Plant Science
LESA’s research in Plant Science is focused on optimizing and regulating plant growth through remote sensing of plant signals and stressers to automate the spatial, spectral and temporal characteristics of the growth environment – process known as cyberphysical farming. Through controlled environmental agrilculture (CEA), plant physiology can be altered to increase growth rates, nutritional value or crop yield, among others.
LESA’s current focus is primarily on creating specific light recipes that increease biomass, plant pigmentation, photochemistry andother physiological effects plants undergo when there are specific changes in lighting conditions. The fundamental research includes lighting automation for photosynthetic organisms; integration of advanced plant-fluorescence sensing techniques; tunable and dynamic lighting schemas; and implementing control algorithms for various ambient lighting conditions.
The Tunable Irradiant Growth Efficacy Research (TIGER) Light is just one example of the dynamic tools being engineered at LESA used to address future farming needs.
The regulation of light in plants can create beneficial biochemical pathways that are instrumental components for receiving biological feedback necessary for cyberphysical farming.
Illuminating Engineering Society
LESA Education Showcase
Plant Science – Precise Wavelength Tuning for Optimal Growth
Plant Science – Growth for the Future
