BOKU - Universität für Bodenkultur Wien - Forschungsinformationssystem
Gewählte Publikation:
Graf, M; Stangl, R; Hood-Nowotny, R; Kodym, A.
(2020):
Urban farming in indoor settings: Nitrate limits compliance check of leafy green vegetables under LED lighting
EUR J HORTIC SCI. 2020; 85(5): 321-328.
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- Abstract:
- In urban farming, the cultivation of leafy vegetables hydroponically under artificial light in indoor settings offers the possibility of decentralized food production. For food safety, the European Commission issued a regulation "EU N01258/2011" to stipulate the maximum levels for nitrate in food. We conducted this study to determine, whether leafy vegetables grown in indoor settings can comply these nitrate limits. The air temperature, relative humidity and light intensities for all treatments were maintained at 23 +/- 2 degrees C, 45 +/- 10% and 120 +/- 10 mu mol m(-2) s(-1) at a photoperiod of 16 hours, with two different light spectra: red-blue (RB) vs. red-green-blue (RGB). Fresh food biomass, nitrate, nitrogen and SPAD readings of three different leafy vegetables (cabbage, pak choi, and rocket) were analyzed. The nitrate limits were met by all species, but are high compared to plants traditionally soil cultivated. Furthermore, a significantly reduced nitrate accumulation was found for the species rocket under the RGB treatment compared to the RB. This study proposes the integration of green light to red and blue in urban indoor farming, as a strategy to reduce the nitrate content of selected vegetables and to improve food quality and make it consumer-friendly.
- Autor*innen der BOKU Wien:
- Gräf Michael
- Hood-Nowotny Rebecca
- Stangl Rosemarie
- Find related publications in this database (Keywords)
- artificial light
- hydroponic
- indoor farming
- nitrate accumulation
- soil-less
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