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Controlled Environment Agriculture Program
University of Arizona - SITE 1951 East Roger Road ~ Tucson, AZ 85719 Phone: 520.626.9566 E.MAIL All contents copyright © 2005 - Arizona Board of Regents Contact Webmaster Site by: Art of Computers |
W H A T I S C E A ? |
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. |
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