Research on a closed transplant production factory for practical use

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Our research showed that the closed transplant production system with artificial light and controlled environments is suitable for commercially producing high quality transplants in a reduced time period with reduced resource and environmental pollution. The production period could be reduced by 30 % compared with the production period in the conventional, open production system (i.e. greenhouse). The water consumption in the closed system was about 10 % of that of the open transplant production system. Percentage of CO_2 fixed by transplants through photosynthesis over CO_2 supplied into the closed system was about 90 %. Energy consumption per transplant was about 0.4 MJ and its cost was about 1.5 Yen. This cost is relatively low compared with the price of vegetable transplants (50-100 Yen). Then, the closed system with artificial lighting can be used for commercial production of value-added transplants. More research is needed for examining the physiological responses of transplants to environments and the energy/mass balance of the closed system