Controlled Environment Horticulture

Question 1

Controlled Environment Agriculture includes

Answer 1

integrates science and engineering based approaches
involves growing crops under managed environments
improves productivity and optimizes resource use

Question 2

CEA’s role in ‘local food movement’

Answer 2

freshness
safety
improves local economy 
produce more in less area
year-round availability of unique varieties 
knowing where your food is from

Question 3

Commonly grown vegetables in CEA

Answer 3

lettuce
basil
spinach
microgreens
tomatoes
peppers
melons
sweet corn

Question 4

CEA includes multiple platforms

Answer 4

high tunnels
greenhouses
vertical farms

Question 5

Vertical Farming Benefits

Answer 5

more is produced in less space
positive impact on environment
-low water use (80%-90% reduction)
-less pollution from reduced pesticides and fertilizer runoff
-reduced soil erosion
human welfare
-focus is on nutritious and high value crops like vegetables, greens, and herbs
-increase in locally produced vegetables leading to increased consumption
-access to fresh vegetables
impacts large population
-urban farms provide employment in local communities
-small business model, opportunities for unemployed youth
-produce is sold locally reduces the need for middlemen, can lower price for consumer

Question 6

Floriculture includes broad range of crops

Answer 6

bedding plants
cut flowers
potted plants
perennials 
foliage tropicals 
succulents

Question 7

Whole-sale value by crop in the US

Answer 7

annual bedding/garden plants
potted flowering plants
foliage plants, indoor/patio use
herbacious perennials

california and florida rank as top two states

Question 8

Benefit of supplemental lighting

Answer 8

produce plants year round

Question 9

CEA challenges

Answer 9

unknown crop x growth-environment interactions, much research needed for optimizing production
greater production costs per unit area than outdoor agriculture, resource optimization and automation is key
increased dependence on fossil fuels for electricity, alternate renewable sources of energy are sought
lack of established marketing channels for selling produce
lack of educators at the grass root level, grower training through effective extension is needed