Patent Application
20230157220
The present disclosure relates to growing plants. More specifically, it relates to methods and apparatuses for initiating a plant in preparation of its introduction into a vertical farm unit.
Year-round provision of fresh, ready to produce nursery stock of plants has been a problem due to various factors that may influence the growth of the plants. In artificial conditions, plants may be grown in vertical agriculture modules. However, growing the plants from seeds and other propagation materials in such vertical agriculture modules is not easy but laborious, time and space consuming, and conditions of nurturing plants at their initial stages of growth generally differ from the conditions of growing mature plants.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for growing plants, the apparatus comprising:
According to an embodiment, the cable system comprises gears and a chain, the deepest wheel being one of the gears.
According to an embodiment, there is further a controller configured to operate a motor for pulling the cable system along the outside perimeter surface.
According to an embodiment, the tray has tray wheels for moving independently of the first tower and the second tower, wherein the first tower and the second tower are immovable with respect to each other.
According to an embodiment, there is further a controller configured to control a depth of the contact of the at least one pod with the liquid located in the tray.
According to an embodiment, there is further provided:
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a plant growth monitoring system comprising:
According to another aspect of the invention, the distributors are configured to mix fertilizer components to produce the fertilizers.
According to another aspect of the invention, determining commands for a stage of growth of plants is based on pot identifications related to the plants and received by the controller.
According to another aspect of the invention, the controller is further configured to control the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system based on the stage of growth of the plants.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of initiating a plant in preparation of its introduction into a vertical farm unit, the method comprising:
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of initiating a plant in preparation of its introduction into a vertical farm unit, the method to be performed in a system comprising:
the method comprising:
According to an embodiment, there is further provided the step of, prior to planting the plant-ready sprouts, treating frozen and/or fresh sprouts with a treatment solution for an initial period of time in an isolated chamber to obtain the plant-ready sprouts.
According to an embodiment, adjusting the plant environmental conditions comprises temperature based on a temperature value determined by the controller.
According to an embodiment, adjusting the plant environmental conditions comprises adjusting lighting based on a spectrum and intensity determined by the controller.
According to an embodiment, adjusting the plant environmental conditions comprises adjusting humidity based on humidity value determined by the controller.
According to an embodiment, adjusting the plant environmental conditions comprises providing or adjust of providing fertilizers to the plants in an amount and type as determined by the controller.
According to an embodiment, there is further provided the step of distributing fertilizers in response to received commands from the controller.
According to an embodiment, the controller determines the plant environment conditions by using convolutional neural networks (CNN).
According to an embodiment, there is further provided the step of adjusting a pod revolving speed in response to received commands from the controller.
Further features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in combination with the appended drawings, in which:
It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings, like features are identified by like reference numerals.
Various aspects of the present disclosure generally address one or more of the problems of growing plants at the initial stages of their growth. The apparatus and a monitoring system as described herein provides a solution to a problem of growing plants year-round by addressing the main physiological requirements of the plants continuously during initial stages of the plant growth.
Referring now to the drawings,
The cable system 106 comprises a cable 110 and pulling wheels 112 (which may be also referred to as a “system of pulling wheels”) connected to a motor 114 schematically depicted in
Plant pods 200 may be organized in pod sets 220 which are attached to the cable system 106 such that the pod sets 220 are moved (displaced) along with the displacement of the cable 110 in the apparatus 100. Referring to
When the pod set 220 has reached the bottom of the second tower 102b, the bottom wheel 116b of the cable system 106 located on the second tower 102b leads the cable 110 and the pod set 220 attached thereto underneath the second tower 102b to a bottom section 130 of the apparatus 100. The bottom section 130 of the apparatus 100 hosts a portion of the cable 110 extended between two extreme sides 135a, 135b of the apparatus 100, and a tray 140.
Referring now to
The configuration of the apparatus 100 with two towers 102a, 102b permits all plants to be revolved and be exposed to the light and water evenly and periodically. The light is a combination of a daylight (sun light during the day) and a supplementary artificial light provided by a supplemental light system 252 (
In some embodiments, the plants are strawberry plants. The plants may be, for example: strawberry plug plants, bare root plants and strawberry seeds. The plants, when they are located and nurtured by the cradle 100 as described herein may also be sprouts of the plants or, in other terms, plants in their initial stage of growth following the seed stage, when growth of roots is important.
Sensors 315 may be, for example: light spectrometer, hyperspectral and thermal imaging cameras, photosynthesis and stomatal conductance meters, soilcamera-rootbox for high throughput root phenotyping, multispectral sensors for determining leaf nitrogen, mobile data acquisition platform for plant canopy measurements and treatments. The monitoring sensors 315 may also be, for example: environmental scanning sensors for air and substrate humidity, air speed, electric conductivity sensors, pH monitors, oxygen sensors, temperature sensors for air and substrate, drainage and irrigation water sensors, spore detectors, and air exchange counter.
