(培訓課程)Five-day Introductory Training Course on Plant Factory with Artificial Lighting (PFAL)

Class Unit

Topics

General

Current global situation

Plant factory with artificial lighting (PFAL) in the world

Current PFALs

Current cultivation systems and protocols, characteristic of LEDs, issues to be solved and/or improved

Meanings of basic technical terms for understanding the lectures

Units of photon (mol) and energy (J or kWh), photosynthetic photon efficacy of LEDs, PPFD (photosynthetic photon flux density), EC (electric conductivity), VPD (vapor pressure deficit), net photosynthetic and transpiration rates, etc.

Environment and sanitary control units

Layout and functions of facilities in cultivation room, environment and sanitary control units, improvement of light energy use efficiency and light distribution

Environmental effects on plant

physiology and

growth 

Photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration of plants

Basics of photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration, effects of environmental factors on photosynthesis, etc.

Light environment and plant growth

Effect of light environment on plant growth and quality of produce

Nutrient solution in hydroponics

Plant nutrition related with nutrient and water uptake

Uptake of nutrient and water, and transpiration

functions of water and nutrition in plants, physiological disorders and avoidance methods

Basis of hydroponic cultivation

Nutrient solution composition and management,　

typical physiological disorders such as tip burn

Cultivation production

Cultivation management　(seeding to precooling)

Seeding, transplanting, harvesting, post-harvest processing, pre-cooling

Forthcoming technologies

Phenotyping, artificial intelligence, time shift lighting, automation/robots, renewable energy use, breeding of plants suited to PFALs

Business

Starting PFAL/vertical farming business

For sustainable PFAL business, reduction of running costs, production of high value plants, marketing and creation of business model

Activities at Chiba University and JPFA

Onsite tour

Kashiwanoha Campus, Chiba University

Q&A Session

Excursion

Commercial PFAL tour

(Field trip to small, medium, and large-scale PFALs)