Vertical Farming Yield Limitations and Breeding Needs

This article presents a research study on the limitations of vertical farming (VF) yields, focusing on crop breeding requirements to enhance productivity. It introduces the Plant Balance Model (PBM), which adapts existing crop dynamic models to account for sink-limited conditions, a significant factor in VF that has been overlooked. The study estimates current and potential yields for lettuce and tomato crops, revealing that existing cultivars are close to their sink-limited yield capacities. It highlights the need for new cultivars that can tolerate higher temperatures and grow faster to achieve significant yield improvements. The research indicates that achieving optimal yields will require reductions in crop cycle time and advancements in genetic development. The findings suggest that without proactive breeding programs, VF yields may stagnate, limiting scalability. The article emphasizes the importance of understanding source-sink dynamics in optimizing crop productivity in vertical farming systems.