scholarly journals GROWTH OF A LETTUCE CROP IN NASA's BIOMASS PRODUCTION CHAMBER

HortScience ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 778F-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.M. Wheeler ◽  
C.L. Mackowiak ◽  
J.C. Sager ◽  
B. Vieux ◽  
W.M. Knott
Keyword(s):  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Biomass Production ◽  
Lactuca Sativa ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Support Systems ◽  
Dark Period ◽  
Respiration Rates ◽  
Nutrient Film Technique ◽  
Metal Halide Lamps

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa cv. Waldmann's Green) plants were grown in a large, tightly sealed chamber for NASA's Controlled Ecological Life Support Systems (CELSS) program. Plants were started by direct seeding and grown in 64 0.25-m2 trays (six plants per tray) using nutrient film technique. Environmental conditions included: 23°C, 75% relative humidity, 1000 ubar (ppm) CO2, a 16/8 photoperiod, and 300 umol m-2 s-1 PPF from metal halide lamps. Although the chamber was typically opened once each day for cultural activities, atmospheric ethylene levels (measured with GC/PID) increased from near 15 ppb at 23 days after planting (DAP) to 47 ppb at 28 DAP. At harvest (28 DAP), heads averaged 129 g FW or 6.8 g DW per plant, and roots averaged 0.6 g DW per plant. Some tipburn injury was apparent on most of the plants at harvest. By 28 DAP, stand photosynthesis rates for the entire chamber (approx. 20 m2) reached 17.4 umol CO2 m-2 s-1, while dark-period respiration rates reached 5.5 umol CO2 m-2 s-1. Results suggest that good yields can be obtained from lettuce grown in a tightly sealed environment.

Low-level Irradiance during the Dark Period Prevents Photoperiodic-induced Tuberization of Potato

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 542b-542 ◽  
Author(s):  
N.C. Yorio ◽  
G.W. Stutte ◽  
R.M. Wheeler ◽  
L.M. Ruffe
Keyword(s):  
Dark Period ◽  
Light Period ◽  
Photon Flux ◽  
Dark Light ◽  
Fluorescent Lamps ◽  
Light Levels ◽  
Nutrient Film Technique ◽  
Early Maturing ◽  
Metal Halide Lamps ◽  
Inductive Photoperiod

The threshold irradiance during the dark portion of a photoperiod required to inhibit tuberization of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) was investigated. Two cultivars of potato (cv. Norland, an early maturing variety; cv. Russett Burbank, a late-maturing variety) were grown using nutrient film technique hydroponics in separate tests within a walk-in growth chamber under a normally tuber-inductive photoperiod (12-h light/12-h dark). Light period photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) was provided by either daylight fluorescent lamps (providing 150 μmol·m–2·s–1 PPF) or a combination of daylight fluorescent and metal halide lamps (providing 300 μmol·m–2·s–1 PPF). The chamber was configured with vertically hung shadecloth and a pair of 15-W cool-white fluorescent lamps mounted at one end of the chamber to provide a range of low irradiance during the dark period. The low irradiance treatments averaged 3.65, 0.43, 0.06, and <0.01 μmol·m–2·s–1 PPF for the entire 12-h “dark” period. Results showed that tuberization occurred around 23 DAP, regardless of cultivar or light period PPF for plants grown with 0.06 and <0.01 μmol·m–2·s–1 PPF during the dark period. Tuberization also occurred at around 30 DAP for cv. Norland grown with 0.43 μmol·m–2·s–1 PPF during the dark period. No tubers were formed for either cultivar grown with 3.65 μmol·m–2·s–1 PPF during the dark period. These results indicate that light levels <0.43 μmol·m–2·s–1 PPF do not influence photoperiodic induction of tuberization in potato.

scholarly journals Elevated and Super-elevated CO2 Effects on Stomatal Behavior and Yield of Tomato Cultivated Hydroponically

HortScience ◽  
1996 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 587b-587
Author(s):  
C.L. Mackowiak ◽  
G.W. Stutte ◽  
R.M. Wheeler ◽  
N.C. Yorio
Keyword(s):  
Stomatal Conductance ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Lycopersicon Esculentum ◽  
Elevated Co2 ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Support Systems ◽  
Higher Plants ◽  
Fresh Mass ◽  
Very High ◽  
Bioregenerative Life Support

The growth of candidate crops in high CO2 environments is being investigated as part of NASA's goal of using higher plants for bioregenerative life support systems. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cvs. Red Robin and Reimann Philipp were grown in recirculating hydroponics at 400, 1200, 5000, or 10,000 μmol·mol–1 CO2 for 105 days. The plants received a 12/12 hour photo-period at 500 μmol·m–2·s–1 PPF, 26/22°C (light/dark), and 65% continuous relative humidity. Stomatal conductance increased at the highest CO2 levels, which is similar to what we have reported with Soybean, radish, and potato. Fruit number increased with increasing CO2, where Red Robin produced 663 fruit/m2 and Reimann Philipp produced 6870 fruit/m2 at 10,000 μmol·mol–1 CO2. Fruit fresh mass was greatest at 10,000 μmol·mol–1 CO2 for Red Robin (7.4 kg·m–2) and at 5000 μmol·mol–1 CO2 for Reimann Philipp (27 kg·m–2), suggesting that very high CO2 was not detrimental to yields. These findings contrast with those of wheat, soybean, and potato, which have shown slightly depressed yields at CO2 levels above 1200 μmol·mol–1.

