222 results on '"Bugbee, Bruce"'
Search Results
2. Photons at the ultraviolet-visible interface: Effects on leaf expansion and photoinhibition
- Author
-
Zhen, Shuyang, Kusuma, Paul, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Sustainable Hydroponics Using Zero-discharge Nutrient Management and Automated pH Control.
- Author
-
Langenfeld, Noah James and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
- *
OXYGEN saturation , *AMMONIUM nitrate , *NITRIC acid , *ACID solutions , *RHIZOSPHERE - Abstract
Here we review the 400-year history of hydroponic culture and describe a unique management approach that does not require leaching or discarding solution between harvests. Nutrients are maintained at a low and steady concentration by daily additions of a dilute solution that replaces the transpired water along with the nutrients that were removed in growth each day. A stable pH and a low steady-state concentration of ammonium are maintained through automated additions of a solution of nitric acid and ammonium nitrate. Ample solution volume (at least 20 cm deep) stabilizes nutrient concentrations, reduces root density, and improves uniformity. Gentle aeration at ≈100 mL·min-1·L-1 maintains dissolved oxygen near saturation and increases uniformity throughout the rhizosphere. These practices facilitate a uniform, closed, root zone with rigorous pH control that provides the micromolar nutrient concentrations of N and P that are representative of field soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. Temporal Separation of Red and Blue Photons Does Not Increase Photon Capture or Yield of Lettuce.
- Author
-
Jun Liu and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
- *
PHOTONS , *PHOTON flux , *LETTUCE , *DIGITAL photography , *IMAGE analysis , *LEAF area , *NEUTRON capture - Abstract
Temporal separation of red (R) and blue (B) (alternating R/B) photons has been reported to increase leaf area, photon capture, and yield of lettuce compared with delivering both colors together (concurrent R+B). We grew three diverse lettuce cultivars (Grand Rapids, Rex, and Red Sails) under concurrent R+B photons (9/1 ratio) and alternating R/B photons (9/1 ratio) under an equal daily light integral (DLI) of either 8.6 or 23 mol.m-2.d-1. Contrary to five previous studies, we found no increase in either leaf area or fresh mass and dry mass in any of the alternating R/B photon treatments compared with concurrent R+B photons. In fact, at a DLI at 8.6 mol.m-2.d-1, alternating R/B photons decreased the dry mass of 'Grand Rapids' and 'Rex' lettuce by 38% and 17%, respectively. Two previous studies reported that photosynthetic rates increased with alternating R/B photons; however, we found that the net assimilation rate was generally decreased by alternating R/B photons. An analysis of images obtained from automated digital photography revealed that the relative expansion rate of leaves was 61% higher during intervals of pure B rather than intervals of pure R photons at the same photosynthetic photon flux density; however, this did not result in a higher leaf area compared with concurrent R+B photons. Overall, our studies do not indicate that alternating R/B photons increase lettuce leaf area or yield compared with concurrent R+B photons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Advantages of a novel in situ pH measurement for soilless media.
- Author
-
Langenfeld, Noah James, Ai Skabelund, Hikari, Heins, Royal, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
PEAT mosses ,DEIONIZATION of water ,PH standards ,HYDROGEN ions ,COIR ,RHIZOSPHERE - Abstract
Rhizosphere pH determines nutrient bioavailability, but this pH is difficult to measure. Standard pH tests require adding water to growth media. This dilutes hydrogen ion activity and increases pH. We used a novel, in situ, pointed-tip electrode to estimate rhizosphere pH without dilution. Measurements from this electrode matched a research-grade pH meter in hydroponic nutrient solutions. We then compared measurements from this electrode to saturated paste and pour-through methods in peat moss, coconut coir, and pine bark. The pointedtip electrode was unable to accurately measure pH in the highly-porous pine bark media. Adding deionized water to the other media at container capacity using the saturated paste method resulted in a pH that was 0.59 ± 0.30 units higher than the initial in situ measurement at the top of the container. This increase aligns with established solution chemistry principles. Measurements of pH using the pour-through method were 0.38 ± 0.24 pH units higher than in situ measurements at the bottom of the container. We conclude that in situ pH measurements are not subject to dilution and are thus more representative of the rhizosphere pH than the saturated paste and pour-through techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. From physics to fixtures to food: current and potential LED efficacy
- Author
-
Kusuma, Paul, Pattison, P. Morgan, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. The invasive annual cheatgrass releases more nitrogen than crested wheatgrass through root exudation and senescence
- Author
-
Morris, Kendalynn A., Stark, John M., Bugbee, Bruce, and Norton, Jeanette M.
- Published
- 2016
8. Laplace Variational Approximation for Semiparametric Regression in the Presence of Heteroscedastic Errors
- Author
-
Bugbee, Bruce D., Breidt, F. Jay, and van der Woerd, Mark J.
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. An improved digestion and analysis procedure for silicon in plant tissue.
- Author
-
Langenfeld, Noah James and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
- *
PLANT cells & tissues , *CUCUMBERS , *OXALIC acid , *DIGESTION , *SILICON , *SODIUM hydroxide - Abstract
Silicon (Si) in plant tissues reduces abiotic and biotic stress, but it is incorporated as silica (SiO2), which is difficult to solubilize for analysis. We modified an oven-induced tissue-digestion and analysis method to improve Si solubilization and validated its accuracy by quantifying the mass-balance recovery of Si from the hydroponic solution and plant tissues of cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Leaf, stem, and root tissues were dried, finely-ground, and digested in 12.5 molar sodium hydroxide at 95°C for 4 hours. Solutions were then acidified with 6 molar hydrochloric acid to achieve a pH below 2 for measurement of Si using the molybdate blue colorimetric method. Interference of phosphorus in the analysis was minimized by increasing the addition of oxalic acid from 0.6 to 1.1 molar. We recovered 101% ± 13% of the expected Si, calculated using mass-balance recovery, in leaf, stem, and root tissues across 15 digestions. This Si recovery was fourteen-fold higher than the standard acid-extraction method and similar to a USDA-ARS alkaline-extraction method. Our procedure offers a low-cost, accurate method for extraction and analysis of Si in plant tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Elevated UV photon fluxes minimally affected cannabinoid concentration in a high-CBD cultivar.
