Australian scientists use LEDs to increase crop production

Australian researchers have demonstrated a new technique for "rapid propagation" of common crops. Their method, which produces far more food per unit area than conventional farming, relies on specially calibrated LEDs that beam light onto crops at specific frequencies to speed up plant growth.

Using this method, the researchers were able to grow six generations of wheat, chickpea and barley and four generations of canola plants in one year. Typically, farmers in the fields grow only one crop of each crop. Yields are surprisingly high even when compared to crops produced for two or three generations in a glasshouse environment.

This means that it is possible to produce 6 times more crops than an open field and 3 times more than a typical greenhouse on the same unit area. The researchers report in the journal Nature Plants.

The population of the planet is expected to soar to 10 billion by 2050. At the same time, the demand for protein-rich foods (i.e. meat) is increasing due to the improvement of living standards in developing countries. The problem is that the amount of arable land at our disposal will increase only slightly, which can only mean that we need to increase food production if we want to feed the world.

Genetically modified crops, which are more resistant to pests and deliver more nutrients per unit area, are one solution. Artificially developed foods (like lab-grown burgers) may also play a role. But the truth is, we need all the help, and "rapid breeding" looks tempting right now.

"Rapid breeding" was first explored by NASA more than a decade ago as a means of increasing food production during space missions, where efficiency is paramount and every ounce of square footage counts. Calculate. Now, scientists at the University of Sydney, the University of Queensland and the John Innes Center are continuing the project, picking up where NASA left off.

Their setup includes specially designed adjustable LEDs that emit light in the far-infrared spectrum and high-intensity light for up to 22 hours a day to enhance photosynthesis.

Lee Hickey, a researcher at the University of Queensland, said: "In greenhouses we currently use high-pressure sodium lamps, which are quite expensive in terms of power requirements. In our paper, we demonstrate that wheat and barley can grow at a density of about 900 plants per square meter growth, and thus in combination with LED lighting systems, this presents an exciting opportunity for scaling up to industrial applications.

Yields are certainly impressive, but the real surprise to the researchers was the quality of the crop. This fast-growing plant often has a noticeable downside, causing the plant to look weak. But Australian researchers have grown crops that are not only more productive, but also look better and healthier than those grown under standard conditions.

"People will say you can grow plants very quickly, but they look small and insignificant. In fact, the new technique produces plants that look better and are healthier than those grown under standard conditions." A colleague looked at it for the first time when it came to the results, I couldn't believe it," explains Dr Brande Wulff from the John Innes Center and lead author of the paper.