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Agronomy
Special Issues
Towards Sustainability of Controlled Environment Agriculture: Vertical Farms vs. Greenhouses
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Towards Sustainability of Controlled Environment Agriculture: Vertical Farms vs. Greenhouses

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Horticultural and Floricultural Crops".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2024 | Viewed by 560

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Shumei Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Agricultural Engineering in Structure and Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: greenhouse materials and environment; Chinese solar greenhouse structure; energy-efficient technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Weitang Song

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Agricultural Engineering in Structure and Environment, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, China
Interests: facility mechanization equipment engineering; facility gardening environmental engineering; soilless cultivation technology and equipment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the modern day, the escalating demand for food and agricultural products necessitates innovative solutions through controlled environment agriculture. This Special Issue is dedicated to exploring the sustainability aspects of controlled environment agriculture, specifically focusing on the benefits and potential enhancements of vertical farming and greenhouses within sustainable agriculture frameworks. It will examine the role and impact of low-carbon, energy-efficient technologies in crop production systems, including next-generation energy management, waste heat recovery, and solar energy applications. Additionally, it will delve into the application of automation systems, robotics, and intelligent equipment in planting, harvesting, and processing processes, along with advancements in infrastructure design, including materials for covering and shading. Moreover, the Issue will cover the significance of intelligent data capture, environmental management, and the refinement of control strategies within these production systems, particularly highlighting the latest developments in LED lighting technology, smart irrigation systems, and integrated water and nutrient management.

We invite original research articles addressing these topics, which should illuminate theoretical approaches, technological and equipment innovations, empirical studies, and models of the physical and/or biological processes involved, along with interdisciplinary insights. Reviews that delve into the latest technological advancements within this domain are also within the scope of this Issue.

Dr. Shumei Zhao
Dr. Weitang Song
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • vertical farms
  • greenhouses
  • sustainability
  • intelligent agriculture
  • low-carbon technologies
  • facility management

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 3378 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Effectiveness of Reflective and Diffusive Polyethylene Films as Greenhouse Covers in Arid Environments
by Abdullah A. Al-Madani, Ibrahim M. Al-Helal and Abdullah A. Alsadon
Agronomy 2024, 14(5), 1082; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14051082 - 20 May 2024
Viewed by 399
Abstract
The application of diffusive and reflective polyethylene (PE) films as greenhouse coverings in arid climates presents an opportunity to improve the microclimate of the greenhouse and achieve consistent light distribution within the crop canopy. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of understanding regarding [...] Read more.
The application of diffusive and reflective polyethylene (PE) films as greenhouse coverings in arid climates presents an opportunity to improve the microclimate of the greenhouse and achieve consistent light distribution within the crop canopy. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the properties of these covers and their impact on the microclimate and the growth parameters of crops. This study aimed to assess the impact of different covers on the diffusion of beam radiation during transmission, microclimatic parameters, and growth parameters of cucumbers in each of the greenhouses they covered. In the study, three PE covers were evaluated: a reflective cover (RC), a diffusive film (DC), and a locally produced cover (LPC) as the control treatment. The covers were installed on three identical, single-span, evaporatively cooled greenhouses named GH1/LPC, GH2/RC, and GH3/DC, which were utilized for cultivating cucumber crops. The results indicated that the diffusive nature of the tested films increased the ratio of diffuse to global solar radiation (D/G) from 0.22 outside the greenhouses to 0.49, 0.42, and 0.41 inside GH1/LPC, GH3/DC, and GH2/RC, respectively. Similarly, the ratio of diffuse to direct beam radiation (D/B) showed an increase, with values of 0.95, 0.70, and 0.68 inside GH1/LPC, GH3/DC, and GH2/RC, respectively, compared to the outside value of 0.28. The DC used in GH3 showed a favorable microclimate by reducing the air temperature and improving the relative humidity. Accordingly, the vegetative growth of the cucumbers was significantly improved in GH3/DC, reflected in increases in their biomass, followed by GH2/RC and GH1/LPC. The highest crop yield (p ≤ 0.05) of 12.3 kg/m2 was achieved in GH3/DC, followed by 10.2 kg/m2 in GH2/RC and 10.1 kg/m2 in GH1/LPC. Interestingly, the LPC not only stood out as a low-cost option but also displayed excellent diffusive–radiative properties, and demonstrated reasonable growth development and productivity for the cucumber crops. Consequently, the LPC emerges as a practical and cost-effective greenhouse covering material for crop production in arid climates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Sustainability of Controlled Environment Agriculture: Vertical Farms vs. Greenhouses)
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