- Author
-
Westmoreland, F. Mitchell, Kusuma, Paul, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
PHOTON flux ,CANNABINOID receptors ,CANNABINOIDS ,CULTIVARS ,PHOTONS - Abstract
Ultraviolet photons (UV) can damage critical biochemical processes. Plants synthesize photo-protective pigments that absorb UV to minimize damage. Cannabinoids absorb UV, so increased UV has the potential to increase cannabinoid synthesis. Studies in the 1980's provided some evidence for this hypothesis in low-cannabinoid cultivars, but recent studies did not find an increase in cannabinoid synthesis with increasing UV in high-cannabinoid cultivars. These studies used low UV photon fluxes, so we examined the effect of higher UV photon fluxes. We used fluorescent UV lights with 55% UV-B (280 to 314 nm) and 45% UV-A (315 to 399 nm). Treatments began three weeks after the start of short days and continued for five weeks until harvest. Established weighting factors were used to calculate the daily biologically effective UV photon flux (UV-PFDBE; 280 to 399 nm). Daily UV-PFDBE levels were 0, 0.02, 0.05, and 0.11 mol m
-2 d-1 with a background daily light integral (DLI) of 30 mol m-2 d-1 . This provided a ratio of daily UV-PFDBE to DLI of 41 to 218% of summer sunlight in the field. Cannabinoid concentration was 3 to 13% higher than the control in UV treated plants, but the effect was not statistically significant. Fv/Fm and flower yield were reduced only in the highest UV treatment. These data support recent literature and lead us to conclude that an elevated flux of UV photons is not an effective approach to increase cannabinoid concentration in high-cannabinoid cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. Assessing water stress in a high-density apple orchard using trunk circumference variation, sap flow index and stem water potential.
- Author
-
Wheeler, William D., Black, Brent, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
APPLE orchards ,ROOTSTOCKS - Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. On the contrasting morphological response to far-red at high and low photon fluxes.
- Author
-
Kusuma, Paul and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
PHOTON flux ,ACTINIC flux ,PLANT ecology ,CUCUMBERS ,LETTUCE - Abstract
Plants compete for sunlight and have evolved to perceive shade through both relative increases in the flux of far-red photons (FR; 700 to 750 nm) and decreases in the flux of all photons (intensity). These two signals interact to control stem elongation and leaf expansion. Although the interacting effects on stem elongation are well quantified, responses for leaf expansion are poorly characterized. Here we report a significant interaction between far-red fraction and total photon flux. Extended photosynthetic photon flux density (ePPFD; 400 to 750 nm) was maintained at three levels (50/100, 200 and 500 µmol m
-2 s-1 ), each with a range of 2 to 33% FR. Increasing FR increased leaf expansion in three cultivars of lettuce at the highest ePPFD but decreased expansion at the lowest ePPFD. This interaction was attributed to differences in biomass partitioning between leaves and stems. Increased FR favored stem elongation and biomass partitioning to stems at low ePPFD and favored leaf expansion at high ePPFD. In cucumber, leaf expansion was increased with increasing percent FR under all ePPFD levels showing minimal interaction. The interactions (and lack thereof) have important implications for horticulture and warrant further study for plant ecology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. Understanding precision nitrogen stress to optimize the growth and lipid content tradeoff in oleaginous green microalgae
- Author
-
Adams, Curtis, Godfrey, Valerie, Wahlen, Brad, Seefeldt, Lance, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. A model of canopy photosynthesis incorporating protein distribution through the canopy and its acclimation to light, temperature and CO₂
- Author
-
Johnson, Ian R., Thornley, John H. M., Frantz, Jonathan M., and Bugbee, Bruce
- Published
- 2010
15. Enhancing lipid production of the marine diatom Chaetoceros gracilis: synergistic interactions of sodium chloride and silicon
- Author
-
Adams, Curtis and Bugbee, Bruce
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. Photosynthesis in rice is increased by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated transformation of two truncated light-harvesting antenna.
- Author
-
Caddell, Daniel, Langenfeld, Noah J., Eckels, Madigan J. H., Shuyang Zhen, Klaras, Rachel, Mishra, Laxmi, Bugbee, Bruce, and Coleman-Derr, Devin
- Subjects
ANTENNAS (Electronics) ,CRISPRS ,PHOTOSYNTHESIS ,AGRICULTURE ,SORGHUM ,LIGHT transmission - Abstract
Plants compete for light partly by over-producing chlorophyll in leaves. The resulting high light absorption is an effective strategy for out competing neighbors in mixed communities, but it prevents light transmission to lower leaves and limits photosynthesis in dense agricultural canopies. We used a CRISPR/Cas9-mediated approach to engineer rice plants with truncated lightharvesting antenna (TLA) via knockout mutations to individual antenna assembly component genes CpSRP43, CpSRP54a, and its paralog, CpSRP54b. We compared the photosynthetic contributions of these components in rice by studying the growth rates of whole plants, quantum yield of photosynthesis, chlorophyll density and distribution, and phenotypic abnormalities. Additionally, we investigated a Poales-specific duplication of CpSRP54. The Poales are an important family that includes staple crops such as rice, wheat, corn, millet, and sorghum. Mutations in any of these three genes involved in antenna assembly decreased chlorophyll content and light absorption and increased photosynthesis per photon absorbed (quantum yield). These results have significant implications for the improvement of high leaf-area-index crop monocultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. Sustainable Cannabis Nutrition: Elevated root-zone phosphorus significantly increases leachate P and does not improve yield or quality.
