. Monitoring plants' electron transport rate is an effective way to control LED light intensity and optimize light use efficiency. As a result, less energy is required to achieve the same biomass production as non-controlled light systems. 4)Software optimization Change in knowledge- Publication at:J. AMER. SOC. HORT. SCI. 141(2):169-176. 2016. We develop and test a robust biofeedback system that allows for the control of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) based on the physiological performance of the plants. To do so, we used a chlorophyll fluorometer to measure quantum yield of photosystem II, and used these data and PPFD to calculate the electron transport rate (ETR) through photosystem II (PSII). A datalogger then adjusted the duty cycle of the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on the ratio of the measured ETR to a predefined target ETR (ETRT). The biofeedback system was able to maintain ETRs of 70 or 100 mmol_mL2_sL1 over 16-hour periods in experiments conducted with lettuce (Lactuca sativa). Also, the ability of the biofeedback system to achieve a range of different ETRs within a single day was tested using lettuce, sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas), and pothos (Epipremnum aureum). Our results show that the biofeedback system is able to maintain a wide range of ETRs, while it also is capable of distinguishing between NPQ and photoinhibition as causes for decreases in quantum yield of photosystem II. 5)Integration:Integrate the new fluorometer and software into the biofeedback system. Functional biofeedback system (hardware and software) capable ofacquire chlorophyll fluorescence data, determine crop's light use efficiency and adjust the LED output. The Phase Synchronizing Pulse Amplitude Modulation (PSPAM) chlorophyll fluorometer developed on task 1 was integrated into the biofeedback control system. The developed control algorithm monitors the difference between estimated actual crop photosynthetic rate (measured as electron transport rate (ETR)) and target electron transport rate (ETRT) and drives the source of light (LEDs) intensity in the direction that minimizes the mismatch. To realize the closed-loop biofeedback system, we designed a second device. This second prototype features a more powerful microcontroller, and it is integrated with two LED modulators, one based on the pulse-width principle, and one continuous variable current controller. The purpose of the second prototype is to integrate as much of the biofeedback control system into one device as possible. The total extension of the PSPAM into the complete biofeedfback device was achieved. The microcontroller handles the additional tasks of estimating the ETR and controlling the actinic light pulse-width (or current) to reach the target ETR (ETRT). The latest prototype circuit integrates the entire control system on one board. The LED drivers are galvanically isolated from the microcontroller system. The PWM signal is sent through an optoisolator to the LED driver. In our experience, the growth chambers cause major transients on the AC line when vent motors or cooling compressors are switched. The optoisolator prevents these transients from reaching the more sensitive fluorometer circuitry. In consequence, signal-to noise ratio is increased and the precision of the device is improved.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: A Chlorophyll Fluorescence-based Biofeedback System to Control Photosynthetic Lighting in Controlled Environment Agriculture - J. AMER. SOC. HORT. SCI. 141(2):169176.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Haidekker, M., van Iersel, M. and Mattos, E.R. (2016) Fast and Low Cost Chlorophyll Fluorometer - Annual Institute of Biological Engineering Conference  South Carolina , US
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: www.phytosynthetix.com
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Gianino, D. and M.W. van Iersel. 2016. Adaptive LED lighting can benefit greenhouse production. 61st Southern Nursery Association Research Conference. Athens, GA
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Weaver, G. and M.W. van Iersel. 2016. Screening photosynthetic performance of bedding plants using chlorophyll fluorescence. 61st Southern Nursery Association Research Conference. Athens, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Zhen, S. and M.W. van Iersel. 2016. Modeling daily water use of bedding plants based on environmental factors and normalized difference vegetation index. 61st Southern Nursery Association Research Conference. Athens, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: van Iersel, M.W., D. Gianino, and S. Dove. 2016. Adaptive LED lights can be used for more energy- and cost-effective supplemental lighting in greenhouses. 61st Southern Nursery Association Research Conference. Athens, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Zhen, S. M.W. van Iersel. 2016. Enhancing photosynthesis with far-red light at different intensities of red/blue or warm white LED light. 2016 Annual Conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science. Atlanta, GA.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Using chlorophyll fluorescence to control lighting in controlled environment agriculture - Acta Hortic. 1134. ISHS 2016. DOI 10.17660/ActaHortic.2016.1134.54 Proc. VIII Int. Symp. on Light in Horticulture
