Plant Factory: An Indoor Vertical Farming System for Efficient Quality Food Production 2nd edition

Plant Factory: An Indoor Vertical Farming System for Efficient Quality Food Production presents a comprehensive look at the implementation of plant factory (PF) practices to yield food crops for both improved food security and environmental sustainability. Now in its second edition, the book has been fully revised and updated to include the last advances in PF technologies. Edited and authored by leading experts in PF and controlled environment agriculture (CEA), the book is divided into five sections, each focused on a key element of successful PF: Section 1: Overview and Concept of Closed Plant Production Systems (CPPS), Section 2: Basics of Physics and Physiology – Environments and Their Efffects; Section 3: System Design, Construction, Cultivation and Management and Section 4: Plant Factories in Operation. In addition to new coverage reflecting the rapid advancement of LED technology and its application in indoor vertical farming, other revisions to the new edition include updated information on the status of business and R&D and selected commercial PFALs (plant factory with artificial lighting) worldwide in representative countries. Additional updates include those focused on micro and mini-PFALs for improving the quality of life in urban areas, the physics and physiology of light, the impact of PFAL on the medicinal components of plants, and the system design, construction, cultivation and management issues related to transplant production within closed systems, photoautotrophic micro-propagation and education, training and intensive business forums on PFs.Now includes coverage of LED technologyIncludes case-studies for real-world insights and applicationAddresses PF from economics and planning to operation and life-cycle assessment