Application of a MEC model for the irrigation control in green and red-leaved lettuce in precision indoor cultivation

A fundamental objective in precision horticulture is the development of mathematical explanatory models to be implemented in decision support systems for optimal crop management. Such models, designed to predict daily changes in cultivation variables for given boundary conditions, can be exploited to predict the direction and the magnitude of possible changes in crop variables, under both nominal and off-nominal conditions. In this way, control strategies, capable of counteract the negative effects of environmental disturbances on crops, can be promptly applied. In the present study, we evaluated the Modified Energy Cascade (MEC) model with data collected during experiments conducted in growth chambers with green and red-leaved lettuce, under controlled environmental conditions (lighting, temperature, irrigation) and two different vapor pressure deficits. Results showed that the model predictions were reliable compared with experimental measurements, especially for biomass production and photosynthesis. Thus, the MEC model can be a useful tool in decision support systems for crop management in controlled environment.