The modified sunlight spectrum and light diffusion provided by the quantum dot film gave rise to 5.7% improved saleable production yield, nearly identical total fruiting biomass production, 23% higher light use efficiency (g/mol), 10% faster vegetative growth rate, and 36% reduced tomato waste compared to the control, which had no additional films.
The modified sunlight spectrum and light diffusion provided by the quantum dot film gave rise to 5.7% improved saleable production yield, nearly identical total fruiting biomass production, 23% higher light use efficiency (g/mol), 10% faster vegetative growth rate, and 36% reduced tomato waste compared to the control, which had no additional films.
+16% Boost in Cannabis Production AT A GLANCE Results Crop Farm Location After ten weeks of cultivation, dry, trimmed harvest weights were reported. Dry yield measurements showed an additional 7.5 lbs of product harvested from plants under UbiGro, equivalent to a +16.0% increase in total dry yield. 248 Hybrid Cannabis Plants with two different strains: Wedding Cake and Ice Cream Cake. Both are broad leaf Indica-dominant hybrids Little Hill Cultivators Over the 4-yr life of the installed UbiGro product, the farm would benefit from $97,500 in additional profit from this 20ft x 108ft greenhouse alone. Trinity Co., CA, USA. DOWNLOAD CASE STUDY PDF ABOUT THE PROJECT UbiGro was installed at Little Hill Cultivators farm in Trinity County, California, to explore innovative cannabis farming solutions aimed at boosting cannabis production. For this pivotal plant trial in cannabis farming, UbiGro was strategically deployed to cover half of a 20ft x 108 ft greenhouse, creating a direct comparison with the other half that remained unchanged and served as the control. This setup was designed to rigorously evaluate the impact of UbiGro on cannabis yield enhancement within the context of cannabis production. The product was expertly mounted above the lateral purlins and beneath the polyethylene cover, ensuring optimal light diffusion and growth conditions for cannabis farming. The trial encompassed a total of 248 cannabis plants, with a focus on two specific strains to assess the versatility and efficacy of UbiGro across different genetic profiles in enhancing cannabis yields. Of these, 194 plants (78%) were of the Wedding Cake strain (Cherry Pie x Girl Scout Cookies), known for its tall stature and larger internodal spacing, coupled with a slightly extended finishing time of 1-2 weeks, indicative of its potential for increased cannabis production. The remaining 54 plants (22%) were of the Ice Cream Cake strain (Gelato x Wedding Cake), another broad-leaf Indica-dominant hybrid, showcasing the application of UbiGro across diverse cannabis strains for enhanced production outcomes. “To me, the product has proven itself.” – Owner, Little Hill Cultivators All conditions were kept identical for both sides of the experiment: plant size uniformity, planting density, strain layout, watering and nutrient regimen, humidity and temperature, harvesting and pruning regimen, integrated pest management regimen, etc. The cultivation team at Little Hill Cultivators made qualitative observations of the crop during the growth cycle. They noted that the plants under the UbiGro product showed an obvious enhanced vegetative growth, exemplified by an increase in height, width and overall foliage, filling more aisle space than their control counterparts. The grower also observed larger, fuller buds on the UbiGro side. After ten weeks of cultivation, dry, trimmed harvest weights were reported. Dry yield measurements showed an additional 7.5 lbs of product harvested from plants under UbiGro, equivalent to a +16.0% increase in total dry yield. No differences in trichome color, finishing time, bud color, bud odor/flavor, or overall quality were observed. After ten weeks of cultivation, dry, trimmed harvest weights were reported. Dry yield measurements showed an additional 7.5 lbs of product harvested from plants under UbiGro, equivalent to a +16.0% increase in total dry yield. No differences in trichome color, finishing time, bud color, bud odor/flavor, or overall quality were observed. Samples of both strains were taken from both sides of the plant trial and were sent to CW Analytical Laboratories (Oakland, CA) for cannabinoid and terpene testing. Total terpene content for the Wedding Cake strain grown under the UbiGro product was improved compared to those grown under the control (+12.9%, relative). Total cannabinoid content was moderately increased for Weddi ng Cake flowers grown under UbiGro (+3.6%, relative).  