ChronoTherm Sensor Technology to Support Chronoculture

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Rising energy prices, the effects of climate change and the Ukrainian conflict have led to food shortages that highlight poor resilience in the food system. Increasing domestic food production year-round, could improve food security, stabilise prices and reduce emissions. Vertical farms can operate continuously to secure supply and keep shelves stocked. Falling capital/operating costs resulting from the development of efficient LEDs underpin progress for this form of farming.UK Growers are always looking for ways to increase product quality and quantity. By improving total photosynthesis under 24/7 lighting, we will shorten time to harvest, reduce inputs and increase farm profitability. However, many crops need a period of darkness because plants have evolved to respond to the Earth's day-night cycle. In fact, plants have internal 24 hour 'circadian' clocks that allow them to anticipate daily activities (e.g. photosynthesis) in advance of an external change (e.g. dawn).The University of Cambridge has pioneered work on plant circadian clocks and has proposed solutions to improve yield and sustainability by harmonising lighting control with the plant's internal clock. This project will extend previous work carried out by the University and Vertical Future where it was found that varying light intensity during the day could increase yield and reduce energy use.We want to measure plant responses to light directly. Cambridge University developed a research tool called ChronoMeasure that senses leaf temperature (which is directly related to incoming light) to monitor circadian rhythms in real time using thermocouples. The consortium has since progressed to a thermal camera system called ChronoTherm which generates research insights into the role of lighting in resetting the circadian clock. We will improve the device's Technology Readiness Level so it will be ready for integration into Vertical Future's DIANA Farm Management System delivering real-time plant-centric control of the farm environment. As such, ChronoTherm will be market-leading with significant barriers to entry for competitors.The final activity of the project is to publicise the results of these projects to the benefit of UK vertical farmers. Published data on ideal crop conditions in vertical farms remain limited and our insights will significantly improve productivity in the horticultural sector.Overall, the combination of novel lighting 'recipes' and ChronoTherm research are expected to generate a step-change in vertical farm automation. We expect to see higher productivity, better sustainability and year-round access to healthy, inexpensive food for UK consumers.