Horticultural production units to optimize the continuous production of plant biomass
The FEDER Optibiomass project carried out in the Laboratory of Integrated and Urban Phytopathology of Professor Haïssam Jijakli equips his laboratory with two 30 m2 horticultural production units for an optimized and continuous production of plant biomass oriented towards molecules of pharmaceutical interest.
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he Optibiomass project focuses on optimizing the continuous production of plant biomass oriented towards molecules of pharmaceutical interest by acting on the biotic and abiotic factors of the crop. Three main objectives emerge from the research project:
- Acquire expertise in the construction and management of ready-to-use, self-sustaining horticultural production units for the continuous production of high value-added plant biomass;
- Develop strategies for optimal management of the plant production cycle;
- Establish the specifications defining the technical specifications for large-scale production.
The aim is to test different crop parameters within a plant plant in order to determine the combination of conditions best suited to each specific crop. Two horticultural production units have been acquired and are equipped with hydroponic cultivation devices such as ebb and flow and deep water culture, CO2 concentration, temperature, relative humidity and lighting (LED) management. The implementation of these units and the variation of the values of the various parameters is in progress in order to scientifically establish a comparison of the benefits and disadvantages of the various production conditions. Hydroponic substrates and nutrient solutions are also modular.
A sensor network is distributed in the horticultural production areas and the generated data is centralized on a computer server. An alarm system detects more than 40 critical situations for the crop, which gives an overview of the environmental parameters and the corrective actions to be taken to minimize the loss of plant biomass in the event of a dysfunction in the horticultural production system.