In at least one embodiment, growth stages of the plants are characterized by measurement of any one or any combination of stomatal activation, leaf thermoregulation, carbon assimilation, cell elongation, resource allocation (such as, for example: estimated and/or measured surface or volume or mass of different plant parts such as leaves, stem, roots, flowers, fruit), respiration, guttation, root oxygenation, stress response, and by deep learning applied on the newly acquired data based on a training performed on past data.
The controller 310 is connected to distributors 320 which distribute various substances for growth of the plants. The distributors 320 are configured to provide, on demand as received from the controller 310, the following substances to the pods 200: microbial cultures, chemical or biological fertilizers, algal extracts, microbial fertilizers, biopesticides, beneficial insects/microbes and/or Plant Growth Promotion Rhizobacteria (PGPRs) that may be included either in the irrigation system for the pods 200 or may be delivered through tubing which transports water-based solution containing these substances, extending towards the plant location for dripping.
The controller 310 is also connected to a climate system 330 such as, for example, a CO2, heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) (illustrated as HVAC 330 in the drawings) for maintaining humidity in the air according to the physiological stage, air speed (for example, around 0.5 and 2 m/s), environment temperature, and lighting condition. For example, a vapor pressure deficit (VPD) in the HVAC 330 may be determined based on the following equation: VPD=LEAFSVP−(AIRSVP×AIR % RH), where RH is relative humidity, and LEAFSVP and AIRSVP is the sensor data of leaves and air, respectively. For example, the vapor pressure deficit may be approximately 5 g/m3 during light hours and approximately 0.5-1.0 g/m3 at dark. In at least one embodiment, the controller 310 is configured to control the HVAC based on the stage of growth of plants.
The apparatus 100 is connected to a supplemental light system 252 implemented, for example, with light-emitting diodes (LEDs), which may be, for example, LED based water-cooled lights. In addition, during the daylight, the apparatus 100 receives day light and sun light provided through transparent or semi-transparent roof and walls of the greenhouse building. The apparatus 100 may have a light sensor that is configured to determine current lighting (both spectrum and intensity), and regulate a supplemental lighting regime of the supplemental light system 252.
Based on the current conditions (current growth stage of the sprout, kind of the plant of the sprout), the controller 310 may consult the database 325 and determine optimal or advantageous conditions to be applied to the pods (and pots) for root growth of the sprouts.
The controller 310 is configured to request, receive and collect data periodically from the sensors 315 and thus monitor various parameters of the plants. Sensor data 316 from the sensors 315 is collected at each pre-determined data collection time period. For example, the controller 310 may receive and store the data in a database 325 after the expiry of a data collection period. For example, the data collection period may be several days, for example, 3 days.
By collecting the data, the controller 310 may receive information about the following parameters of the plants' physiological processes: Phyllochron development (for example, expressed as ° C. day{circumflex over ( )}−1 leaf{circumflex over ( )}−1, or in other terms, ° C. per day per leaf or (° C./(day×leaf))); root system development (total root length (cm), surface area (cm2) and root volume (cm3); leaf mineral content; petiole length, petiole color, leaf color, leaf form, leaf area index.
Collected sensor data 316 is analyzed, at the controller 310, for mean square errors followed by deep analysis using convolutional neural networks (CNN), Other agricultural artificial intelligence (AI) and plant intelligence (PI) based approaches may be used.
The controller 310 has a processor 322 and is connected to a database 325. The controller 310 has a software and a hardware that are configured to receive sensor data 316 from the sensors 315, store sensor data 316 and other data in the database 325, process the data to determine adjustments (requirements) which are then transmitted to climate system 330, supplemental light system 252, and the distributors 320.
The controller 310 considers growth stages of the growth cycle of the sprout. For each growth stage, the controller 310 determines the adjustments (requirements) that are then transmitted to the distributors 320 and to the supplemental light system 252 and climate system 330 and requests to adjust the plant environment conditions. The plant environment conditions may be, for example, light, temperature, humidity, watering, application of fertilizers, and speed of the revolving pods 200.
The controller 310 adjusts the operation of the supplemental light system 252 (both spectrum and intensity). The supplemental light system 252, which may be supplemental in comparison with daylight which may be transmitted into the area where the plants are grown (e.g., in a greenhouse inner area or the like) emits light with the spectrum and intensity adjusted to match the optimal spectrum and intensity determined and requested by the controller 310. The spectrum and intensity for the supplemental light system 252 is determined by the controller 310 based on a current growth stage of the sprout, kind of the plant of the sprout, in order to prioritize root growth in growing plants. Thus, the spectrum and intensity of the light emitted by the supplemental light system 252 varies in time, based on the requests transmitted by the controller 310.