- Author
-
Westmoreland, F. Mitchell and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
LEACHATE ,COMPOSITION of flowers ,WEEDS ,LIQUID fertilizers ,PHOSPHORUS ,MINERALS in nutrition ,CANNABIS (Genus) - Abstract
Phosphorus (P) is an essential but often over-applied nutrient in agricultural systems. Because of its detrimental environmental effects, P fertilization is well studied in crop production. Controlled environment agriculture allows for precise control of root-zone P and has the potential to improve sustainability over field agriculture. Medical Cannabis is uniquely cultivated for the unfertilized female inflorescence and mineral nutrition can affect the yield and chemical composition of these flowers. P typically accumulates in seeds, but its partitioning in unfertilized Cannabis flowers is not well studied. Here we report the effect of increasing P (25, 50, and 75 mg P per L) in continuous liquid fertilizer on flower yield, cannabinoid concentration, leachate P, nutrient partitioning, and phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) of a high-CBD Cannabis variety. There was no significant effect of P concentration on flower yield or cannabinoid concentration, but there were significant differences in leachate P, nutrient partitioning, and PUE. Leachate P increased 12-fold in response to the 3-fold increase in P input. The P concentration in the unfertilized flowers increased to more than 1%, but this did not increase yield or quality. The fraction of P in the flowers increased from 25 to 65% and PUE increased from 31 to 80% as the as the P input decreased from 75 to 25 mg per L. Avoiding excessive P fertilization can decrease the environmental impact of Cannabis cultivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. Night Temperature has a Minimal Effect on Respiration and Growth in Rapidly Growing Plants
- Author
-
FRANTZ, JONATHAN M., COMETTI, NILTON N., and BUGBEE, BRUCE
- Published
- 2004
19. The Limits of Crop Productivity
- Author
-
Bugbee, Bruce and Monje, Oscar
- Published
- 1992
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Morphological Responses of Wheat to Changes in Phytochrome Photoequilibrium
- Author
-
Barnes, Charles and Bugbee, Bruce
- Published
- 1991
21. Photosynthesis in sun and shade: the surprising importance of far‐red photons.
- Author
-
Zhen, Shuyang, van Iersel, Marc W., and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
CARBON cycle ,PHOTONS ,PHOTOSYNTHESIS ,LIGHT intensity - Abstract
Summary: The current definition of photosynthetically active radiation includes only photons from 400 up to 700 nm, despite evidence of the synergistic interaction between far‐red photons and shorter‐wavelength photons. The synergy between far‐red and shorter‐wavelength photons has not been studied in sunlight under natural conditions.We used a filter to remove photons above 700 nm to quantify the effects on photosynthesis in diverse species under full sun, medium light intensity and vegetation shade.Far‐red photons (701 to 750 nm) in sunlight are used efficiently for photosynthesis. This is especially important for leaves in vegetation shade, where far‐red photons can be > 50% of the total incident photons between 400 and 750 nm. Far‐red photons accounted for 24–25% of leaf gross photosynthesis (Pgross) in a C3 and a C4 species when sunlight was filtered through a leaf, and 10–14% of leaf Pgross in a tree and an understory species in deep shade.Accounting for the photosynthetic activity of far‐red photons is critical for accurate measurement and modeling of photosynthesis at single leaf, canopy and ecosystem scales. This, in turn, is crucial in understanding crop productivity, the global carbon cycle and climate change impacts on agriculture and ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Germination and seedling establishment for hydroponics: The benefit of slant boards.
- Author
-
Langenfeld, Noah James and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
- *
HYDROPONICS , *ROOT development , *SEEDLINGS , *GERMINATION , *POLYCARBONATES - Abstract
Germination and seedling establishment for transplanting into hydroponics often uses porous substrates, but fine roots grow into these substrates, and they cannot be removed without damaging these roots. Seedlings transplanted without removal of substrates can cause interactions with solution chemistry or addition of particulates to the nutrient solution. Germination of seeds on slant boards is clean, uniform, and reduces the time to transplanting. Slant boards facilitate development of long roots, which maximize exposure of the primary root to the nutrient solution after transplanting. The "boards" are made from thin acrylic or polycarbonate sheets with germination paper on top. Seeds are held in place by covering with thin paper before vertical placement of the boards in the container. Four to twelve days later, the seedlings with long roots can be removed from the paper without damage and transplanted into the hydroponic system. Here we describe slant board construction and procedures for rapid germination and transplanting in hydroponics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Principles of Nutrient and Water Management for Indoor Agriculture.
- Author
-
Langenfeld, Noah James, Pinto, Daniel Fernandez, Faust, James E., Heins, Royal, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Abstract
Mass balance principles are a cornerstone of efficient fertilizer use and can be utilized to optimize plant nutrition without discarding or leaching solution. Here, we describe the maintenance of closed hydroponic and soilless substrate systems based on mass balance. Water removed by transpiration is restored with solution that replaces the nutrients that were taken up with the water. The concentration of nutrients in this refill/irrigation solution is determined by multiplying the optimal concentration of each nutrient in plant tissue by the water-use efficiency (WUE; ratio of dry mass to water transpired). Optimal leaf nutrient concentrations are well established, but WUE in controlled environments varies widely and is less well characterized. Elevated CO
2 increases photosynthesis and demand for nutrients, but partially closes stomata and reduces transpiration; so high CO2 dramatically increases WUE. The concentration of the refill/irrigation solution must be adjusted to account for a two-fold range of WUE, from 3 g L−1 in ambient CO2 in lower humidity, to 6 g L−1 in elevated CO2 in higher humidity. WUE and nutrient requirements vary during the vegetative and reproductive stages of growth, and adjustment of the solution over the lifecycle can be beneficial. Measurement of solution electrical conductivity (EC) is helpful, but if the solution is appropriate, low EC usually means healthy plants and active nutrient uptake. The ammonium to nitrate ratio is critical to pH management. We have applied these principles across multiple species and environments to achieve long-term, steady-state nutrient concentrations with no discharge or leaching of solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Light level does not alter ethylene sensitivity in radish or pea
