Utilization of potatoes in bioregenerative life support systems

Area of Science:

• Plant physiology
• Horticultural science
• Agricultural engineering

Context:

• Optimizing potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivation is crucial for global food security.
• Understanding the impact of environmental factors on potato yield and quality is essential.
• Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) offers potential for enhanced crop production.

Purpose:

• To investigate the effects of temperature, photosynthetic photon flux (PPF), and carbon dioxide (CO2) on potato tuberization, harvest index, and morphology.
• To determine optimal conditions for maximizing potato yield in controlled environments.
• To assess the feasibility of controlled-environment potato cultivation for human dietary needs.

Summary:

• Potato cultivars were grown under varying temperatures (12-28°C), PPF (250-550 µmol s⁻¹ m⁻²), and CO2 (350-1600 µl l⁻¹).
• A productivity of 21.9 g m⁻² day⁻¹ was achieved with continuous irradiation at 16°C and 1000 µl l⁻¹ CO2, requiring 34.3 m² per person daily.
• Side lighting increased productivity to 32.8 g m⁻² day⁻¹, reducing the required area to 23.6 m² and yielding glycoalkaloid levels comparable to field-grown potatoes.

Impact:

• Demonstrates the potential for high-yield potato production in controlled environments, potentially reducing land requirements for food.
• Provides data for optimizing CEA systems for potato cultivation, contributing to sustainable agriculture.
• Suggests that controlled-environment agriculture can produce potatoes with acceptable glycoalkaloid levels, comparable to field-grown crops.