Total terpene content for the Ice Cream Cake strain grown under UbiGro were slightly reduced compared to those grown under the control (-9.1%, relative). Total cannabinoid content was moderately increased for Ice Cream Cake flowers grown under the UbiGro film (+1.9%, relative). Testing accuracy for terpenes and cannabinoids typically has error bars ±10% (relative). Therefore, we conclude that UbiGro had a negligible effect on terpene and cannabinoid content of both strains, except for the +12.9% relative terpene boost in Wedding Cake, which may be a significant result just above the variance threshold. Further trials on the strain would be needed to verify this behavior. Potency Summary: Wedding Cake Terpenes UbiGro: 3.5% Control: 3.1% Rel. Change: +12.9% Total Cannabinoids UbiGro: 23.08% Control: 22.27% Rel. Change: +3.6% Potency Summary: Ice Cream Cake Terpenes UbiGro: 2.0% Control: 2.2% Rel. Change: -9.1% Total Cannabinoids UbiGro: 19.77% Control: 19.40% Rel. Change: +1.9% ECONOMICS OF CANNABIS FARMING Full Season Round (August – November) A yield enhancement in cannabis farming improves the economics of a cannabis production farm, but what is that yield enhancement worth to the cannabis farmer? Taking this experiment as a case study in cannabis yields, we can calculate the value that the yield-boosting UbiGro film brings to the economics of the cannabis farming operation. For this trial in cannabis production, the half of the greenhouse with UbiGro boosted the cannabis yield by 7.5 lbs (+$8.68/ft2 in wholesale revenue) compared to the control in the cannabis farming setting. The farm sells trimmed cannabis for $1250/lb wholesale. If UbiGro had been deployed over the entire greenhouse and achieved the same cannabis yield boost, the farm would have obtained an additional $18,750 in wholesale revenue for that greenhouse in the context of cannabis yields. Since the greenhouse can produce two cannabis crops per year, the yield boost in cannabis production could potentially be realized twice per year, which could result in an increase in revenue from UbiGro of $37,500 per year, per greenhouse in cannabis farming economics. CONCLUSION To quantify the value of the increase in revenue from improving cannabis yields through innovative cannabis farming solutions, we must calculate the increased profit associated with cannabis production enhancements. There are variable costs associated with producing and selling this additional cannabis product, including harvesting, drying/curing, trimming, packaging, and transportation, which are crucial components of efficient cannabis production management. However, fixed costs, which encompass expenses such as real estate (rent/mortgage), heating/cooling, electricity, marketing, and
+9.4% Yield Boost in Romaine Lettuce Trial AT A GLANCE</h4 Results Crop Farm Location +9.4% Wet Weight; +4.4% Dry Weight Lactuca sativa L. ‘Coastal Star’ Romaine Lettuce Santa Fe Community College Research Greenhouse Santa Fe, NM, USA DOWNLOAD CASE STUDY PDF ABOUT THE PROJECT Discover the future of agriculture with SFCC student Lydia Steinhoff’s groundbreaking study, guided by Professor Shultz and Manager Casas. Explore the growth of ‘Coastal Star’ romaine lettuce under UbiGro Inner 650 luminescent quantum dot (QD) greenhouse film versus a control film at Santa Fe Community College Research Greenhouse in 2022. Special thanks to UbiQD, Inc. for vital support. Uncover the potential of Controlled Environment Agriculture and advanced greenhouse cover in revolutionizing crop cultivation. Ready to shape the future? Join us on this journey. College Research Greenhouse in 2022. EXPERIMENT UbiGro QD greenhouse films emitting at 650 nm were installed above a 254 ft2 (23.6 m2) nutrient film technique (NFT) system inside the Santa Fe Community College Research Greenhouse (SolaWrap cover, 83% PAR transmission). An identical neighboring NFT area in the greenhouse was chosen to serve as the control group, over which a clear polyethylene film (K50 Clear 6 mil, RKW Klerks) was installed to balance the light intensities and diffusivities between the two areas (see Table 1 describing the haze and transmission of the QD film and the polyethylene control film). A reflective mylar barrier was hung between to the two areas to prevent light mixing between treatment areas. A Watchdog Plant Growth Micro Station with four quantum light sensors was installed to measure daily light integral (DLI) on each side of the experiment using five-minute measurement spacings. Crops were grown with