I've heard comments like these from people working in crop production facilities but not directly involved in the growing of the crop. Whilst growing may seem straightforward in theory, successful crop production, whether in vertical farming or in a traditional glasshouse, largely depends on the growers deep understanding on how each element influences the others. Traditionally, this knowledge comes from years of experience with the crop, but an understanding of all the growing parameters will certainly help.
Temperature, humidity, airflow, nutrition, light, irrigation and nutrition are all intrinsically linked and even a slight imbalance can have a significant impact on crop performance. For example, if humidity gets too low, plants do not transpire efficiently leading to a reduction in nutrient uptake. Over irrigation on the other hand can lead to waterlogged conditions, a decrease of oxygen in the rootzone and an increase in humidity. Plants are often anthropomorphised by experts to explain their behaviours or needs through analogical reasoning. However plants are very sophisticated in their needs and an equally sophisticated approach is needed to have successful crop production. You can fool a person, but you cannot fool a plant!
Vertical farms have sophisticated technology to control every aspect of the plant’s lifecycle, however without a deep understanding of what the plant requires and at what stage the technology becomes ineffective. For the technology to be effective the grower must continuously observe the plants, analyse all interconnected data, adjust the parameters accordingly, and most importantly, maintain a close and intuitive presence with the cultivation process.
Here are some of the key crop production challenges in vertical farming:
Airflow – Correct airflow is an important factor to achieve uniform growth. Inadequate airflow can lead to uneven distribution of moisture and CO2, and an increased risk of fungal disease which can cause stunted growth in certain areas around the farm. Furthermore, poor airflow is a well-known culprit behind inner tip burn in crops like lettuce. Research has shown that improving air circulation and disrupting the microclimate around the plant can significantly reduce—or even eliminate—this issue, safeguarding crop quality and yield. An analysis of airflow can pinpoint areas that require improvement.
Irrigation – Delivering the right amount of water and nutrition to the plants is key to an optimal irrigation strategy. Over - irrigation can lead to problems such as a waterlogged rootzone while under irrigation can lead to plants drying out and localised build-up of nutrients, both scenarios negatively impacting crop performance. Continuous monitoring of crops, irrigation run-off, and rootzone dynamics, combined with data-driven analysis and strategic adjustments, is key to refining and optimising irrigation strategies for maximum efficiency and crop performance.
Nutrition – The management of nutrients is a complex part of growing in soil less systems the plants depend on a tailored recipe with a targeted pH and EC to push growth. Imbalances and build-ups can impact crop performance. A tailored nutrition strategy that considers the unique growing environment and system can significantly improve crop performance and resource efficiency. In hydroponics, nutrient deficiencies are rare, but achieving complete optimisation of nutrition throughout the crop cycle presents an equally significant challenge—one that is critical for unlocking the crop’s full performance potential.
Light – In vertical farming the understanding of the plant’s requirement for light intensity, duration and timing is essential to optimise crop performance. Similarly, the light spectrum such as red for flowering and blue for leaf growth is equally important. Each strategy will be informed by plant type, stage of growth and specific plant requirements. A review of lighting strategy considering the specific crop and all other environmental factors will be beneficial in improving crop performance. A meticulous analysis of the relationship between wattage and yield can unlock significant opportunities to enhance both crop performance and profitability, driving smarter energy use and maximising returns.
Hydronomy services empower vertical farms to excel by addressing critical challenges in climate management, irrigation, and nutrition strategies—all while accounting for the complex interplay of environmental factors unique to your operation. Our expert team delivers tailored solutions designed to enhance crop performance and productivity. To support your ongoing success, we also develop intuitive, data-driven tools that enable growers to make informed, confident decisions in real time. With Hydronomy by your side, your farm will thrive with precision and innovation.
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