ASHS 2024 Conference

The development of GREENBOX technology addresses the challenges posed by rapid population growth, which intensifies the demand for agricultural resources essential for cultivating and distributing fresh produce, including arable land, water, and nutrients, to both rural and urban areas. Utilizing principles of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), GREENBOX technology optimizes growth conditions for leafy green crops by leveraging existing urban infrastructure and readily available commercial equipment. GREENBOX technology allows for precise control over environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, light intensity/spectrum, and nutrient delivery, thereby enhancing the growth performance of leafy greens. We were interested in assessing the feasibility of utilizing reclaimed water for crop production as preliminary experiments employing GREENBOX technology that employed a standard nutrient solution comprising a blend of 5-12-26 and 15-0-0 Calcium Nitrate for crop production. This study's primary objective was to conduct a comparative analysis of Lactuca sativa Rex Butterhead Lettuce production using the standard nutrient solution as the control (Treatment 1), and Reclaimed water or treated wastewater supplemented with additional nutrients (Treatment 2). The assessment focused on measuring crop biomass and productivity and environmental conditions associated with each nutrient solution to identify any significant differences. Biomass parameters, including wet weight, dry weight, leaf area, leaf count, and chlorophyll concentration, were measured alongside derived data such as Leaf Area Index (LAI), Specific Leaf Area (SLA), and biomass productivity. Statistical analysis of the biomass data was conducted to discern differences in biomass parameters between crop growth using both hydroponic solutions. Both treatments yielded Rex Butterhead lettuce well above the anticipated harvest weight of 180g, indicating their suitability for crop production in urban warehouse settings. The findings of this experiment contribute valuable insights into the feasibility of utilizing various types of wastewater for hydroponic crop growth. Future experiments employing GREENBOX technology may utilize these findings to enhance the efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of GREENBOX units. This study has impactful implications for sustainability, as it offers a potential solution to mitigate water scarcity and promote efficient resource utilization in agricultural practices. Keywords: CEA, Hydroponics, lettuce, Reclaimed Wastewater, urban agriculture