Automation for Biomass Production within Advanced Life Support Systems

2000 ◽  
Vol 33 (29) ◽  
pp. 275-280
Author(s):  
Sukwon Kang ◽  
Arend-Jan Both ◽  
Yuriko Ozaki ◽  
Kuan-Chong Ting
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Production ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Support Systems ◽  
Advanced Life Support ◽  
Life Support Systems

scholarly journals (147) Effect of Hypobaria, Oxygen, and Carbon Dioxide on Gas Exchange, Ethylene Evolution, and Growth of Lettuce Plants for NASA Advanced Life Support Systems

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 1059A-1059
Author(s):  
Chuanjiu He ◽  
Fred T. Davies ◽  
Ronald E. Lacey ◽  
Sheetal Rao
Keyword(s):  
Gas Exchange ◽  
Plant Growth ◽  
Biomass Production ◽  
Crop Production ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Dark Period ◽  
Ambient Pressure ◽  
Advanced Life Support ◽  
Low Pressure ◽  
Ethylene Evolution

There are engineering and payload advantages in growing plants under hypobaric (reduced atmospheric pressure) conditions in biomass production for extraterrestrial base or spaceflight environments. Objectives of this research were to characterize the influence of hypobaria on growth, gas exchange, and ethylene evolution of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Buttercrunch). Elevated levels of the plant hormone, ethylene, occur in enclosed crop production systems and in space-flight environments—leading to adverse plant growth and sterility. Lettuce plants were grown under variable total gas pressures [25 (low) or 101 kPa (ambient)]. During short growth periods of up to 10 days, growth was comparable between low and ambient pressure plants. Regardless of total pressure, plant growth was reduced at 6 kPa pO2 compared to 12 and 21 kPa pO2. At 6 kPa pO2 there was greater growth reduction and stress with ambient (101 kPa) than low (25kPa) pressure plants. Plants at 25/12 kPa pO2 had comparable CO2 assimilation and a 25% lower dark-period respiration than 101/21 kPa pO2 (ambient) plants. Greater efficiency of CO2 assimilation/dark-period respiration occurred with low pressure plants at 6 kPa pO2. Low pressure plants had a reduced CO2 saturation point (100 Pa CO2) compared with ambient (150 Pa CO2). Low pO2 lowered CO2 compensation points for both 25 and 101 kPa plants, i.e., likely due to reduced O2 competing with CO2 for Rubisco. Ethylene was 70% less under low than ambient pressure. High ethylene decreased CO2 assimilation rate of 101/12 kPa O2 plants. The higher dark-period respiration rates (higher night consumption of metabolites) of ambient pressure plants could lead to greater growth (biomass production) of low pressure plants during longer crop production cycles.

Жизнеобеспечение экипажа пилотируемого космического объекта, проблемы управления

2019 ◽  
pp. 109-120
Author(s):  
Boris F. ZARETSKIY ◽  
Arkadiy S. GUZENBERG ◽  
Igor A. SHANGIN
Keyword(s):  
Control System ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Support Systems ◽  
Space Missions ◽  
Automated System ◽  
Deep Space ◽  
Automated Control ◽  
Life Support Systems ◽  
Long Duration ◽  
Space Life Support

Life support for first manned spaceflights was based on supplies of consumables. Crew life support systems based on supplies of water and oxygen, in spite of their simplicity, are extremely inefficient in orbital space missions and are unfeasible in deep space missions because of mass and volume constraints. Therefore, there are currently developed and are to be used on space stations the life support systems that are based on chemical and physical regeneration of water and oxygen extracted from human waste. In view of further advances in long-duration orbital stations, and the prospects of establishment of planetary outposts and deep space exploration, the problem of constructing an automated system for controlling a suite of regenerative LSS becomes urgent. The complexity of solving the problem of constructing an efficient control system in this case owes to the existence of a large number of effectiveness criteria. The paper proposes a system of consolidated global efficiency criteria, which allows to break up this problem into a series of sub-problems of optimization in order to solve this problem. The proposed criteria are longevity, cost, comfort. The paper presents a series of specific examples of using the proposed principles with necessary generalizations. Key words: space life support systems, atmosphere revitalization equipment, automated control system, global generalized efficiency criteria, longevity, cost, comfort.

Aircrew Life Support Systems Enhancement

1990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jr. Krutz ◽  
Nesthus Robert W. ◽  
Scott Thomas E. ◽  
Webb William R. ◽  
Noles James T. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Life Support ◽  
Support Systems ◽  
Life Support Systems
Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document