- Author
-
Romagnano, Joseph F. and Bugbee, Bruce
- Published
- 2013
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. LEDs for Extraterrestrial Agriculture: Tradeoffs between Color Perception and Photon Efficacy
- Author
-
Kusuma, Paul, Fatzinger, Brendan, Bugbee, Bruce, Wheeler, Raymond, and Soer, Wouter
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. Very High CO₂ Reduces Photosynthesis, Dark Respiration and Yield in Wheat
- Author
-
REUVENI, JOSEPH and BUGBEE, BRUCE
- Published
- 1997
27. Bidder behaviours on eBay: collectibles and commodities
- Author
-
Hayne, Stephen C., Bugbee, Bruce, and Wang, Haonan
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. Identification of dehydration responsive genes from two non-nodulated alfalfa cultivars using Medicago truncatula microarrays
- Author
-
Chen, Dong, Liang, Ming-Xiang, DeWald, Daryll, Weimer, Bart, Peel, Michael D., Bugbee, Bruce, Michaelson, Jacob, Davis, Elizabeth, and Wu, Yajun
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. Sensitivity of wheat and rice to low levels of atmospheric ethylene. (Crop Physiology & Metabolism)
- Author
-
Klassen, Stephen P. and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
Wheat -- Research ,Pesticides industry -- Research ,Agricultural industry -- Research ,Herbicides -- Research ,Ethylene -- Research ,Rice -- Research ,Chemical industry -- Research ,Grain industry -- Research ,Agricultural industry ,Business ,Research - Abstract
Ethylene ([C.sub.2][H.sub.4]) gas is produced throughout the life cycle of plants and can accumulate in closed growth chambers to levels 100 times higher than in outside environments. Elevated atmospheric [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] can cause a variety of abnormal responses, but the sensitivity to elevated [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] is not well characterized. We evaluated the [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] sensitivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.) in five studies. The first three studies compared the effects of continuous [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] levels ranging from 0 to 1000 nmol [mol.sup.-1] (ppb) in a growth chamber throughout the life cycle of the plants. A short-term 1000 nmol [mol.sup.-1] treatment was included in which exposure was stopped at anthesis. Yield was reduced by 36% in wheat and 63% in rice at 50 nmol [mol.sup.-1] and both species were virtually sterile when continuously exposed to 1000 nmol [mol.sup.-1]. However, the yield reductions were much less with exposure that stopped at anthesis, suggesting the detrimental effect of [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] on yield was greatest around the time of seed set. Two additional studies evaluated the differential sensitivity of two wheat cultivars (Super Dwarf and USU-Apogee) to 50 nmol [mol.sup.-1] [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] at three C[O.sub.2] levels [350, 1200, 5000 µmol [mol.sup.-1] (ppm)] in a greenhouse. Yield of USU-Apogee was not significantly reduced by [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] but the yield of Super Dwarf was reduced by 60%. Elevated C[O.sub.2] did not influence the sensitivity to [C.sub.2][H.sub.4]. A difference in the [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] sensitivity of USU-Apogee between greenhouse and growth chamber trials suggests that [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] sensitivity is dependent on the environment. Collectively, the data suggest that relatively low levels of [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] could induce anomalous plant responses by accumulation in greenhouses and growth chambers with inadequate ventilation. The data also suggest that [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] sensitivity can be reduced by both genetic and environmental manipulations., PLANTS CONTINUOUSLY SYNTHESIZE [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] throughout their life cycles and it mediates a broad range of physiological responses (Abeles et al., 1992). Several papers have described patterns of [C.sub.2][H.sub.4] synthesis and [...]
- Published
- 2002
30. Anaerobic conditions improve germination of a gibberellic acid deficient rice. (Notes)
- Author
-
Frantz, Jonathan M. and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
Anaerobic bacteria -- Evaluation -- Methods -- Health aspects ,Rice -- Health aspects -- Evaluation -- Product development ,Germination -- Methods -- Health aspects ,Grain industry -- Product development ,Agricultural industry ,Business ,Evaluation ,Methods ,Health aspects ,Product development - Abstract
Dwarf plants are useful in research because multiple plants can be grown in a small area. Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is especially important since its relatively simple genome has recently been sequenced. We are characterizing a gibberellic acid (GA) mutant of rice (japonica cv. `Shiokari,' line N-71) that is extremely dwarf (20 cm tall). Unfortunately, this GA mutation is associated with poor germination (70%) under aerobic conditions. Neither exogenous GA nor a dormancy-breaking heat treatment improved germination. However, 95% germination was achieved by germinating the seeds anaerobically, either in a pure [N.sub.2] environment or submerged in unstirred tap water. The anaerobic conditions appear to break a mild post-harvest dormancy in this rice cultivar., DWARF LINES OF CROP PLANTS are useful in research because they can be grown in confined quarters such as a lab bench or in small growth chambers. The short stature [...]
- Published
- 2002
31. Super Dwarf Wheat for Growth in Confined Spaces
- Author
-
Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
Man/System Technology And Life Support - Abstract
USU-Perigee is a dwarf red spring wheat that is a hybrid of a high-yield early tall wheat (USU-Apogee) and a low-yield, extremely short wheat that has poor agronomic characteristics. USU-Perigee was selected for its extremely short height (.0.3 m) and high yield . characteristics that make it suitable for growth in confined spaces in controlled environments. Other desirable characteristics include rapid development and resistance to a leaf-tip necrosis, associated with calcium deficiency, that occurs in other wheat cultivars under rapid-growth conditions (particularly, continuous light). Heads emerge after only 21 days of growth in continuous light at a constant temperature of 25 C. In tests, USU-Perigee was found to outyield other full dwarf (defined as <0.4 m tall) wheat cultivars: The yield advantage at a constant temperature of 23 C was found to be about 30 percent. Originally intended as a candidate food crop to be grown aboard spacecraft on long missions, this cultivar could also be grown in terrestrial growth chambers and could be useful for plant-physiology and -pathology studies.