The controller 310 also determines an appropriate temperature for the growth stage and appropriate humidity. In addition, the controller 310 determines advantageous temperature and humidity conditions for each kind or the variety of the sprout (i.e. the variety of the plant which is being nurtured), and, based on pot IDs 832 of the pots 830 located in a cradle 100, transmits requests to the climate system 330. The climate system 330 may be configured to maintain different conditions (such as temperature and humidity) for each cradle 100 located in the greenhouse building 801.
The distributors 320 provide various substances to the pods 200 based on the requests received from the controller 310. For example, one of the distributors 320 may be a liquid fertilizer distributor 320a which adds a fertilizer (for example, one of fertilizers described above) requested by the controller 310 to the liquid 145 that is located in the tray 140.
For example, the controller 310 may determine, for a specific growth stage, a nutrient recipe for the fertilizer having various fertilizer components, such as, for example: low nitrogen, low potassium and high calcium recipe (for example, pH 5.8 EC 0.8, 1.0 and 1.2 during first, second and third week). In some embodiments, the controller 310 determines that that a compost tea needs to be applied, microbe-based fertilizers, yeast, and/or algal extract. In addition, the controller 310 may determine that the substrate moisture needs to be maintained at 2-3 kPa during the day and ˜3-5 kPa during the dark. It should be understood that the fertilizer may have all or several or one of the fertilizer components described herein.
For example, the controller 310 may determine that, at a current growth stage, the plants need to be treated with one or more of the following fertilizer components which need to be distributed, and, in some embodiments, mixed by one or more distributors 320: vegetative nutrient media (vegetal mafter or substrate), along with algal extract, microbial fertilizer, PGPRs, mychorrizhae (80, 12, 5, 2.5 and 0.25%) as root treatment, Foliar treatment with 1% hydrogen peroxide, 2% seaweed extract, canola oil, microbes (Bacillus, Streptomyces, Trychoderma, Gliocladium and Beauveria species). For each growth stage, the controller 310 transmits to the distributors 320 a request to distribute, and, in some embodiments, mix the determined kind and quantity of each fertilizer component (treatment).
In some embodiments, all or some of the distributors 320 are configured to distribute the fertilizer(s) to the liquid 145 in the tray 140. In some embodiments, direct tubing may be used to provide the fertilizer(s) to the liquid (liquid drip) which drips into the pods 200. In at least one embodiment, the controller 310 is configured to receive the sensor data 316 from the sensors 315, to determine commands 318 based on the stage of growth of the plants as provided by the sensor data 316, and transmit the commands 318 to the distributors. The distributors 320 may be configured to mix the fertilizer components as provided by and in response to receiving command(s) 318 in order to produce the fertilizer(s).
The controller 310 also, depending on the growth stage of the plants, may transmit a request to an insect distributor 320b which may be one of distributors 320 which distributes insects that may improve the growth of the plants.
Upon appearing of the first open flowers of the plant in a pot 830, detected by one type of the sensors (e.g., camera), the controller 310 displays or otherwise makes noticeable a notification to the operator that the growth cycle of the sprout has ended and the plant in the pot 830 needs to be transported to the vertical agriculture module 870 (also referred to herein as a “vertical farm unit 870”). For example, the root colonization may be achieved in 14 days, followed by leaf growth. For example, the notification may be sent when a pre-determined number of leaves are grown (for example, 2 or 3 leaves). In another example, the notification may be sent when the first truss in a strawberry plant appears.
The heel(s) 515 improve placement of the container 510 on a shelf (not shown) by helping to maintain the bottom of the containers 510 and the top surface of the soil 512 at the angle to the ground when the containers are placed on the shelves (not shown) after the plants have been grown in the apparatus 100. The heel 515 may be a protrusion at the bottom of the container 510. The containers 510 are attached to the cable 110 via a container holder 532 and screw(s) 534.
A portion of the container 510 that is dipped in the liquid 145 is defined by a dipping depth 544, which is the distance between the lowest corner of the container 510 and the surface of the liquid 525. By controlling a liquid's depth 540 in the tray 140, the dipping depth 544 may be also controlled and adjusted by the controller 310.
Referring now to
It should be noted that a sprout 812 may also be referred to as a stalk. For example, for a strawberry plant, a sprout 812 may also be referred to as a stalk or a runner.