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: van Iersel, M.W., R.S. Ferrarezi, G. Weaver, and E. Mattos. 2015. A biofeedback system for plant-driven photosynthetic lighting. 2015 Conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science, New Orleans, LA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Weaver, G., M.W. van Iersel, E. Mattos, and R.S. Ferrarezi. 2015. Chlorophyll fluorescence measurements can indicate carbon fixation rates of lettuce. 2015 Conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science, New Orleans, LA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Martin, M.T., E. Mattos, and M. van Iersel. 2016. Maintaining different electron transport rates in lettuce: effects on quantum yield and nonphotochemical quenching. 8th International Symposium on Light in Horticulture. East Lansing, MI.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: van Iersel, M.W. and S.K. Dove. 2016. Maintaining minimum light levels with LEDs results in more energy-efficient growth stimulation of begonia. 2016 Annual Conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science. Atlanta, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Gianino, D.A. and M.W. van Iersel. 2016. Pulse width modulation control of LEDs can maintain targeted light levels. 2016 Annual Conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science. Atlanta, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Weaver, G. and M.W. van Iersel. 2016. Continuous chlorophyll fluorescence monitoring of greenhouse-grown lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.). 2016 Annual Conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science. Atlanta, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Martin, M., M.W. van Iersel, and S.K. Dove. 2016. Recovery of photosynthetic efficiency at night: utilizing quantum yield of photosystem ii and maximum chlorophyll fluorescence. 2016 Annual Conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science. Atlanta, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: van Iersel, M.W. 2016. Resource use efficiency in controlled environment agriculture. 2016 Annual Conference of the American Society for Horticultural Science. Atlanta, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: van Iersel, M.W. 2016. The cutting edge of LED technology. Academy of Crop Production. Athens, GA.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: van Iersel, M.W. 2015. Chlorophyll fluorescence as a tool for biofeedback control of photosynthetic lighting. Pioneer. Ames, Iowa.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: van Iersel, M.W. 2015. Chlorophyll fluorescence as a tool for biofeedback control of photosynthetic lighting. Horticulture Section seminar series at Cornell University School of Integrative Plant Science.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Zhen, S. and M. Van Iersel. 2016. Emersons enhancement effect revisited: Increasing photosynthetic rate and quantum yield of photosystem II with far-red LEDs. 8th International Symposium on Light in Horticulture. East Lansing, MI.


Progress 06/01/15 to 05/31/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The audience reached by the projectBiological feedback control of LED grow lights includes the scientific community,the private sector and the general communityTwo scientific abstracts were presented at the 2015 American Society for Horticultural Sciences Annual conference in New Orleans and one abstract was accepted at the8th International Symposium on Light in Horticulturewhich will be held inMay 22 to 26, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. A peer reviwed publication was submitted to a ASHS journal in November 2015 Conversations with twoprivate companies are being conducted to set an industrial partner for technology validation and prototype beta-testing. Also, an edctaional focused project in partnership with the non-profit mirror image mentoringihas beenimplemented at the Benjamin E. Mays High School in atlanta. The project is intented to educate high schools students on the aarea of urban farming and related technologies. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?All the participantes on the projects attended the 2015 Annual American Society for Horticultural Science meeting in New Orleans. Some of the participants on theproject are registered to attend the8th International Symposium on Light in Horticulture inMay 22 to 26, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. All the participants are trained on the interdisciplinar aspects of the project combining electrical engineering with plants physiology. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of the "Biological feedback control of LED grow lights" project were disseminated throughout the academicfield by presentations at conferences and peer-reviewed submissions to scientific papers. Among the industry, the project achievements were spread through private conversations and discussions about potential partnerships and technology applications. The project was also widely spread to the general public by PhytoSynthetix participations in conferences, competitions and public talks (e.g. TEDxPeachtree). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?A non-cost extansion was required duea late agreement processbetween PhytoSynthetix and one of our subcontractors. We intent to follow the original plan of action.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Feeding the world's population throughout this century will be a great challenge. Food production will need to be doubled by 2050 to feed 9 billion people (Gerland et al., 2014; UN, 2014). Food production historically has increased by both expanding the area under cultivation and higher yields per acre. However, neither of these approaches is likely to double food production. As a matter of fact, agricultural acreage in the US has decreased by 20% since 1950 (USDA-NASS, 2009). Yield per acre has increased because of the development of higher yielding cultivars, which typically also require intensive use of fertilizer, irrigation water, and agro-chemicals. The environmental consequences of increasingly intensive agricultural are of global concern (Godfray et al., 2010; Lassaletta et al., 2014; Tilman et al., 2001; 2002).Growing crops in enclosed, controlled environments (controlled environment agriculture) is one solution to help meet the challenge of producing more food, in a more sustainable fashion, while using fewer resources. The US and world population grow steadily, increasing the need for food production in the US and around the world. This is unlikely to be achieved through an increase in farmland acreage. On the contrary, acreage has steadily declined over the last 