- Published
- 2011
32. Colorimetric determination of urea using diacetyl monoxime with strong acids.
- Author
-
Langenfeld, Noah James, Payne, Lauren Elizabeth, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
UREA ,DIACETYL ,FERRIC chloride ,INDUSTRIAL goods ,AMMONIUM bicarbonate ,SULFURIC acid - Abstract
Urea is a byproduct of the urea cycle in metabolism and is excreted through urine and sweat. Ammonia, which is toxic at low levels, is converted to the safe storage form of urea, which represents the largest efflux of nitrogen from many organisms. Urea is an important nitrogen source in agriculture, is added to many industrial products, and is a large component in wastewater. The enzyme urease hydrolyzes urea to ammonia and bicarbonate. This reaction is microbially mediated in soils, hydroponic solutions, and wastewater recycling and is catalyzed in vivo in plants using native urease, making measurement of urea environmentally important. Both direct and indirect methods to measure urea exist. This protocol uses diacetyl monoxime to directly determine the concentration of urea in solution. The protocol provides repeatable results and stable reagents with good color stability and simple measurement techniques for use in any lab with a spectrophotometer. The reaction between diacetyl monoxime and urea in the presence of sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, thiosemicarbazide, and ferric chloride produces a chromophore with a peak absorbance at 520 nm and a linear relationship between concentration and absorbance from 0.4 to 5.0 mM urea in this protocol. The lack of detectable interferences makes this protocol suitable for the determination of millimolar levels of urea in wastewater streams and hydroponic solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Water Stress in Dwarfing Cherry Rootstocks: Increased Carbon Partitioning to Roots Facilitates Improved Tolerance of Drought.
- Author
-
Wheeler, Will, Black, Brent, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
ROOTSTOCKS ,DROUGHT tolerance ,PLANT water requirements ,CHERRIES ,PLANTING - Abstract
Cherry orchards are transitioning to high-density plantings and dwarfing rootstocks to maximize production, but the response of these rootstocks to drought stress is poorly characterized. We used a 16-container, automated lysimeter system to apply repeated water stress to ungrafted Krymsk
® 5 and 6 rootstocks during two growing cycles. Drought stress was imposed by withholding irrigation until the daily transpiration rate of each tree was 25% and 30% of the unstressed rate during the first trial and second trial, respectively. After this point was reached, the root-zone water status was restored to field capacity. Whole-tree transpiration measurements were supplemented with leaf-level gas-exchange measurements. Krymsk® 6 had a higher rate of photosynthesis, more vigorous vegetative growth and less conservative stomatal regulation during incipient drought than Krymsk® 5. At harvest, carbon partitioning to roots was greater in Krymsk® 6 than Krymsk® 5. The conservative rate of water use in Krymsk® 5 could be a function of greater stomatal control or reduced carbon partitioning to roots, which thereby limited transpiration rates. Further studies are needed to confirm that these results are applicable to trees grown using a common grafted scion under field conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. Evaluation of low-cost CO2 sensors to study atmospheric mixing in a mountain valley
- Author
-
Sargent, Steve, Hay, Alec, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. the Cache Valley Atmospheric mixing project
- Author
-
Bugbee, Bruce, Sargent, Steve, Hay, Alec, Martin, Randy, Hipps, Larry, Meek, Dave, Jobie Carlisle, Campbell, Ron, Blonquist, Mark, and Jacobsen, Larry
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Validating Vegetable Production Unit (VPU) Plants, Protocols, Procedures and Requirements (P3R) using Currently Existing Flight Resources
- Author
-
Bingham, Gail, Bates, Scott, Bugbee, Bruce, Garland, Jay, Podolski, Igor, Levinskikh, Rita, Sychev, Vladimir, and Gushin, Vadim
- Subjects
Space Sciences (General) - Abstract
Validating Vegetable Production Unit (VPU) Plants, Protocols, Procedures and Requirements (P3R) Using Currently Existing Flight Resources (Lada-VPU-P3R) is a study to advance the technology required for plant growth in microgravity and to research related food safety issues. Lada-VPU-P3R also investigates the non-nutritional value to the flight crew of developing plants on-orbit. The Lada-VPU-P3R uses the Lada hardware on the ISS and falls under a cooperative agreement between National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Russian Federal Space Association (FSA). Research Summary: Validating Vegetable Production Unit (VPU) Plants, Protocols, Procedures and Requirements (P3R) Using Currently Existing Flight Resources (Lada-VPU-P3R) will optimize hardware and
- Published
- 2009
37. Super-optimal CO2 reduces seed yield but not vegetative growth in wheat
- Author
-
Grotenhuis, Timothy P. and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
Wheat -- Environmental aspects ,Carbon dioxide -- Influence -- Environmental aspects ,Agricultural industry ,Business ,Influence ,Environmental aspects - Abstract
Although terrestrial atmospheric [CO.sub.2] levels will not reach 1000 µ mol [mol.sup.-1] (0.1%) for decades, [CO.sub.2] levels in growth chambers and greenhouses routinely exceed that concentration. [CO.sub.2] levels in life support systems in space can exceed 10 000 µ mol [mol.sup.-1] (1%). Numerous studies have examined [CO.sub.2] effects up to 1000 µ mol [mol.sup.-1] but biochemical measurements indicate that the beneficial effects of [CO.sub.2] can continue beyond this concentration. We studied the effects of near-optimal ([[approximately 1200 µ mol [mol.sup.-1] and super-optimal [CO.sub.2] levels (2400 µ mol [mol.sup.-1] on yield of two cultivars of hydroponically grown wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in 12 trials in growth chambers. Increasing [CO.sub.2] from sub-optimal to near-optimal (350-1200 µ mol [mol.sup.-1] increased vegetative growth by 25% and seed yield by 15% in both cultivars. Yield increases were primarily the result of an increased number of heads per square meter. Further elevation of [CO.sub.2] to 2500 µ mol [mol.sup.-1] reduced seed yield by 22% (P [is less than] 0.001) in cv. Veery-10 and by 15% (P [is less than] 0.001) in cv. USU-Apogee. Super-optimal [CO.sub.2] did not decrease the number of heads per square meter, but reduced seeds per head by 10% and mass per seed by 11%. The toxic effect of [CO.sub.2] was similar over a range of light levels from half to full sunlight. Subsequent trials revealed that super-optimal [CO.sub.2] during the interval between 2 wk before and after anthesis mimicked the effect of constant super-optimal [CO.sub.2]. Furthermore, near-optimal [CO.sub.2] during the same interval mimicked the effect of constant near-optimal [CO.sub2]. Nutrient concentration of leaves and heads was not affected by [CO.sub.2]. These results suggest that super-optimal [CO.sub.2] inhibits some process that occurs near the time of seed set resulting in decreased seed set, seed mass, and yield., Most studies on the biological effects of elevated [CO.sub.2] have focused on plant responses to concentrations below 1000 µ mol [mol.sup.-1] (1000 ppm; 0.1%; 100 Pa at sea level) [CO.sub.2] [...]
