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Modeling Bibb Lettuce Nitrogen Uptake and Biomass Productivity in Vertical Hydroponic Agriculture

Author

Listed:
  • Andrew Sharkey

    (School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA)

  • Asher Altman

    (School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
    Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA)

  • Abigail R. Cohen

    (School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA)

  • Teagan Groh

    (School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA)

  • Thomas K. S. Igou

    (School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA)

  • Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi

    (Department of Horticulture, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

  • Yongsheng Chen

    (School of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA)

Abstract

Global fertilizer production and mismanagement significantly contribute to many harmful environmental impacts, revealing the need for a greater understanding of crop growth and nutrient uptake, which can be used to optimize fertilizer management. This study experimentally adapts first-principles microbial modeling techniques to the hydroponic cultivation of Bibb lettuce ( Lactuca sativa ) under nitrogen-limited conditions. Monod and Michaelis–Menten’s approaches are applied to predict biomass productivity and nutrient uptake and to evaluate the feasibility of reclaimed wastewater as a nutrient source of nitrogen. Experimental and modeling results reveal significantly different kinetic saturation constants ( K s = 1.331 and K m = 17.887 mg L −1 ) and a corresponding cell yield strongly dependent on nutrient concentration, producing visually and compositionally distinct tissue between treatments receiving ≤ 26.2 and ≥ 41.7 m g N L −1 . The resulting Monod model overestimates dry mass predictions during low nutrient conditions, and the collective results support the development of a dynamic Monod curve that is temporally dependent during the plants’ lifecycle. Despite this shortcoming, these results support the feasibility of reclaiming nitrogen from wastewater in hydroponic agriculture, expecting to produce lesser biomass lettuce exhibiting healthy tissue. Furthermore, this study provides a mathematical foundation for agricultural simulations and nutrient management.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrew Sharkey & Asher Altman & Abigail R. Cohen & Teagan Groh & Thomas K. S. Igou & Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi & Yongsheng Chen, 2024. "Modeling Bibb Lettuce Nitrogen Uptake and Biomass Productivity in Vertical Hydroponic Agriculture," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-22, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:14:y:2024:i:8:p:1358-:d:1456072
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dawson, C.J. & Hilton, J., 2011. "Fertiliser availability in a resource-limited world: Production and recycling of nitrogen and phosphorus," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(Supplemen), pages 14-22, January.
    2. Jean Pierre Enriquez, 2020. "Food Self-Sufficiency - Opportunities and Challenges for the Current Food System," Biomedical Journal of Scientific & Technical Research, Biomedical Research Network+, LLC, vol. 31(2), pages 23984-23989, October.
    3. Wen-Wei Li & Han-Qing Yu & Bruce E. Rittmann, 2015. "Chemistry: Reuse water pollutants," Nature, Nature, vol. 528(7580), pages 29-31, December.
    4. Dawson, C.J. & Hilton, J., 2011. "Fertiliser availability in a resource-limited world: Production and recycling of nitrogen and phosphorus," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(S1), pages 14-22.
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