Calcium Nitrate, Magnesium Sulfate, and Potassium Nitrate-rich nutrient salt solutions with targets of EC 1.7 and pH 5.8. In order to better achieve proper light intensity for lettuce, shade curtains were deployed over the crops in both treatments. Table 1. Optical properties of experimental films. Haze and PAR transmission of the QD film and the polyethylene control film. Over an 11-week period spanning July to October 2022, two seven-week crops were grown. Each crop consisted of 72 plants, including 36 plants per experimental group. Seeds were sown in Oasis Rootcubes on an ebb-and-flow seedling table inside the greenhouse. Each pair of plant groups was transplanted into the NFT system, under the QD film and control films, at approximately three weeks after sowing. The harvest times ranged from 45 days after sowing (DAS) to 50 DAS. The first harvest was completed on September 8, 2022, and the final harvest was completed on October 6, 2022. HARVEST DATA Due to labor scheduling, critical activities including sowing and harvesting were conducted ±4 days from the target nominal DAS, so days after treatment (DAT) were kept consistent between experimental repeats. The maturity time for this lettuce cultivar is 57 DAS, according to seed purveryer Johnny’s Seeds; however, this 57-day maturity time can vary with sunlight intensity, seasonality, climate, and other variables, which can be better controlled in a greenhouse. These maturities at harvest represent typical harvest times for a commercial greenhouse grower. Table 2. Average wet weights. Harvested wet weights, and % changes for lettuce harvests across experimental repeats. Positive % change values indicate greater performance under the treatment. Average wet weights for each harvest were compared across both crops, and are shown in Table 2 and in the form of bar plots in Figure 1. Harvest data outside of three standard deviations from the mean were consdired outliers; no data qualified as outliers by this definition, so all data collected were included in the analysis. Plants grown under the QD film exhibited larger wet weights in each experimental repeat. Greater yield differences (i.e., increases) were observed under the QD film treatment when plants overall were larger as in the first experimental repeat where +11% more fresh weight was accumulated under the QD film. The larger growth results represent the most impactful results of this experiment, as a commercial grower would grow out their crop to a marketable wet weight of ~100 to 150 g and would realize the yield benefit in terms of greater revenue (if selling by weight or size) or faster grow cycles (if selling by head count). This yield boost for the mature crop translated to the ability to harvest the same size crop 2-3 days earlier, which would compound to approximately one extra harvest cycle annually. Figure 1. Average wet weight. Average wet weights measured at 28 DAT in each experimental repeat and overall, with 1 standard deviation error bars. In this study, planting density was cut to approximately half-size from previous lettuce experiments in this NFT system to reduce shading by neighboring plants and thereby decrease variance; however, large variances remained, and larger variances were present in the treatment group in both experimental repeats. The persistent variance could have resulted from a number of factors, including the difference in cumulative light integral between experimental repeats. Harvest data from one week earlier indicated a lower magnitude of the treatment effects even one week earlier than these harvest data collected at maturity; more data on a larger scale could further clarify this result. The larger growth results represent the most impactful results of this experiment, as a commercial grower would grow out their crop to a marketable wet weight of ~100 to 150 g and would realize the yield benefit in terms of greater revenue (if selling by weight or size) or faster grow cycles (if selling by head count). This yield boost for the mature crop translated to the ability to harvest the same size crop 2-3 days earlier, which would compound to approximately one extra harvest cycle annually. Table 3. Average dry weights. Harvested dry weights and % changes for lettuce harvests across experimental repeats. Positive % change values indicate greater performance under the treatment. Average dry weights for each harvest were compared across both crops, and are shown in Table 3 and in the form of bar plots in Figure
