Wageningen Research: Assessing the Role of Vertical Farming in Accelerating the Global Protein Transition

Vertical Farming Protein Crops | Vegconomist |

Isabella Righini and Luuk Graamans © Wageningen University & Research

In this interview, we discuss with Isabella Righini and Luuk Graamans, researchers in Greenhouse Horticulture at Wageningen University & Research, the role of vertical farming in advancing the global protein transition.

Graamans and Righini shed light on promising technological advancements that may soon allow precise control of protein levels in crops. This forward-looking conversation unveils how vertical farming could support protein production to meet future global demands sustainably.

You investigated the production of protein-rich crops in your Vertical Farm. Why is it important to prioritize protein-rich crops?
Consumers are focusing evermore on new sources of protein, to transition away from meat and dairy consumption. Key motivators for this transition are the diversification of diet and the reduction of the environmental impact associated with food production.

The trend towards a protein transition appears to be most prevalent in Western societies with developed economies.

Legumes such as peas and faba beans have been cultivated as protein crops in the open field in Europe for thousands of years. However, due to climatic conditions, production in Northern Europe is often limited to a few months per year and faces many challenges such as inconsistent weather, and vulnerability to pests and diseases, which lead to inconsistent yields and reduced quality.

We wanted to investigate whether it would be possible to produce these crops locally and optimise production to further reduce their environmental impact. The key research challenge was that there was very little knowledge on steering the crop, to optimise production for total crop yield and the protein concentration of the crop.

Out of all available legumes, we focused on edamame because of its high protein content, superior protein quality and various applications as a fresh product.

How do you see vertical farming contributing to the global protein transition, and what are its potential advantages over traditional farming methods in this context? Can you elaborate on the specific advantages of growing soybeans in vertical farms?

The vertical farm should primarily be used as a research tool to investigate the production of high-protein crops, and not as a production system per se. Our research is aimed to inform edamame production in the open field or in greenhouses.

In our studies, we aimed to modernise protein-crop production by utilizing modern production systems that can precisely control the root zone and aerial climate (also known as Controlled Environment Agriculture or CEA). Greenhouses and vertical farms allow for precise control and analysis of growing conditions, in turn increasing productivity and predictability of yield and quality. Additionally, these systems can extend the growing season, enabling off-season or year-round production.

Vertical farms are superlative when it comes to CEA; they are closed systems where we are able to control every aspect of the production climate and precisely determine the resources required for production. Hence, we used the vertical farm as a research tool. We optimised for resource use (primarily energy use) versus crop yield and protein concentration by analysing different treatments for temperature, light period and light spectrum.

In the actual protein transition vertical farms could also be used in the speed breeding of new cultivars, focusing on changing production environments.

Which protein-rich crops do you consider most suitable for cultivation in controlled environments like vertical farms, and what are the key factors that determine their suitability?

The closed nature of vertical farms typically results in a high energy requirement. A high-value product is necessary to offset the costs related to this high energy use. This eliminates grain crops or dried legumes, due to their low product values. Within the legumes, fresh products would be preferable (e.g., edamame vs processed soy).

Within our research, we focused on soybean (Glycine max) because it scores the best in terms of protein concentration (grams protein/100 gram dry seed) and protein quality (= amino acid composition). Furthermore, the different varieties of soybean can each be optimized for various production systems and product categories. Examples of these product categories are non-fermented (e.g. fresh soybeans, soy sprouts, milk, etc.) and fermented (e.g. miso, soy sauces, tempeh, etc.) soy foods.

How do different growth conditions in vertical farms affect the protein quantity and quality of crops, and what are the key factors that influence these outcomes?

Previous research has found that protein concentration can be influenced by air temperature. While not being the primary focus of our study, we have shown that climate factors can affect the dry weight yield of seeds (affected by temperature and light spectrum) and protein concentration (affected by temperature). However, the impact of the climate treatments was found to be smaller compared to the natural variation observed between different cultivars, which could as well follow from the relatively narrow range of conditions applied during the experiment.

Looking ahead, do you foresee advancements in research and technology that will enable us to actively measure and control the protein content of crops grown in greenhouses and vertical farms? If so, what kind of innovations should we expect to see?

To actively steer protein content, we need a measurement technique that can function reliably, at set time intervals and non-destructively. In this project, we have explored exactly such an innovation using spectral imaging. These spectral images allowed us to determine the protein content of a single bean, in vivo (meaning while still in the pod, while still on the plant).

This way, we can directly determine the effects of specific climate control strategies. The imaging protocol, and corresponding model are described in greater detail in the publication led by Selwin Hageraats.

Original Article: https://vegconomist.com/interviews/wageningen-research-assessing-the-role-of-vertical-farming-in-accelerating-the-global-protein-transition/

The post Vertical Farming Protein Crops appeared first on GROZINE.