Researchers at the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) have achieved a breakthrough in indoor agriculture technology: they have conclusively demonstrated that precise soil temperature management — through cooling or heating — can dramatically enhance crop yield in controlled environments. This technology can be adapted as auxiliary units in large indoor farming facilities. The innovation, the culmination of a two-year study, is poised to be a gamechanger in indoor farming by cutting water usage.
Led by Associate Professor Dr Vijesh Joshi and research scholar Ashish Chaudhari, the team developed a sophisticated soil cooling system. In a series of lab experiments, plants such as lilies, gladiolus and microgreens like wheatgrass, fenugreek and quinoa were cultivated with exceptional results.
Remarkably, some crops, including wheatgrass and other microgreens, required only two or three rounds of watering initially, with no further irrigation needed through the rest of their growth cycle. Even flower plants demonstrated significant water savings, needing only about 30 ml per kg of soil every 7-10 days.
Across all tested varieties, the team consistently reported a significant increase in both yield and plant height, compared with conventional methods. "The key is to cool the soil to temperatures below the dew point, which results in moisture condensation within the soil," Joshi told Quantum.
Read more at Press Reader