+14-28% Boost in Winter Strawberry Trial AT A GLANCE</h4 Results Crop Farm Location This low-light level, winter study on straberry production indicates that UbiGro could be beneficial for strawberries in northern climates or during winter or low light conditions. 64 Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa ‘Albion’). Arizona State University, Mesa, AZ, USA This case study was made possible by ASU Assistant Professor Yujin Park and student Jordan Collins. The results were presented at the 2021 ASHS Annual Meeting in Denver, CO. Mesa, AZ home of Arizona State University. DOWNLOAD CASE STUDY PDF ABOUT THE PROJECT This work was independently performed by ASU Assistant Professor Yujin Park and student Jordan Collins. Films were provided by UbiQD, Inc. This work was presented by Dr. Park as a poster at the 2021 ASHS Annual Meeting in Denver, CO. In this study, the influence of spectral conversion under UbiGro quantum dot (QD) luminescent greenhouse films on plant growth and fruit yield of strawberries grown during winter was investigated. UbiGro (600 nm) quantum dot (QD) greenhouse films were installed surrounding two 1.2 m x 1.2 m x 0.6 m (3.9 ft x 3.9 ft x 2.0 ft) growth modules located inside the College of Integrative Sciences and Arts Research Greenhouse (polycarbonate panels) at Arizona State University in Mesa, AZ. Two identical neighboring growth modules were built to serve as the Control group, using clear polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film to balance the light intensities and diffusivities between the four areas. Shade curtains (40%) were used on one pair of growth modules to explore a lower daily light integral (DLI) regime. Inside each module, day-neutral strawberry ‘Albion’ seedlings were grown in rockwool substrates for 14 weeks at 20°C with ambient sunlight, using 150 ppm Nitrogen fertilizer with pH of 5.5-6.0 and EC of 1.8 mS/cm. The 100-day experiment began on October 1st, 2020, and ended on January 8th, 2021. LIGHT ENVIRONMENT During the experiment period, the average daily light inegrals (DLIs) were consistent between control and treatment groups, measured at 6 and 4 mol/m2/s under ambient and 40% shaded conditions, respectively. These DLIs are considerably lower than would be available during peak months, and as such this study demonstrates the QD film’s performance over strawberries in low light levels (winter). For both higher and lower DLI treatments, the light spectrum was characterized under the QD film and the control film, presented in the figure below. The QD luminescent film converts a portion of ultraviolet and blue into green and red light. The fractions of photosynthetically relevant wavebands are shown in the table below, along with the relative differences between the QD and control films for each DLI regime. Notably, % Blue is reduced by 12-15% and % Red is boosted by 4-5%, resulting in a reduction in B:R ratio of 16-19%. LED studies have shown that lower B:R ratios (as low as 0.05) have shown higher fresh and dry mass accumulation in strawberries . Far-red (FR) was also increased by 3% under the higher DLI. Recent studies have suggested that adding FR to a spectrum for strawberries is helpful in plant extension which improves light capture. The phytochrome photoequilibrium (PPE) values were similar under both film types. The PSS metric is a direct indication of the ability of a given horticultural spectrum (whether natural, artificial or a combination) to manipulate the phytochrome isoforms, which exist in two states, Pr (red) and Pfr (far-red). This indicates that the QD film is not making a major impact on the R:FR ratio, which is also evident in the table below. PLANT TRIAL RESULTS Production, as measured by harvested fruit per area (kg/m2), was increased by +14% under ambient greenhouse light and +28% for 40% shaded greenhouse light. Analyzing the number, size, and weight of each fruit allowed the conclusion that this production increase was due to an increase in the average weight and size of each fruit. At lower DLI, the QD film increased average fresh fruit weight by 44% and the average fruit diameter by 18%. At higher DLI, the QD film increased average fruit fresh weight by 10% and the average fruit diameter by 8%, however these increases were not statistically significant. In general, growth metrics were similar for strawberry plants grown under both films at each DLI. Plant growth was quantified in terms of leaf number, crown diameters, plant diameter, leaf size, relative chlorophyll concentrations (SPAD index), and shoot fresh and dry weight. In each DLI regime, all plant growth parameters were similar