One of the many challenges of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and kale (Brassica oleracea) greenhouse growers is the management of edema (oedema). Often described as intumescence or enations, edema is an abiotic-induced complication that develops at different levels of intensitydepending on the cultivar and, in some cases, between individual plants. Symptoms Edema is often described as a blister or callus-like formation that forms predominately on the bottom of leaves (Figure 1). This swelling is the result of the epidermal layer on the leaf expanding due to cellular elongation, which eventually burst as cells reach their limits of expansion. The resulting…
Author: urbanagnews
Originally published on the e-Gro Blog Thu, Mar 21, 2019, created by Kellie Walters and Roberto Lopez If you are growing crops hydroponically in deep-flow or raft systems, one of the last things you want to see is an unusually low or empty tank. It is not uncommon for nutrient solution levels to be reduced by evaporation and transpiration, but when levels decrease rapidly, there may be a larger issue. A common issue in nutrient film technique (NFT) or with drip systems is a leak from the tube delivering the nutrient solution. Another possibility is a crack in a tank…
Published by e-Gro Not all nutritional problems are caused by supplying too much or too little of a certain nutrient. “Tip-burn” of inner leaves is a common problem in hydroponic lettuce, where the margins of the young emerging leaves develop necrosis and burn as shown in Figure 1. The necrosis is from a calcium deficiency, but the actual problem is more the result of poor environmental conditions and water uptake. The lettuce in Figure 1 received an adequate supply of all plant essential nutrients in the hydroponic nutrient solution. This e-GRO Edibles Alert article covers the cause of inner leaf…
Connecting Technology & Business to Create Healthier Urban Food Systems The Indoor AgTech Innovation Summit will focus on building and investing in more sustainable, profitable and healthy food systems and the role that vertical and indoor agriculture can have in serving the cities of tomorrow. The Summit will share best practise from around the world and uncover breakthroughs in energy efficiency, AI, automation, lighting, environmental control and yield improvements are set to transform these systems in the future. Bringing together a unique mix of operators, food producers, technology developers, plant scientists, food buyers, retailers, financiers, utility operators and city planners,…
First-of-its-Kind Consortium Develops Crops Intended for Indoor Agriculture Press Release – WASHINGTON – The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) is launching the Precision Indoor Plants (PIP) Consortium, a public-private partnership that transcends the bounds of traditional agriculture to develop flavorful, nutritious crops specially intended for indoor agriculture. Sustainably feeding a growing global population requires researchers to examine innovative food production approaches. One approach gaining traction is controlled environment agriculture (CEA), also known as indoor agriculture. Worldwide, interest in indoor agriculture is booming. Yet, CEA research largely focuses on design elements for the indoor systems, such as vertical productions facilities and lighting,…
Zero-carbon renewable energy gas sounds like the fuel of the future. But, Clean Energy Fuels recently announced that it’ll be available in about six years. We’re joined by Ashley White, Director & Head of Corporate Sustainability for Clean Energy Fuels Hydroponic vegetable production, vertical farming, urban agriculture continues to be an area of focus as we work to figure out how to feed the world while using less energy and resources. Hort Americas works brings technically advanced, cost effective products to the greenhouse growers across North America and also has its finger on the pulse of the indoor growing news.…
Press Release, Atlanta, GA: Urban Agriculture’s global, national and local thought-leaders will convene in Atlanta on April 14th, and 15th, to tour of best-in-class operations, showcase new innovations, and present on a variety of business and community building methods that ensure a food resilient city. The conference is organized by Agritecture and AgTech X for it’s 3rd year, and is expecting 350 attendees representing a wide range of disciplines including urban planners, architects, entrepreneurs, investors, technologists, business owners, and farmers for this unique knowledge-sharing opportunity. “In short order, The AgLanta Conference has established itself as the vanguard convening of community…