70 years from ~1,200 million acres in 1950 to 900 million acres in 2014. To enhance the food security of the US, we need a diverse agriculture, with a focus on highly productive agricultural systems. Controlled environment agriculture can make an important contribution towards increasing US food security, because it does not depend on arable land and results in much higher production than traditional agriculture. Climate change is perhaps the biggest challenge to the long-term sustainability of US agriculture, largely because it will result in more extreme weather events (such as the current, severe drought in California, now in its fourth year). Controlled environment agriculture decouples food production from weather, because the environment that the crops are exposed can be controlled precisely. Controlled environment agriculture is especially well-suited for high value crops (typically herbs, vegetables, and some fruits) that are consumed fresh. Controlled environment agriculture facilities can be built close to population centers to shorten the supply chain, reduce transportation costs, and provide easy market access. The PhytoSynthetix biological feedback control of LED lights reduces the costs acossiated with electrical lights in controlled environmental agriculture systems (e.g. indoor urban farms). Itbrings value to indoor farmers by providing higher yields from horticultural products with lower energy use. The ability to tune the light source based on plants' requirements provides optimal photosynthesis for high quality desired products from the plant. Combining the benefits of LED technology with the biological feedback system makes it possible to increase plant productivity using less energy. Reduced energy consumption means more profit, given that our light induces the same plant productivity than conventional HID lighting system with 30% less energy consumption. Task 1 - Sensor Design:PhytoSynthetix has developed and built a low cost chlorophyll fluorometer prototype compatible with the biofeedback software.It has proven toreliably collectfluorescence under the continuouschanging lighting systems used in indoor farms.Thenew sensor has been designed and tested with artificial fluorescent solutions and it is now being tested on live leaves. Task 2 - Lighting Optimization: Electron Transport Rate (ETR) was identified as the most suitable parameter to be used as the main control factor for the Biofeedback algorithm.The BFB control was able to adapt to five different plant species with different light requirements. Task 3 - Growth Trials:The Biofeedback technology achieved the same lettuce biomass production using 32% less energy than the non-controlled conventional lighting system. That represented an increase of more than 40% in biomass produced per dollar. Task 4 -Afunctional prototype, capable to adjust light intensity based on plants light use efficiency, was successfully developed. The University of Georgia and PhytoSynthetix have developed hardware and software capable of integrating a chlorophyll fluorometer into the LED lighting system designed by PhytoSynthetix which automatically adjusts light output based on the plants' light use efficiency optimizing light supply. The software control has been and will be constantly updated as moreinformation is gathered and solutions are developed. Task 5 - The chlorophyll fluorometer sensor and the Biofeedback control software integration will be performed after the sensor is complete. Although this task has not started yet, the chlorophyll fluorometer sensor has been developed by the same engineers working on the biofeedback development. Both software's are compatible and no major complications are foreseeable on this task

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: van Iesel, M.W., Mattos, E.R., Weaver, G., Ferrarezi, R.S. Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence to Optimize Supplemental Lighting in Controlled Environment Agriculture. VIII International Symposium on Light in Horticulture
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2015 Citation: A Chlorophyll Fluorescence-Based Biofeedback System to Control Photosynthetic Lighting in Controlled Environment Agriculture JASHS


Progress 06/01/15 to 01/31/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The audience reached by the projectBiological feedback control of LED grow lights includes the scientific community,the private sector and the general communityTwo scientific abstracts were presented at the 2015 American Society for Horticultural Sciences Annual conference in New Orleans and one abstract was accepted at the8th International Symposium on Light in Horticulturewhich will be held inMay 22 to 26, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. A peer reviwed publication was submitted to a ASHS journal in November 2015 Conversations with twoprivate companies are being conducted to set an industrial partner for technology validation and prototype beta-testing. Also, an edctaional focused project in partnership with the non-profit mirror image mentoringihas beenimplemented at the Benjamin E. Mays High School in atlanta. The project is intented to educate high schools students on the aarea of urban farming and related technologies. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?All the participantes on the projects attended the 2015 Annual American Society for Horticultural Science meeting in New Orleans. Some of the participants on theproject are registered to attend the8th International Symposium on Light in Horticulture inMay 22 to 26, 2016 in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. All the participants are trained on the interdisciplinar aspects of the project combining electrical engineering with plants physiology. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results of the "Biological feedback control of LED grow lights" project were disseminated throughout the academicfield by presentations at conferences and peer-reviewed submissions to scientific papers. Among the industry, the project achievements were spread through private conversations and discussions about potential partnerships and technology applications. The project was also widely spread to the general public by PhytoSynthetix participations in conferences, competitions and public talks (e.g. TEDxPeachtree). What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?A non-cost extansion was required duea late agreement processbetween PhytoSynthetix and one of our subcontractors. We intent to follow the original plan of action.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Feeding the world's population throughout this century will be a great challenge. Food production will need to be doubled by 2050 to feed 9 billion people (Gerland et al., 2014; UN, 2014). Food production historically has increased by both expanding the area under cultivation and higher yields per acre. However, neither of these approaches is likely to double food production. As a matter of fact, agricultural acreage in the US has decreased by 20% since 1950 (USDA-NASS, 2009). Yield per acre has increased because of the development of higher yielding cultivars, which typically also require intensive use of fertilizer, irrigation water, and agro-chemicals. The environmental consequences of increasingly intensive agricultural are of global concern (Godfray et al., 2010; Lassaletta et al., 2014; Tilman et al., 2001; 2002).Growing crops in enclosed, controlled environments (controlled environment agriculture) is one solution to help meet the challenge of producing more food, in a more sustainable fashion, while using fewer resources. The US and world population grow steadily, increasing the need for food production in the US and around the world. This is unlikely to be achieved through an increase in farmland acreage. On the contrary, acreage has steadily declined over the last 70 years from ~1,200 million acres in 1950 to 900 million acres in 2014. To enhance the food security of the US, we need a diverse agriculture, with a focus on highly productive agricultural systems. Controlled environment agriculture can make an important contribution towards increasing US food security, because it does not depend on arable land and results in much higher production than traditional agriculture. Climate change is perhaps the biggest challenge to the long-term sustainability of US agriculture, largely because it will result in more extreme weather events (such as the current, severe drought in California, now in its fourth year). Controlled environment agriculture decouples food production from weather, because the environment that the crops are exposed can be controlled precisely. Controlled environment agriculture is especially well-suited for high value crops (typically herbs, vegetables, and some fruits) that are consumed fresh. Controlled environment agriculture facilities can be built close to population centers to shorten the supply chain, reduce transportation costs, and provide easy market access. The PhytoSynthetix biological feedback control of LED lights reduces the costs acossiated with electrical lights in controlled environmental agriculture systems (e.g. indoor urban farms). Itbrings value to indoor farmers by providing higher yields from horticultural products with lower energy use. The ability to tune the light source based on plants' requirements provides optimal photosynthesis for high quality desired products from the plant. Combining the benefits of LED technology with the biological feedback system makes it possible to increase plant productivity using less energy. Reduced energy consumption means more profit, given that our light induces the same plant productivity than conventional HID lighting system with 30% less energy consumption. Task 1 - Sensor Design:PhytoSynthetix has developed and built a low cost chlorophyll fluorometer prototype compatible with the biofeedback software.It has proven toreliably collectfluorescence under the continuouschanging lighting systems used in indoor farms.Thenew sensor has been designed and tested with artificial fluorescent solutions and it is now being tested on live leaves. Task 2 - Lighting Optimization: Electron Transport Rate (ETR) was identified as the most suitable parameter to be used as the main control factor for the Biofeedback algorithm.The BFB control was able to adapt to five different plant species with different light requirements. Task 3 - Growth Trials:The Biofeedback technology achieved the same lettuce biomass production using 32% less energy than the non-controlled conventional lighting system. That represented an increase of more than 40% in biomass produced per dollar. Task 4 -Afunctional prototype, capable to adjust light intensity based on plants light use efficiency, was successfully developed. The University of Georgia and PhytoSynthetix have developed hardware and software capable of integrating a chlorophyll fluorometer into the LED lighting system designed by PhytoSynthetix which automatically adjusts light output based on the plants' light use efficiency optimizing light supply. The software control has been and will be constantly updated as moreinformation is gathered and solutions are developed. Task 5 - The chlorophyll fluorometer sensor and the Biofeedback control software integration will be performed after the sensor is complete. Although this task has not started yet, the chlorophyll fluorometer sensor has been developed by the same engineers working on the biofeedback development. Both software's are compatible and no major complications are foreseeable on this task

Publications

  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Accepted Year Published: 2016 Citation: van Iesel, M.W., Mattos, E.R., Weaver, G., Ferrarezi, R.S. Using Chlorophyll Fluorescence to Optimize Supplemental Lighting in Controlled Environment Agriculture. VIII International Symposium on Light in Horticulture
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2015 Citation: A Chlorophyll Fluorescence-Based Biofeedback System to Control Photosynthetic Lighting in Controlled Environment Agriculture JASHS