under both film treatments. Similarly, we observed that at each DLI level, strawberry plants flowered and had fruits at similar times and they produced similar number of fruits and similar total fruit fresh weight per plant. These metrics are summarized in the table below. IN CONCLUSION These results suggest that sunlight spectral conversion using a QD luminescent greenhouse film, resulting in an increase in R:B ratio compared to a control film, can improve greenhouse strawberry fruit production; the effect is more extreme under lower DLI conditions. The mechanism for this production increase appears to be larger and heavier fruits, not an increase in fruit number. This indicates that under the QD film spectrum, the plants put more energy into fruiting biomass compared to vegetative biomass. This low-light-level, winter study on strawberry production indicates that UbiGro could be beneficial for strawberries in northern climates or during winter or low light conditions. While this was a small trial, the promising results beg future work on larger trials. Acknowledgment The authors thank Lassen Canyon Nursery for strawberry plant materials. The Daily Light Integral (DLI) is the amount of photosynthetic light received in one square meter each day. The average DLI is a measure of the quantity of light received by a plant over a given duration. Naznin, M.T., Lefsrud, M., Gravel, V. and Hao, X. (2016). Using different ratios of red and blue LEDs to improve the growth of strawberry plants. Acta Hortic. 1134, 125-130 https://www.lighting.philips.com/main/cases/cases/horticulture/strawberry-grower-alain-lutz Sager, J.C., Smith, W.O., Edwards, J.L., Cyr, L.L. 1988. Trans. Am. Soc. Agric.
+21% Boost in Flowering in Geranium Trial AT A GLANCE</h4 Results Crop Farm Location Results of this study show that plants under the UbiGro film flowered earlier and had more flower clusters when compared to plants under the Control film. 32 Geranium Plants (Pelargonium x hortorum, bedding geraniums) The beautiful geraniums were grown from seed, and then moved to larger pots into the greenhouse where UbiGro was installed. Pebble Labs Research Greenhouse The UbiGro research team performed this experiment in 2019. Pebble Labs Reasearch Greenhouse provided a space for the team to execute their own study of UbiGro. Los Alamos, NM, USA DOWNLOAD CASE STUDY PDF ABOUT THE PROJECT UbiGro (600 nm) quantum dot greenhouse films were installed above a 6 ft x 12 ft (1.8 m x 7.3 m) movable bench inside the Pebble Labs Research Greenhouse (Rough Brothers, ~4,000 ft2, acrylic cover) in Los Alamos, NM, USA. An identical neighboring bench area in the greenhouse was chosen to serve as the Control group, over which a clear polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film was installed to balance the light intensities and diffusivities between the two areas. A Watchdog Plant Growth Micro Station with four quantum (PAR) light sensors was installed to measure daily light integral (DLI) on each side of the experiment using five-minute measurement spacing. On December 15th, 2021, 48 bedding geraniums were grown from seed in a Pro-Mix, perlite, vermiculite and Oscmocote mixed media inside a seed starter dome inside of a greenhouse for 38 days until the seedlings developed two true leaves. The seedlings were then transplanted into 5 inch deep square pots and placed inside the greenhouse under natural lighting conditions, with a temperature ranging from 18°C at night to 23°C during the day, and humidity ranging from 20-45% (average 28%). At 79 Days after sowing (DAS), the plants were transplanted for a second time into larger 2.5 gal (8.7 L) containers and placed under a 16 hour photoperiod using natural and supplemental lighting in the greenhouse. At 91 DAS, the plants were separated into two groups of 16 and placed under UbiGro and Control treatments for the remainder of the experiment. The experiment lasted 136 days from initial seeding to experimental conclusion and ended on April 30th. All crops were grown using an automated drip watering system and fertilized monthly with 1 tsp/plant of Osmocote applied as a topdress to the soil. FLOWERING Once the plants started growing flower buds, flower cluster and flowering data were recorded. A plant was determined to be flowering if it had at least one completely open flower in a flower cluster. First flowering was observed April 4th, 110 DAS. By 131 DAS, all 16 plants on both sides exhibited flowers. The UbiGro side achieved full flowering (all 16 plants) three days sooner than the Control side, as shown