- Published
- 1997
38. An Axenic Plant Culture System for Optimal Growth in Long-Term Studies: Design and Maintenance
- Author
-
Henry, Amelia, Doucette, William, Norton, Jeanette, Jones, Scott, Chard, Julie, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
Exobiology - Abstract
The symbiotic co-evolution of plants and microbes leads to difficulties in understanding which of the two components is responsible for a given environmental response. Plant-microbe studies greatly benefit from the ability to grow plants in axenic (sterile) culture. Several studies have used axenic plant culture systems, but experimental procedures are often poorly documented, the plant growth environment is not optimal, and axenic conditions are not rigorously verified. We developed a unique axenic system using inert components that promotes plant health and can be kept sterile for at least 70 d. Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum cv. DII) plants were grown in sand within flow-through glass columns that were positively pressured with filtered air. Plant health was optimized by regulating temperature, light level, CO2 concentration, humidity, and nutrients. The design incorporates several novel aspects, such as pretreatment of the sand with Fe, graduated sand layers to optimize the air-water balance of the root zone, and modification of a laminar flow hood to serve as a plant growth chamber. Adaptations of several sterile techniques were necessary for maintenance of axenic conditions. Axenic conditions were verified by plating and staining leachates as well as rhizoplane stain. This system was designed to study nutrient and water stress effects on root exudates, but is useful for assessing a broad range of plant-microbe-environment interactions. Based on total organic C analysis, 74% of exudates was recovered in the leachate, 6% was recovered in the bulk sand, and 17% was recovered in the rhizosphere sand. Carbon in the leachate after 70 d reached 255 micro-g/d. Fumaric, malic, malonic, oxalic, and succinic acids were measured as components of the root exudates.
- Published
- 2006
39. Acclimation of Plant Populations to Shade: Photosynthesis, Respiration, and Carbon Use Efficiency
- Author
-
Frantz, Jonathan M and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
Exobiology - Abstract
Cloudy days cause an abrupt reduction in daily photosynthetic photon flux (PPF), but we have a poor understanding of how plants acclimate to this change. We used a unique lo-chamber, steady-state, gas-exchange system to continuously measure daily photosynthesis and night respiration of populations of a starch accumulator [tomato (Lycopersicone scukntum Mill. cv. Micro-Tina)] and a sucrose accumulator [lettuce (Latuca sativa L ev. Grand Rapids)] over 42 days. AI1 measurements were done at elevated CO2, (1200micr-/mol) avoid any CO2 limitations and included both shoots and roots. We integrated photosynthesis and respiration measurements separately to determine daily net carbon gain and carbon use efficiency (CUE) as the ratio of daily net C gain to total day-time C fixed over the 42-day period. After 16 to 20 days of growth in constant PPF, plants in some chambers were subjected to an abrupt PPF reduction to simulate shade or a series of cloudy days. The immediate effect and the long term acclimation rate w'ere assessed from canopy quantum yield and carbon use efficiency. The effect of shade on carbon use efficiency and acclimation was much slower than predicted by widely used growth models. It took 12 days for tomato populations to recover their original CUE and lettuce CUE never completely acclimated. Tomatoes, the starch accumulator, acclimated to low light more rapidly than lettuce, the sucrose accumulator. Plant growth models should be modified to include the photosynthesis/respiration imbalance and resulting inefficiency of carbon gain associated with changing PIT conditions on cloudy days.
- Published
- 2005
40. Shortwave Radiation
- Author
-
Klassen, Steve and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing - Abstract
Accurate shortwave radiation data is critical to evapotranspiration (ET) models used for developing irrigation schedules to optimize crop production while saving water, minimizing fertilizer, herbicide, and pesticide applications, reducing soil erosion, and protecting surface and ground water quality. Low cost silicon cell pyranometers have proven to be sufficiently accurate and robust for widespread use in agricultural applications under unobstructed daylight conditions. More expensive thermopile pyranometers are required for use as calibration standards and measurements under light with unique spectral properties (electric lights, under vegetation, in greenhouses and growth chambers). Routine cleaning, leveling, and annual calibration checks will help to ensure the integrity of long-term data.
- Published
- 2005
41. Ethylene synthesis and sensitivity in crop plants
- Author
-
Klassen, Stephen P and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
Man/System Technology And Life Support - Abstract
Closed and semi-closed plant growth chambers have long been used in studies of plant and crop physiology. These studies include the measurement of photosynthesis and transpiration via photosynthetic gas exchange. Unfortunately, other gaseous products of plant metabolism can accumulate in these chambers and cause artifacts in the measurements. The most important of these gaseous byproducts is the plant hormone ethylene (C2H4). In spite of hundreds of manuscripts on ethylene, we still have a limited understanding of the synthesis rates throughout the plant life cycle. We also have a poor understanding of the sensitivity of intact, rapidly growing plants to ethylene. We know ethylene synthesis and sensitivity are influenced by both biotic and abiotic stresses, but such whole plant responses have not been accurately quantified. Here we present an overview of basic studies on ethylene synthesis and sensitivity.
- Published
- 2004
42. Exploring the limits of crop productivity: beyond the limits of tipburn in lettuce
- Author
-
Frantz, Jonathan M, Ritchie, Glen, Cometti, Nilton N, Robinson, Justin, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
Life Sciences (General) - Abstract
The productivity of lettuce in a combination of high light, high temperature, and elevated CO2 has not been commonly studied because rapid growth usually causes a calcium deficiency in meristems called tipburn, which greatly reduces quality and marketability. We eliminated tipburn by blowing air directly onto the meristem, which allowed us to increase the photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) to 1000 micromoles m-2 s-1 (57.6 mol m-2 d-1); two to three times higher than normally used for lettuce. Eliminating tipburn doubled edible yield at the highest PPF level. In addition to high PPF, CO2 was elevated to 1200 micromoles m-2 mol-1, which increased the temperature optimum from 25 to 30 degrees C. The higher temperature increased leaf expansion rate, which improved radiation capture and more than doubled yield. Photosynthetic efficiency, measured as canopy quantum yield in a whole-plant gas exchange system, steadily increased up to the highest temperature of 32 degrees C in high CO2. The highest productivity was 19 g m-2 d-1 of dry biomass (380 g d-1 fresh mass) averaged over the 23 days the plants received light. Without the limitation of tipburn, the combination of high PPF, high temperature, and elevated CO2 resulted in a 4-fold increase in growth rate over productivity in conventional environments.