Keynote From Bowery’s Irving Fain Kicks Off Comprehensive Schedule Press Release LAS VEGAS – Indoor Ag-Con, the premier event covering the technology of growing crops in indoor systems, using hydroponic, aeroponic and aquaponic techniques, has announced the full conference schedule for the 7th annual edition, May 22-24, 2019, at Red Rock Resort, Las Vegas, NV. Featuring 50+ sessions, panel discussions and keynotes, the comprehensive line-up spans five tracks: Grow Equipment, Crop Selection, Customers & The Supply Chain, Business, Policy & Societal Impact. The full conference schedule is available at https://indoor.ag/lasvegas/las-vegas-2019-schedule-sessions/ “We built our conference sessions around the show’s theme, ‘Growing…
Published by e-Gro Downy mildew continues to be the most important disease of basilthroughout most of the USA, affecting plants grown outdoors at farmsand in gardens as well as in greenhouses every year. Widespreadregular occurrence of this devastating disease has clearlydocumented that management is needed to ensure a marketablecrop. Below are some tips for management, an integrated approachusing multiple strategies listed below is recommended. Management practices: 1. Start with pathogen-free seed. Eurofins STA Laboratories in Colorado now tests basil seed for Peronospora spp. There may be other companies that offer testing. It is sufficient to test only at the genus…
Want a new podcast to tune into while you’re on the go? We recommend you check out CropTalk by Charlie McKenzie. CropTalk is a podcast dedicated to helping today’s agricultural business leaders find the foundational values that lead to success. Whether you’re looking to learn from industry experts who have transformed their organizations, discover how a value-first mentality can improve your business, or simply figure out how to prioritize your leadership, this is the podcast for you. Each episode features topics like: growing tips and tricks, farm leadership, company culture, employee management and empowerment, leadership development, future growth, mentoring, operational…
Survey Participants Eligible To Win May ’19 Indoor Ag-Con Attendee, Exhibitor Packages Press Release – As part of the extensive data gathering process for its new white paper, Contain Inc., an alternate finance provider to indoor growers, invites industry members to participate in a survey around its topic, “ Automation, AI and the Next Generation Of Indoor Agriculture.” The white paper will be released in hard copy during the 7th Annual Indoor Ag-Con, May 22-24, 2019 at Red Rock Resort, Las Vegas, NV. Survey participants have the option to be entered into a sweepstake for a chance to win two…
Two economists at MSU Product Center Food-Ag-Bio, Michigan State University, Chris Peterson and Simone Valle de Souza were presenting “Perspectives on the business strategy and economics of vertical agriculture”. Chris started out this month’s Café presentation by giving a strategic overview of indoor agriculture industry, followed by Simone’s proposed model-based optimization approach including crop yield model, market demand and costs. Simone emphasized the need of data usable for analyses. Increasing profitability by minimizing the costs alone does not seem to help establish profitable indoor ag industry, and so value proposition seems to be critical to feed into this optimization model.…
Big Data Platform Digitizing Taste Scent and Taste to Present in the Start-up Technology Showcase to 1,200 Global Agribusiness Leaders, Entrepreneurs and Investors Press Release – Aromyx, Inc., a CA-based, big data start-up set to revolutionize agtech has been announced as the winner of the Radicle Challenge at the World Agri-Tech 2019 Pitch Day in San Francisco. Selected from a pool of eight finalists, Aromyx, Inc. has unlocked a $250k investment and mentoring from Radicle Growth. Aromyx’s technology pioneered the creation of quantified, digital representations of scent and taste. This technology directly measures how odors and flavors are perceived by…
Press Release – After 9 years of successfully designing and marketing custom made Growtainers® and providing Consultant Services for commercial clients worldwide, CEA Advisors is pleased to announce that they have formed a new division to focus on the legal Cannabis Industry. Recently we have completed the design process for the first competitively priced shipping container farm specifically designed and built for cloning and young plant production. “Although I grew indoors many years ago, I spent more than a year discussing today’s technology and the specific requirements of this crop with industry experts and component manufacturers and when I was…