Controlled Environment Agriculture Center (CEAC) Accessibility - Text-Only - Print Version
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	WHAT IS CEAC? A controlled environment can be simply described as any space or environment that is controlled. It can be a space for people, like a house, or a space for non-living objects, like a warehouse. The CEAC facilities offer an environment friendly to crop growth, hydroponics and plant research in a controlled environment. In agriculture the space may be for the growth of plants, like a greenhouse, or a space for storage of harvested crops, such as a cold storage facility or refrigerator. Each space may have specific factors that are controlled, such as the: • air temperature & humidity • sunlight intensity • gasses in the air such as carbon dioxide [CO2] or ethylene [CH4] • plant nutrients & water • and even insects & diseases What specific factors are controlled, and to what value they are controlled to will depend on what 'product' is being produced within the controlled environment. Each type of product, for example, a growing green plant, or a cut, long-stem rose, or a frozen package of peas will require different factors to be controlled at different values. CEA or Controlled Environment Agriculture is a high technology industry for the production of food crops, flowers, houseplants, and medicinals within greenhouses. The greenhouse is the controlled environment structure. It may have many shapes and sizes, but it will always be covered with a material transparent to sunlight. Sunlight is required by the plants to grow healthy, and to reach maturity to produce a nutritious edible product, or a beautiful, fragrant flower. The plants must also receive water and nutrients (fertilizer). One technology that can successfully provide water and nutrients is a hydroponic growing system. Links to the entire site are available through this excellent and easy to use TEXT ONLY SITE MAP.
Contact Information: Controlled Environment Agriculture Program University of Arizona 1951 East Roger Road   ~  Tucson, AZ 85719 Phone: 520.626.9566 CEAC@ag.arizona.edu