in the figure below. Each day, flower clusters were counted on each plant. A flower cluster was defined as a cluster protruding beyond the leaf canopy. There was a larger number of flower clusters under the UbiGro film treatment than the control film treatment, as shown in the figure below. The plants under the UbiGro treatment consistently had more flower clusters compared to plants under the control during the duration of the experiment. By the end of the experiment there were 119 flower clusters on plants under the UbiGro film and 98 flower clusters on those under the Control film, an improvement of 21% in flowering. DLI BALANCE Daily light integral (DLI) data was collected using sensors that were installed at approximately plant height from 121 DAS to the end of the experiment. While this date range does not encompass the entire experiment, this is a representative data set adequate to measure DLI balance. On average, the DLI difference between the two experimental sides was approximately one percent, with slightly more light on the UbiGro side. DLIs averaged 19 mol/m2/day. In this experiment, the effects of the UbiGro luminescent film spectrum on the number of flower clusters and number of flowering plants amongst a group of bedding geraniums were studied by a comparison to plants grown under a Control film. Plants under both treatments started flowering at similar times, with plants under the UbiGro film showing increases in number of flowering clusters and percentage of flowering plants throughout the experiment. In general, plants under the UbiGro film flowered earlier and had more flower clusters when compared to plants under the Control film. These results suggest that the UbiGro luminescent film can promote moderately earlier flowering times and increases the number of flowers of bedding geraniums as compared to a Control group when grown under similar lighting and climate conditions. Acknowledgement*  The Daily Light Integral (DLI) is the amount of photosynthetic light received in one square meter each day. The average DLI is a measure of the quantity of light received by a plant over a given duration. Share: DOWNLOAD CASE STUDY PDF Share:    Related Posts Social    Â
+17% Yield Boost in Romaine Lettuce Trial AT A GLANCE</h4 Results Crop Farm Location +17 % Wet Weight at maturity; +6.1% average Leaf Length. Lactuca sativa L. ‘Coastal Star’ Romaine Lettuce. Santa Fe Community College Research Greenhouse. *This work was independently performed by SFCC students Jen Lein and Amanda Garcia with advising by Controlled Environment Agriculture professor Charlie Shultz and greenhouse manager Pedro Casas. Film donation and data analysis were provided by UbiQD, Inc. Santa Fe, NM, USA DOWNLOAD CASE STUDY PDF ABOUT THE PROJECT This study monitored the growth and development of ‘Coastal Star’ romaine lettuce crops grown under an orange-red UbiGro luminescent quantum dot (QD) greenhouse film, and identical crops grown under a colorless control film at the Santa Fe Community College Research Greenhouse in 2021. EXPERIMENT UbiGro QD greenhouse films emitting at 600 nm were installed above a 254 ft2 (23.6 m2) nutrient film technique (NFT) system inside the Santa Fe Community College Research Greenhouse (SolaWrap cover, 83% PAR transmission). An identical neighboring NFT area in the greenhouse was chosen to serve as the control group, over which a clear polyethylene film (K50 Clear 6 mil, RKW Klerks) was installed to balance the light intensities and diffusivities between the two areas (see Table 1 describing the haze and transmission of the QD film and the polyethylene control film). A reflective mylar barrier was hung between the two areas to prevent light mixing between treatment areas. A Watchdog Plant Growth Micro Station with four quantum light sensors was installed to measure daily light integral (DLI) on each side of the experiment using five-minute measurement spacings. Crops were grown with Calcium Nitrate, Magnesium Sulfate, and Potassium Nitrate-rich nutrient salt solutions with targets of EC 1.7 and pH 5.8. In order to better achieve proper light intensity for lettuce, shade curtains were deployed over the crops in both treatments until August 26 (covering the first three crops in this experiment), when they were removed. Table 1. Optical properties of the QD film and the polyethylene control film. Every week for 12 weeks starting in July 2021, two groups of 27 plants were seeded in Oasis Rootcubes on an ebb-and-flow seedling table inside the greenhouse. Each pair of plant groups was transplanted into the