Instant Insights: Vertical Farming in Horticulture

Dr Toyoki Kozai is the former President of Chiba University, Japan, where he is now an Emeritus Professor. Professor Kozai is also the Honorary President of the Japan Plant Factory Association (JPFA) and a former President of The Agricultural Academy of Japan. As a pioneer of indoor plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs), also referred to as indoor vertical farming, Professor Kozai is widely regarded as one of the founding figures in PFALs, and vertical farming. He has edited a number of books on PFALs and is the author of over 300 publications on controlled environment agriculture technologies.Dr Eri Hayashi is the President of the JPFA, where she is also the Director of International Relations and Consulting. Eri was Research Project Leader for a national project on Artificial Intelligence- and Phenotyping-based Smart Plant Factories with Artificial Lighting (PFALs). She leads a number of international projects on technology development, has given presentations at a number of international conferences, and has written widely on the topic of smart plant factories. She was a co-convener of the Symposium of Advances in Vertical Farming at the 31st International Horticultural Congress (IHC 2022). She led the JPFA in organizing the first JPFA International Symposium on Plant Factory (ISPF 2023) at Kashiwanoha, Japan.

• Chapter 1 - Vertical farming systems for urban agriculture: Dickson Despommier, Columbia University, USA; 1 Introduction 2 The vertical farm: from inception to reality 3 Vertical farm technologies 4 Indoor lighting for growing crops in a controlled environment 5 Nutrients for hydroponics and aeroponics 6 Challenges 7 Future trends 8 Where to look for further information 9 ReferencesChapter taken from: Wiskerke, J. S. C. (ed.), Achieving sustainable urban agriculture, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2020, (ISBN 978 1 78676 316 7)Chapter 2 - Towards sustainable plant factories with artificial lighting (PFALs): from greenhouses to vertical farms: Toyoki Kozai, Japan Plant Factory Association, Japan; Yumiko Amagai, Chiba University, Japan; and Eri Hayashi, Japan Plant Factory Association, Japan; 1 Introduction 2 Characteristics of PFALs 3 Resource consumption by resource elements: simulation studies 4 Production cost and its components 5 Reducing electricity consumption and improving cost performance 6 Challenges for the next-generation smart PFALs 7 Future trends and conclusion 8 Acknowledgements 9 ReferencesChapter taken from: Marcelis, L. F. M. and Heuvelink, E. (eds.), Achieving sustainable greenhouse cultivation, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2019, (ISBN 978 1 78676 280 1)Chapter 3 - Advances in protected cultivation of ornamentals: James E. Faust, Clemson University, USA; 1 Introduction 2 Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting systems 3 Manipulation of plant growth and development 4 Sustainable practices and renewable inputs 5 Case study: propagation of ornamentals in a vertical propagation area 6 Conclusion and future trends 7 Where to look for further information 8 ReferencesChapter taken from: Reid, M. (ed.), Achieving sustainable cultivation of ornamental plants, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2020, (ISBN 978 1 78676 328 0)Chapter 4 - Developments in soilless/hydroponic cultivation of vegetables: Dimitrios Savvas, Agricultural University of Athens, Greece; and Damianos Neocleous, Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment, Cyprus; 1 Introduction 2 Advantages and disadvantages of hydroponics 3 Equipment 4 Substrates 5 Soilless/hydroponic growing systems for vegetables 6 Crop nutrition and nutrient solution (NS) 7 Product quality in hydroponics 8 Soilless cultivation specifics of greenhouse vegetable crops 9 Irrigation tips in soilless cultivation 10 Plant protection practices in soilless cultivation 11 Future research and technological developments in hydroponics 12 ReferencesChapter taken from: Hochmuth, G. (ed.), Achieving sustainable cultivation of vegetables, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2019, (ISBN 978 1 78676 236 8)Chapter 5 - Advanced hydroponics design for plant cultivation in cities: Giuseppina Pennisi, Alessandro Pistillo, Elisa Appolloni, Francesco Orsini and Giorgio Gianquinto, DISTAL - University of Bologna, Italy; 1 Introduction 2 Rooftop farming systems 3 Vertical farming with artificial lighting 4 Innovative SCS for urban agriculture: aquaponics 5 Case study: innovative urban farming systems through the international student competition: UrbanFarm 6 Summary and future trends 7 Where to look for further information 8 ReferencesChapter taken from: Gruda, N. S. (ed.), Advances in horticultural soilless culture, Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing, Cambridge, UK, 2021, (ISBN 978 1 78676 435 5)