- Published
- 2004
43. Nutrient Management in Recirculating Hydroponic Culture
- Author
-
Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
Exobiology - Abstract
There is an increasing need to recirculate and reuse nutrient solutions in order to reduce environmental and economic costs. However, one of the weakest points in hydroponics is the lack of information on managing the nutrient solution. Many growers and research scientists dump out nutrient solutions and refill at weekly intervals. Other authors have recommended measuring the concentrations of individual nutrients in solution as a key to nutrient control and maintenance. Dumping and replacing solution is unnecessary. Monitoring ions in solution is not always necessary; in fact the rapid depletion of some nutrients often causes people to add toxic amounts of nutrients to the solution. Monitoring ions in solution is interesting, but it is not the key to effective maintenance.
- Published
- 2004
44. Long-term Blue Light Effects on the Histology of Lettuce and Soybean Leaves and Stems
- Author
-
Dougher, Tracy A. O and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
Life Sciences (General) - Abstract
Blue light (320 to 496 nm) alters hypocotyl and stem elongation and leaf expansion in short-term, cell-level experiments, but histological effects of blue light in long-term studies of whole plants have not been described. We measured cell size and number in stems of soybean (Glycine max L.) and leaves of soybean and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), at two blue light fractions. Short-term studies have shown that cell expansion in stems is rapidly inhibited when etiolated tissue is exposed to blue light. However, under long-term light exposure, an increase in the blue light fraction from less than 0.1% to 26% decreased internode length, specifically by inhibiting soybean cell division in stems. In contrast, an increase in blue light fraction from 6% to 26% reduced soybean leaf area by decreasing cell expansion. Surprisingly, lettuce leaf area increased with increasing blue light fraction (0% to 6%), which was attributed to a 3.1-fold increase in cell expansion and a 1.6-fold increase in cell division.
- Published
- 2004
45. Rice: Characterizing the Environmental Response of a Gibberellic Acid-Deficient Rice for Use as a Model Crop
- Author
-
Frantz, Jonathan M, Pinnock, Derek, Klassen, Steve, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
Earth Resources And Remote Sensing - Abstract
Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a useful model crop plant. Rice was the first crop plant to have its complete genome sequenced. Unfortunately, even semi-dwarf rice cultivars are 60 to 90 an tail, and large plant populations cannot be grown in the confined volumes of greenhouses and growth chambers. We recently identified an extremely short (20 em tall) rice line, which is an ideal model for larger rice cultivars. We called this line "Super Dwarf rice." Here we report the response of Super Dwarf to temperature, photoperiod, photosynthetic photon flux (PPF), and factors that can affect time to head emergence. Vegetative biomass increased 6% per degree Celsius, with increasing temperature from 27 to 31 C. Seed yield decreased by 2% per degree Celsius rise in temperature, and as a result, harvest index decreased from 60 to 54%. The time to heading increased by 2 d for every hour above a 12-h photoperiod. Yield increased with increasing PPF up to the highest level tested at 1800 micro-mol/sq m/s (12-h photoperiod; 77.8 mol/sq m/d). Yield efficiency (grams per mole of photons) increased to 900 micro-mol/sq m/s and then slightly decreased at 1800 micro-mol/sq m/s . Heading was delayed by addition of gibberellic acid 3 (GA,) to the root zone but was hastened under mild N stress. Overall, short stature, high yield, high harvest index, and no extraordinary environmental requirements make Super Dwarf rice an excellent model plant for yield studies in controlled environments.
- Published
- 2004
46. Photons from NIR LEDs can delay flowering in short-day soybean and Cannabis: Implications for phytochrome activity.
- Author
-
Kusuma, Paul, Westmoreland, F. Mitchell, Zhen, Shuyang, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
PHOTONS ,PHYTOCHROMES ,FLOWERING of plants ,PHOTON flux ,ANGIOSPERMS - Abstract
Photons during the dark period delay flowering in short-day plants (SDP). Red photons applied at night convert phytochromes to the active far-red absorbing form (P
fr ), leading to inhibition of flowering. Far-red photons (greater than 700 nm) re-induce flowering when applied after a pulse of red photons during the dark period. However, far-red photons at sufficiently high intensity and duration delay flowering in sensitive species. Mechanistically, this response occurs because phytochrome-red (Pr ) absorbance is not zero beyond 700 nm. We applied nighttime photons from near infrared (NIR) LEDs (peak 850 nm) over a 12 h dark period. Flowering was delayed in Glycine max and Cannabis sativa (two photosensitive species) by 3 and 12 days, respectively, as the flux of photons from NIR LEDs was increased up to 83 and 116 μmol m-2 s-1 . This suggests that long wavelength photons from NIR LEDs can activate phytochromes (convert Pr to Pfr ) and thus alter plant development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. Why Far-Red Photons Should Be Included in the Definition of Photosynthetic Photons and the Measurement of Horticultural Fixture Efficacy.
- Author
-
Zhen, Shuyang, van Iersel, Marc, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
PHOTONS ,ELECTROMAGNETIC radiation ,PHOTON flux ,ACTION spectrum ,PHOTOSYSTEMS - Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. Improving the Predictive Value of Phytochrome Photoequilibrium: Consideration of Spectral Distortion Within a Leaf.
