Determining Adaptability Factor in Modern Controlled Plant Production Systems

Abstract. Green energy strategies for sustainable development of controlled environment plant production systems (PPS) require accurate determination of interactions between climate parameters and growth responses. This research addresses the ability of an environment to adapt itself with different reference borders of temperature, relative humidity and vapor pressure deficit. A model was developed by defining a perfectly adaptive PPS as an environment in which actual growth responses are equal to the desired probabilities of successful production. Simulation was carried out for tomato by analyzing 11 days of data (March, 2014), collected from a Polycarbonate-panels covered greenhouse with evaporative cooling system, and an insect-proof net screen covered environment. Averaged values of adaptability factor for each case at different growth stages of tomato were observed between 70% and 78%, with maximum values over 95% in some days. Similar data analysis from a Polyethylene covered greenhouse without climate control was also carried out for comparison purposes.