Cultivation of Lettuce and Considerations of Suitable Item in Plant Factory Adopted Automatic Transportation System

In a R&D Center for Plant Factory Building B in Osaka Prefecture University was constructed as a project sponsored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, developing technology and verifying practicality for production of low cost and high quality lettuce are aimed using automatic transportation system. Although almost type of plant can be cultivated in fully controlled plant production systems, however, economic performance of these are not high, because of high running and facility expenses. Most of plant factory system related companies focus on developing fully controlled plant production system where most plant can be cultivated such as outdoor or greenhouse culture. These types of plant production system are very expensive and unfit for commercial system, although most plant can be cultivated in the system. However, a study focused on developing plant and cultivating technique suited to existing plant production systems will help to decrease facility and running expenses. Therefore, in this study, 11 kinds of lettuces were cultivated to considerate suitable item in fully controlled plant cultivation system adopted automatic transportation system. In the result of this study, frilly type lettuce was observed as suitable item for automatic transportation system. Leafy type was observed higher growing rate and heavier fresh weight, but it caused malfunction. Tipburn was a major problem in semi heading type.