- Author
-
Kusuma, Paul and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
PHYTOCHROMES ,CUCUMBERS ,PHOTON scattering ,PHOTON flux ,ACTINIC flux ,PERSONAL protective equipment - Abstract
The ratio of active phytochrome (Pfr) to total phytochrome (Pr + Pfr), called phytochrome photo-equilibrium (PPE; also called phytochrome photostationary state, PSS) has been used to explain shade avoidance responses in both natural and controlled environments. PPE is commonly estimated using measurements of the spectral photon distribution (SPD) above the canopy and photoconversion coefficients. This approach has effectively predicted morphological responses when only red and far-red (FR) photon fluxes have varied, but controlled environment research often utilizes unique ratios of wavelengths so a more rigorous evaluation of the predictive ability of PPE on morphology is warranted. Estimations of PPE have rarely incorporated the optical effects of spectral distortion within a leaf caused by pigment absorbance and photon scattering. We studied stem elongation rate in the model plant cucumber under diverse spectral backgrounds over a range of one to 45% FR (total photon flux density, 400–750 nm, of 400 μmol m
–2 s–1 ) and found that PPE was not predictive when blue and green varied. Preferential absorption of red and blue photons by chlorophyll results in an SPD that is relatively enriched in green and FR at the phytochrome molecule within a cell. This can be described by spectral distortion functions for specific layers of a leaf. Multiplying the photoconversion coefficients by these distortion functions yields photoconversion weighting factors that predict phytochrome conversion at the site of photon perception within leaf tissue. Incorporating spectral distortion improved the predictive value of PPE when phytochrome was assumed to be homogeneously distributed within the whole leaf. In a supporting study, the herbicide norflurazon was used to remove chlorophyll in seedlings. Using distortion functions unique to either green or white cotyledons, we came to the same conclusions as with whole plants in the longer-term study. Leaves of most species have similar spectral absorbance so this approach for predicting PPE should be broadly applicable. We provide a table of the photoconversion weighting factors. Our analysis indicates that the simple, intuitive ratio of FR (700–750 nm) to total photon flux (far-red fraction) is also a reliable predictor of morphological responses like stem length. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Comparative Floral Development of Mir-Grown and Ethylene-Treated, Earth-Grown Super Dwarf Wheat
- Author
-
Campbell, William F, Salisbury, Frank B, Bugbee, Bruce, Klassen, Steven, Naegle, Erin, Strickland, Darren T, Bingham, Gail E, Levinskikh, Margarita, Iljina, Galena M, and Veselova, Tatjana D
- Subjects
Life Sciences (General) - Abstract
To study plant growth in microgravity, we grew Super Dwarf wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in the Svet growth chamber onboard the orbiting Russian space station, Mir, and in identical ground control units at the Institute of BioMedical Problems in Moscow, Russia. Seedling emergence was 56% and 73% in the two root-module compartments on Mir and 75% and 90% on Earth. Growth was vigorous (produced ca. 1 kg dry mass), and individual plants produced 5 to 8 tillers on Mir compared with 3 to 5 on Earth-grown controls. Upon harvest in space and return to Earth, however, all inflorescences of the flight-grown plants were sterile. To ascertain if Super Dwarf wheat responded to the 1.1 to 1.7 micromol/mol atmospheric levels of ethylene measured on the Mir prior to and during flowering, plants on earth were exposed to 0, 1, 3, 10, and 20 micromol/mol of ethylene gas and 1200 micromol/mol CO2 from 7d after emergence to maturity. As in our Mir wheat, plant height, awn length, and the flag leaf were significantly shorter in the ethylene-exposed plants than in controls; inflorescences also exhibited 100% sterility. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) examination of florets from Mir-grown and ethylene-treated, earth-grown plants showed that development ceased prior to anthesis, and the anthers did not dehisce. Laser scanning confocal microscopic (LSCM) examination of pollen grains from Mir and ethylene-treated plants on earth exhibited zero, one, and occasionally two, but rarely three nuclei; pollen produced in the absence of ethylene was always trinucleate, the normal condition. The scarcity of trinucleate pollen, abrupt cessation of floret development prior to anthesis, and excess tillering in wheat plants on Mir and in ethylene-containing atmospheres on earth build a strong case for the ethylene on Mir as the agent for the induced male sterility and other symptoms, rather than microgravity.
- Published
- 2001
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Cannabis lighting: Decreasing blue photon fraction increases yield but efficacy is more important for cost effective production of cannabinoids.
- Author
-
Westmoreland, F. Mitchell, Kusuma, Paul, and Bugbee, Bruce
- Subjects
CANNABINOIDS ,INDUSTRIAL costs ,PHOTON flux ,SECONDARY metabolism - Abstract
LED technology facilitates a range of spectral quality, which can be used to optimize photosynthesis, plant shape and secondary metabolism. We conducted three studies to investigate the effect of blue photon fraction on yield and quality of medical hemp. Conditions were varied among studies to evaluate potential interactions with environment, but all environmental conditions other than the blue photon fraction were maintained constant among the five-chambers in each study. The photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD, 400 to 700 nm) was rigorously maintained at the set point among treatments in each study by raising the fixtures. The lowest fraction of blue photons was 4% from HPS, and increased to 9.8, 10.4, 16, and 20% from LEDs. There was a consistent, linear, 12% decrease in yield in each study as the fraction of blue photons increased from 4 to 20%. Dry flower yield ranged from 500 to 750 g m
-2 . This resulted in a photon conversion efficacy of 0.22 to 0.36 grams dry flower mass yield per mole of photons. Yield was higher at a PPFD of 900 than at 750 μmol m-2 s-1 . There was no effect of spectral quality on CBD or THC concentration. CBD and THC were 8% and 0.3% at harvest in trials one and two, and 12% and 0.5% in trial three. The CBD/THC ratio was about 25 to 1 in all treatments and studies. The efficacy of the fixtures ranged from 1.7 (HPS) to 2.5 μmol per joule (white+red LED). Yield under the white+red LED fixture (10.4% blue) was 4.6% lower than the HPS on a per unit area basis, but was 27% higher on a per dollar of electricity basis. These findings suggest that fixture efficacy and initial cost of the fixture are more important for return on investment than spectral distribution at high photon flux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
Catalog
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.