The chemical chamber 805 is located in the greenhouse building 801. After the sprouts 812 are placed in the chemical chamber 815, the chemical chamber 815 is hermetically isolated (airtight) from the environment outside of the first greenhouse building 801 and from the atmosphere inside the first greenhouse building 801. A treatment solution with cleaning chemicals is provided to the chemical chamber 815, such that the sprouts 812 are subjected, during a pre-determined chemical treatment time period (also referred to herein as an initial period of time), to these chemicals to kill insects and to kill any microbes that may cause development of diseases in sprouts and later in the plants. The chemicals used in the chemical chamber 815 may be, for example: Oxidate 2.0 hydrogen peroxide and peroxyacetic acid, Milstop potassium bicarbonate foliar fungicide, Actinovate™ SP fungicide Streptomyces lydicus strain WYEC108, OxiDate™ 2.0, hydrogen peroxide, Actinovate™ SP, Milstop, and/or RootShield™ Plus.
The sprouts 812 may also be subjected to differential humidity, temperature, oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen levels in order to disinfect/clean the sprouts 812.
For example, before and/or after exposing the sprouts 812 to chemicals, the sprouts 812 may be screened for infections to select the sprouts 812 for the next stage of the process.
After the sprouts 812 have been treated in the chemical chamber 815, the isolation between the chemical chamber 815 and the outside environment of the first greenhouse building 801 is opened and the chemicals are evacuated outside of the first greenhouse building 801 while observing the material safety requirements and time periods. The sprouts 812 are then transported from the chemical chamber 815 to a potting station 820 which is neighboring a soil/substrate distributor 825.
The soil/substrate distributor 825 (
Each sprout 812 is positioned inside a pot 830 and soil is added to the pot 830 by the soil distributor 825. The pots 830 are then transported, by a conveyor 835 to cradles 100, Cradles 100 are located in the first greenhouse building 801.
For example, as illustrated in
The containers 510 are then placed into the plant pod 200 as discussed above and depicted in
Referring again to
The daytime conditions and nighttime conditions as referred to herein are determined by lighting (spectrum and intensity), temperature and humidity. The daytime refers to a 12-hour period that would be between approximately the sunrise and sunset. The nighttime refers to a 12-hour period that would correspond to a time period between approximately the sunset and sunrise. The daytime and nighttime conditions arranged in the greenhouse for the sprouts located in the cradles 100 are simulated based on determination, using deep learning methods, of advantageous growth conditions for roots of the sprouts 812. The duration of the daylight condition may vary to reflect the natural variation, but the overall energy is likely to be approximately the same over that period, such that stretching the daily daylight duration spreads the energy over time and the addition of energy consumption at a given time by the 2 different alternate rooms is mostly constant over time during a given 24-hour period.
Referring also to
Referring again to
The controller 310 optimizes the plant environment conditions. The plant environment conditions are, for example, lighting, temperature, humidity, fertilizers. The plant environment conditions are adjusted by the controller 310 as a function of time and growth stage of the sprout/plant, in order to prioritize growth of roots of the plants from the sprouts. Only after the root system has been developed, the plant environment conditions may be adjusted to prioritize growth of the leaves.
In some embodiments, the monitoring system 300 may have root sensors (for example, installed at the bottom of the pot 830 or inside the pod 200) configured to determine whether the roots of the plant have sufficiently grown. Alternatively, an operator may mechanically check bottoms of each pot 830 (or container 510) to visually determine whether the roots have grown enough to place the pot 830 or the container 510 or the whole corresponding pod 200 to a vertical agriculture module 870 (illustrated in
The vertical agriculture module 870 is configured for the plants that already have grown roots and leaves. The grown plant conditions (such as temperature, humidity, fertilizers, etc.) inside the vertical agriculture module 870 is different from the conditions (such as temperature, humidity, fertilizers, etc.) provided for the cradles 100.
In at least one embodiment, the first greenhouse building 801 may also comprise a first greenhouse section 881, and the second greenhouse building 802 may also comprise a second greenhouse section 882.
Elements in the environment may be optimized to ensure proper material flow of the plants and equipment, in view of the rotation of the plants in and out of the vertical agriculture module 870. For example, dedicated paths of transport may be installed inside the facility (first greenhouse building 801 and/or greenhouse buildings 802). Machinery may be used to put soil or grow substrate in the pot 830 to receive the unfrozen plant. Additional conveyors (such as, and in addition to the conveyor 835) may be used to bring a volume of plants in pots toward the cradles, where a rack, which may have wheels in rails, and with an inclined surface thereon, may be used to receive pots from the conveyor for rapid redistribution onto the cradles 100. A similar path may be used for removal from the cradles 100 and displacement and introduction of the pods 200 and/or containers 510 into the vertical agriculture module 870.
Referring again to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring now to
The present application claims priority to or benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/281,350, filed Nov. 19, 2021, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63281350 | Nov 2021 | US |