NFT system, under the QD film and control films, at 21 days after sowing (DAS). In order to explore differences in growth rates over time, each transplant group was split into three subgroups, where each subgroup consisted of 9 plants. Each subgroup was harvested a week apart from the others in order to explore all stages of growth – early to late (mature). The staggered harvest times ranged from 39 DAS to 59 DAS. Separating the staggered harvests into DAS ranges allows a better understanding how development changes over time under the altered QD film spectrum. Amongst 12 crop groups, a total of 35 individual harvests (subgroups) were made during the experiment. The first harvest was completed on August 20, 2021, and the final harvest was completed on November 23, 2021. HARVEST DATA Staggered harvests were grouped into similar DAS ranges, as indicated in Table 2, such that four growth stages were explored: very early growth (39 DAS), early growth (44-46 DAS), mid growth (51-53 DAS), and late growth (56-59 DAS). Due to labor scheduling, the harvests were conducted ±2 days from the target nominal DAS. The maturity time for this lettuce species is 57 DAS according to seed purveryer Johnny Seeds, so these ranges represent harvest times up to a typical harvest time for a commercial grower; however, this 57-day maturity time can vary with sunlight intensity, seasonality, climate and other variables. *Table 2. Harvested wet weights, % difference and p-value for lettuce harvests from four growth stages. * indicates that the difference is not significant beyond a 95% confidence threshold. Average wet weights for each harvest were compared across all crops, and are shown in Table 2 and in the form of growth curves in Figure 1 and bar plots in Figure 2. Harvest results outside of one standard deviation from the mean were excluded as outliers. Plants grown under the QD film exhibited larger wet weights for all DAS ranges. The largest yield increases were for the very early and early harvest windows, +20% and +28%, respectively. The mid stage showed a small yield increase of +4%. The late harvest showed a +17% yield improvement which represents the total growth during the full period. This late stage growth represents the most impactful result of this experiment, as a commercial grower would grow out their crop to full maturity and realize the yield benefit in terms of greater revenue (if selling by weight) or faster grow cycles (if selling by head count). This yield boost for the mature crop translated to the ability to harvest the same size crop 2-3 days earlier. *Figure 1. Top: Growth curves for lettuce grown under the QD film and under the control film, with 1 standard deviation error bars. Bottom: Average wet weight yield increases for different DAS ranges for staggered harvests. *Figure 2. Average wet weight yields for different DAS ranges for staggered harvests, with 1 standard deviation error bars. Plots marked with the same letter are not statistically significant beyond a 95% confidence threshold. Plots marked with different letters are statistically significant beyond a 95% confidence threshold. The harvest results were analyzed with a t-Test (two-sample assuming unequal variances) and corresponding p-values are show in Table 2. This analysis showed that the yield improvements observed for very early and early harvests were statistically significant beyond a 95% confidence threshold, meaning that the difference was highly likely to be a result of an existent relationship. For mid and late growth, yield enhacments were observed but the differences were not statistically significant. For mid growth, the difference was too small (+4%) to be significant beyond the variance in the dataset. For late growth, the enhancement reappears (+17%), but so was the variance in the dataset, leading to a p-value
This study, locally known as the ‘Glow and Grow’ project, monitored the growth and development of two aquaponic microgreen crops: mizuna (a Japanese mustard green) and a 7-crop braising mix. These crops were grown under an orange-red UbiGro luminescent quantum dot (QD) greenhouse film, and identical crops were grown in a control area without a QD film.
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA | Wet yield showed an extra 47 lbs (estimated 7.0 lbs dry) harvested from the greenhouse with UbiGro installed, equivalent to a +8.0% increase in total yield compared to test plants grown in the control greenhouse. No differences in trichome color, finishing time, bud color, bud odor/flavor, or overall quality were observed.
