Grants and Contributions:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019).

The Problem: BrezaWorks, Inc. is a new producer of indoor farming tools that can be applied to a wide varietyx000D
of high-value crops including lettuce and Cannabis sativa. Two of the most influential environmentalx000D
conditions to affect cannabinoid yield quality and quantity is lighting and soil media. In tweaking their system,x000D
BrezaWorks, Inc. is particularly interested in assessing the influence of lighting and soilless media on yield.x000D
Significance of Problem: When growing indoors, as is customary in the aquaponics industry, growers must usex000D
supplemental lighting technologies and soil-less media to grow plants and manipulate photoperiods. Yet, therex000D
is a wide variety of lighting technologies available, and little scientifically collected data comparing systemsx000D
and their impact on crop yield. Moreover, we have limited knowledge of whether optimal growing conditionsx000D
vary among cultivars and at different life-history stages.x000D
Solutions Proposed: Working closely with BrezaWorks technical staff, we will run two experiments inx000D
BrezaWorks' Airbox and analyse the data to determine the relative yield of each lighting system for vegetativex000D
and reproductive plants. To determine the optimal lighting system for vegetative-phase lettuce andx000D
reproductive-phase Cannabis sativa, seedlings from three cultivars will be grown under three lighting systemsx000D
and two soil conditions, in a split plot design. We will then measure traits correlated with high-yield goals.