January 2024 - 26

TECHNOLOGY
Shaping
FUTURE
A look at greenhouse innovations in sustainability and automation
BY KEITH LORIA
H
eading into 2024, greenhouse growers are
poised to utilize more innovation than at almost
any time during the last few decades, as AI is
quickly transforming the industry.
AI is taking greenhouse management to a whole new
level, as these smart systems are the equivalent of having
a super knowledgeable gardening expert who knows
exactly what to do for perfect plant growth.
" Think of AI systems like having a greenhouse genius
on your team, " said Tom Su, founder of Lawn Edging
Australia, known for his innovative and sustainable garden
design solutions. " They control everything - temperature,
humidity, light - and adapt it perfectly to the plants. "
Many greenhouse growers are turning to tech
companies specializing in agricultural technology for
advanced climate control systems - these are the
firms that develop AI-driven software to fine-tune
environmental conditions for optimal plant growth.
LIGHTING ADVANCEMENTS
But of course, it's not just AI that is making a difference
in the greenhouse. Industry insiders point to new
advancements in the hydroponics and aquaponics scene,
improvements in LED lights, which are more than just
energy savers now, and a larger focus on sustainability
and eco-friendly materials.
Erik Runkle, professor and floriculture Extension
specialist at Michigan State University, noted adoption
of LED lighting continues to be a major trend in the
greenhouse industry.
26
JANUARY 2024 GPNMAG.COM
Think of AI systems like
having a greenhouse genius
on your team. They control
everything - temperature,
humidity, light - and adapt
it perfectly to the plants.
- Tom Su, founder of
Lawn Edging Australia
" Growers are replacing inefficient high-pressure sodium
lamps with LEDs, and some are installing lighting where
they didn't have it before, " he said. " Usually, the lighting
is installed in zones used for propagation, but some are
also installing it for crops after transplant when product is
shipped early in the spring. "
In addition to LED fixtures, there is increasing interest
in lighting controls. Companies are developing and
marketing products that enable dynamic lighting - where
on/off cycles aren't simply controlled by timers.
" To maximize lighting and energy efficiency, efficient
fixtures should operate based on the intensity of sunlight,
target daily light integral, day length, electricity price and
perhaps other factors, " Runkle said.
the

http://www.GPNMAG.COM

January 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of January 2024

Table of Contents
Editor's Report | Guess Who's Back?!
AmericanHort | Resolve to Drive Your Business Forward in 2024
Forty Under 40 Perspectives | Invest in the Community
Dr. Bugs | Can Plants Influence Susceptibility to Insecticides?
SGAFT | Energy Curtain Performance
Varieties | Winners' Circle
Technology | Shaping the Future
Intern of the Year | Ian Kelly
PGRs | Annuals and Perennials — Part 2
Big Grower | North Creek Nurseries
Big Grower | Product Showcase
Culture Report | Centaurea 'Silver Swirl'
Research | Thrips & Botrytis Online Resource Library
Product Marketplace
Classifieds/Ad Index
January 2024 - 1
January 2024 - 2
January 2024 - Table of Contents
January 2024 - Editor's Report | Guess Who's Back?!
January 2024 - 5
January 2024 - AmericanHort | Resolve to Drive Your Business Forward in 2024
January 2024 - 7
January 2024 - Forty Under 40 Perspectives | Invest in the Community
January 2024 - 9
January 2024 - 10
January 2024 - 11
January 2024 - Dr. Bugs | Can Plants Influence Susceptibility to Insecticides?
January 2024 - 13
January 2024 - 14
January 2024 - 15
January 2024 - SGAFT | Energy Curtain Performance
January 2024 - 17
January 2024 - 18
January 2024 - 19
January 2024 - Varieties | Winners' Circle
January 2024 - 21
January 2024 - 22
January 2024 - 23
January 2024 - 24
January 2024 - 25
January 2024 - Technology | Shaping the Future
January 2024 - 27
January 2024 - 28
January 2024 - 29
January 2024 - 30
January 2024 - 31
January 2024 - 32
January 2024 - 33
January 2024 - Intern of the Year | Ian Kelly
January 2024 - 35
January 2024 - PGRs | Annuals and Perennials — Part 2
January 2024 - 37
January 2024 - 38
January 2024 - 39
January 2024 - 40
January 2024 - 41
January 2024 - Big Grower | North Creek Nurseries
January 2024 - 43
January 2024 - 44
January 2024 - 45
January 2024 - 46
January 2024 - Big Grower | Product Showcase
January 2024 - Culture Report | Centaurea 'Silver Swirl'
January 2024 - 49
January 2024 - 50
January 2024 - 51
January 2024 - 52
January 2024 - 53
January 2024 - Research | Thrips & Botrytis Online Resource Library
January 2024 - 55
January 2024 - 56
January 2024 - 57
January 2024 - Product Marketplace
January 2024 - 59
January 2024 - 60
January 2024 - 61
January 2024 - 62
January 2024 - 63
January 2024 - 64
January 2024 - 65
January 2024 - Classifieds/Ad Index
January 2024 - 67
January 2024 - 68
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-december-2022
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/gpn-new-varieties-digital-guide-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/cannabisguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/hempguide-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/newvarieties-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/cannabisguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/hempguide-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/newvarieties-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/californiaspringtrials-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/cannabisguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/hempguide-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-january-2020
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/november-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/september-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/big-grower-july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/july-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/may-2019
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/GPN/californiaspringtrials-2019
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