Researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences: after 35 years, the emergence of a large number of commercial plant factory

Since 1940s, the application and promotion of nutrient solution cultivation technology to mineral nutrition theory as the theoretical basis, and in 1949 the United States plant physiology and horticulture professor F.W.Went in California Pasadena the first artificial climate chamber caused by the artificial ecological environment "in the field of revolutionary breakthrough, to plant factory gave birth to mature the conditions. Born in Denmark in 1957 the world's first plant factory. Japan and other countries have to keep up with.

"The plant factory" (Plant Factory) the term was first proposed by Japan, the narrow sense refers to the plant production system of artificial light type.

In the workshop simulation environment, the nutrient solution instead of soil, sufficient nutrients to the plants. In the process of plant growth, temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide concentration is controlled by the computer within the scope of control.

In June 2016, located in Lake Anxi County town of Quanzhou city of Fujian province China Zhongke Sanan biological plant factory formally put into production, covers an area of 10000 square meters. It is currently the world's largest plant factory. As the bright younger generation, China in plant plant this action is not big.

At that time, as the leading enterprises in the domestic photovoltaic industry of Sanan group, found the Chinese Academy of Sciences, expressed a desire to build the idea of the factory plant. We hope to combine the advantages of an optoelectronic industry, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of Botany and plant sciences advantages, the development of light industry biology. China Plant Science Research Institute researcher Li Shaohua, when facing retirement, think this is a worthwhile challenge, but also for the strategic needs of the country in the service, finally accepted the invitation, came to Fujian, Dean of the Institute of plant factory.

When it comes to plant factory prospects, Li Shaohua excitedly told his see in the plane of the "Mars" rescue experience. He thinks the movie based on method of grain reserve space, close to the plant factory work is being done. He believes that, by virtue of its plant factory in the production, food safety advantages in labor costs continue to increase in the future, compared to the traditional culture in the field, will be more and more competitive, greater scope to benefit the people.

The researcher Li Shaohua Institute of plant China

What is the plant factory

Q: why do you feel the plant factory is a major development direction? Can you talk about the significance of the construction of plant factory?

Li Shaohua: the time of the last century, there is an American (Note: the United States international observers Lester Brown) asked, people all over the world, who will feed Chinese? Why, Chinese too much, small land area. From the current development trend of the world, the population increase is in the affirmative. Now the world's about 7000000000 people, maybe twenty years, thirty years will become ten billion. The bearing capacity of the earth will be getting worse. How many people live? We must first solve a problem of food.

From the current situation, plant factory, the first goal is to solve the problem of food security in the world. A simple example, we plant factory now, all the vegetables or food will be produced in the laboratory. How much is it does not depend on your land area. It can take a high house at the top, in each layer of plant production. This condition, which can be produced in the same area of food production may be the traditional soil now 100 times, 1000 times or more.

Second, with the development of the industry, the soil environmental quality is getting worse, a lot of pesticides and fertilizers, food safety has become a focus of the world. In the plant factory production, all the environmental conditions are controllable. Especially we will strictly control diseases and pests, no heavy metals into the production system.

There are some other important strategic significance. You may have seen a movie called Mars rescue. After humans moving space, how to build a recycling system of grain self-sufficiency? This also is the purpose of our factory plant possible. In addition, our border Island, ah, in some local conditions are very harsh, plant factory can meet the requirements of the food defense personnel at the border.

Q: do you see in the "Mars" in the rescue scene, the mood is what?

Li Shaohua: you see that movie, I happened on the plane. Look for a while, very impressive. We feel that we are doing these tests and research, at a certain time in the future, may now become a true reality of science fiction.

If human beings one day to leave earth to survive the alien, is surely facing such a situation. May not be as they do that, after all, it is now with the technology with less. But the basic idea is this: in a place where all things can really realize the cycle, regardless of water or fertilizer, plant growth.

This "light" is the "light"

Q: in addition to water, for the production of plants, and is very important in the light of nature. Light plant factory to completely replace the natural light, or simulated natural light?

Li Shaohua: that's not true. From the growth point of view, the sun light is full spectrum, from infrared to ultraviolet, or even longer wavelengths, so the distribution of energy. The plant is concerned, some band length of light is necessary for growth. It is not that we need the sun all placed inside.

Our light from the strength, from the point of using plants, can fully meet this requirement, even more than self