Eight-year analysis reveals how sunlight and nutrients shape sustainable urban farming
Factors such as sunlight and stage-specific nutrient application determine crop success in urban agriculture, far beyond fixed recipes or miracle solutions. The findings are published in the journal Agronomy for Sustainable Development.
An eight-year study conducted by ICTA-UAB at its building-integrated rooftop greenhouse on the university campus has revealed that factors such as sunlight and stage-specific nutrient application play a crucial role in determining the success of sustainable urban farming. The research, which evaluated 11 tomato crop cycles between 2015 and 2023, found that actions like replacing plastic roof coverings and using wastewater-recovered fertilizers can maximize crop performance and prevent pollution.
The analysis highlights that solar radiation is the single most decisive factor for productivity, but the natural and progressive degradation of the greenhouse's plastic roof panels caused a 31% decline in production over the eight-year period. To maintain high productivity, the researchers recommend replacing these roof coverings every four to six years, rather than the 10 years typically suggested by manufacturers, which would also reduce the overall carbon footprint by 6.7% to 7.7%.
Brief written by urgent.news from Phys.org's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