Alcalde, NM, USA | In this example, that translates to $12,807 additional profit per year from this greenhouse. Over the projected 4-yr life of the installed UbiGro film, the farm would take in over $51,000 in extra profit from this greenhouse alone.
Hunter McDaniel, PhD
Founder & CEO
Hunter earned a Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, before joining Los Alamos National Laboratory in the Chemistry Division. Ultimately the value proposition of UbiGro is about boosting crop yields and quality without the cost or energy impact of lighting. Hunter has more than fifty publications and patents, and more than 2000 total citations, h-index: 20. Hunter fundamentally believes that novel materials underpin every significant technology advancement, and he is focused on leveraging new materials to have a lasting and sustainable impact.
Damon Hebert, PhD
Director of Agriculture
Damon brings a wide range of experience in agriculture, materials science, spectroscopy, and small business. During his time in Prof. Angus Rockett’s research group at The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), Hebert authored a doctoral thesis and multiple papers on the materials science of CIGS semiconductor materials, which is closely related to the materials developed at UbiQD. He also served as a consultant to Nanosolar, a CIGS nanocrystal solar cell manufacturing company. Hebert has industry experience having co-founded Dr. Jolly’s, a leading cultivation and distribution operation in Bend, OR.
Tania Lafaille
Sales Representative
Tania is a UbiGro Sales Representative, with over 7 years of experience in product sales (specifically berries and avocados) covering all of North America and parts of South America. While in agriculture, Tania has cultivated strong relationships with growers and distributors, granting her a unique insight into both perspectives. That understanding, paired with her fierce dedication to results, drives her fun and fiery commitment to her craft. Tania is based in Gilroy, CA.
Tyler Veyna
Sales Representative​
Tyler brings 15 years of experience in Greenhouse production and facility management of a wide range of crops in multiple states to the UbiGro team. Based in Salinas, California. “Being a fourth-generation farmer, I look to improve and empower the grower, and with UbiGro, we can do just that.”
Jim Gideon
Sales Manager
Jim Gideon is an UbiGro Sales Manager, with over 25 years of greenhouse industry sales experience covering all of North America. Previously Jim has worked for Green Tek, Plazit-Polygal, Texel, Cherry Creek, and Nexus. He is based in Montgomery, AL, and Jim believes that “light is everything to the grower.”
Eric Moody
Director of Sales
Eric Moody is UbiQD’s Director of UbiGro Sales. Eric has more than 6 years of experience in horticulture lighting industry, building relationships with greenhouse growers of all sizes and crops on optimal lighting for their growing operation, and most recently managed a North American sales team for PL Light Systems. Overall, Eric has been in sales leadership positions for more than 13 years. Eric brings with him a great understanding of the market and available technologies for growers, greenhouse facilities, and sales leadership. Reach Eric by phone at 541-490-6421 or by email at [email protected].
Mike Burrows, PhD
Dr. Michael Burrows is UbiQd’s Vice President of Business Development. His educational background includes a Materials Science doctorate from the University of Delaware and an MBA from Duke University Fuqua School of Business. His career has specialized in the commercialization of novel electronic materials in venture-run programs for different industries including solar, biosensors, and the automotive industry. In both start-up and corporate environments, he has extensive experience in global market development, foraging supply chain partnerships, productization, and brand building. He is currently leading UbiQD’s partnership efforts in luminescent greenhouse technology, smart windows, and security ventures.
Matt Bergern, PhD
Cheif Product Officer
As Chief Product Officer at UbiQD, Dr. Matt Bergren leads the company’s product development efforts, sales, and product manufacturing, including the company’s first commercial agriculture product, UbiGro. He plays a critical role in continuing the company’s path of technology development and vision of powering product innovations in agriculture, clean energy, and security.
He serves as the principal investigator for UbiQD’s contract with NASA, focused on tailoring the solar spectrum for enhanced crop production for space missions. Dr. Bergren’s leadership experience includes serving on the board of directors for the New Mexico Energy Manufacturing Institute, focused on job creation in New Mexico’s energy, and related manufacturing community.