Using controlled environment agriculture to evaluate light and nutrient management strategies for Cannabis sativa L. and Fragaria × ananassa (Duchesne ex Rozier)
department or school: Science, Irving K. Barber Faculty of (Okanagan)
department or school: Chemistry, Department of (Okanagan)
data provider: DSpace
degree campus: UBCO
creator: Jarzecki, Karine
issued: 2025-10-22T23:22:50Z
issued: 2025
related degree: Master of Science - MSc
degree grantor: University of British Columbia
description: Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) consists of producing crops within indoor settings rather than in open fields. This thesis explores the integration of emerging techniques and technologies in CEA through two complementary studies focused on lighting and nutrient management, testing two high-value crops: Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) and strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa (Duchesne ex Rozier)). My first study investigated the influence of LED light spectra on the metabolism of in vitro Cannabis in advanced growth chambers. Plantlets were exposed for seven days to one of three lighting conditions: full spectra control, red, or blue LED spectra. Meristematic tissue was then analyzed using a combination of commercial cannabinoid quantification, targeted metabolomics for plant hormones, and untargeted metabolomics for compound and pathway discovery. Blue light stimulated the accumulation of flavonoids and gibberellins, whereas red light led to increased concentrations of carboxylic acid derivatives. All treatments showed widespread amino acid conjugation. Many biosynthetic or metabolic pathways, particularly those involving tryptophan, tyrosine, and phenylalanine, were associated with shikimate and MEP/MVA pathways, connecting light to plant secondary metabolites. My second study developed and tested a proof-of-concept fertigation system for strawberries, an emerging greenhouse crop experiencing rapid market expansion in Canada. Using a Youden square experimental design, the study evaluated the performance of advanced agriculture technology, or agri-tech, sensor systems (Vivent BioSignals and Grodan GroSens) alongside conventional laboratory analysis (ICP-OES), under various fertilizer treatments delivered by an automated irrigation system (NourishLabs). The system was stable across treatments, indicating a limited capacity to modulate nutrient uptake only through fertilizers. My work established correlations between sensors and lab analyses, especially for manganes…
aggregated CHO: https://circle.library.ubc.ca/rest/handle/2429/92712
note: USING CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE TO EVALUATE LIGHT ANDNUTRIENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES FOR CANNABIS SATIVA L.AND FRAGARIA Ã ANANASSA (DUCHESNE EX ROZIER)byKarina JarzeckiB.Eng, University of Guelph, 2018A THESIS SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OFTHE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OFMASTER OF SCIENCEinTHE COLLEGE OF GRADUATE STUDIES(Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)THE UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA(Okanagan)November 2025© Karina Jarzecki 2025The following individuals certify that they have read, and recommend to the College ofGraduate Studies for acceptance, a thesis entitled:Using controlled environment agriculture to evaluate light and nutrient management strategiesfor Cannabis sativa L. and Fragaria Ã ananassa (Duchesne ex Rozier)submitted by Karina Jarzecki in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Masterof Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.Dr. Susan Murch, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, UBC OkanaganSupervisorDr. Chase Mason, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, UBC OkanaganSupervisory Committee MemberDr. Robert Godin, Irving K. Barber Faculty of Science, UBC OkanaganSupervisory Committee MemberDr. Nicolás Peleato, School of Engineering Faculty of Applied Science, UBC OkanaganUniversity ExamineriiAbstractControlled environment agriculture (CEA) consists of producing crops within indoor settingsrather than in open fields. This thesis explores the integration of emerging techniques andtechnologies in CEA through two complementary studies focused on lighting and nutrientmanagement, testing two high-value crops: Cannabis (Cannabis sativa L.) and strawberry(Fragaria Ã ananassa (Duchesne ex Rozier)). My first study investigated the influence ofLED light spectra on the metabolism of in vitro Cannabis in advanced growth chambers.Plantlets were exposed for seven days to one of three lighting conditions: full spectra control,red, or blue LED spectra. Meristematic tissue was then analyzed using a combinationof commercial cannabi…
has type: Thesis/Dissertation
date issued: 2025-11
is shown at: 10.14288/1.0450535
language: eng
degree discipline: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
provider: Vancouver : University of British Columbia Library
publisher: University of British Columbia
rights: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International
rights URI: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
scholar level: Graduate
contributor: Murch, S. J. (Susan J.)
type: Text
identifier URI: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/92712