LED Lighting and High-Density Planting Enhance the Cost-Efficiency of <i>Halimione Portulacoides</i> Extraction Units for Integrated Aquaculture
Halophytes are salt-tolerant plants that can be used to extract dissolved inorganic nutrients from saline aquaculture effluents under a production framework commonly known as Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA). <i>Halimione portulacoides</i> (L.) Aellen (common name: sea purslan...
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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author | Marco Custódio Paulo Cartaxana Sebastián Villasante Ricardo Calado Ana Isabel Lillebø |
author_facet | Marco Custódio Paulo Cartaxana Sebastián Villasante Ricardo Calado Ana Isabel Lillebø |
author_sort | Marco Custódio |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Halophytes are salt-tolerant plants that can be used to extract dissolved inorganic nutrients from saline aquaculture effluents under a production framework commonly known as Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA). <i>Halimione portulacoides</i> (L.) Aellen (common name: sea purslane) is an edible saltmarsh halophyte traditionally consumed by humans living near coastal wetlands and is considered a promising extractive species for IMTA. To better understand its potential for IMTA applications, the present study investigates how artificial lighting and plant density affect its productivity and capacity to extract nitrogen and phosphorous in hydroponic conditions that mimic aquaculture effluents. Plant growth was unaffected by the type of artificial lighting employed—white fluorescent lights vs. blue-white LEDs—but LED systems were more energy-efficient, with a 17% reduction in light energy costs. Considering planting density, high-density units of 220 plants m<sup>−2</sup> produced more biomass per unit of area (54.0–56.6 g m<sup>−2</sup> day<sup>−1</sup>) than did low-density units (110 plants m<sup>−2</sup>; 34.4–37.1 g m<sup>−2</sup> day<sup>−1</sup>) and extracted more dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus. Overall, <i>H. portulacoides</i> can be easily cultivated hydroponically using nutrient-rich saline effluents, where LEDs can be employed as an alternative to fluorescent lighting and high-density planting can promote higher yields and extraction efficiencies. |
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spelling | doaj.art-defe218fcc7b476e9d5ee70d35839e6d2023-11-21T21:55:31ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172021-05-011111499510.3390/app11114995LED Lighting and High-Density Planting Enhance the Cost-Efficiency of <i>Halimione Portulacoides</i> Extraction Units for Integrated AquacultureMarco Custódio0Paulo Cartaxana1Sebastián Villasante2Ricardo Calado3Ana Isabel Lillebø4ECOMARE & Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalECOMARE & Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalDepartment of Applied Economics, University of Santiago de Compostela, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, SpainECOMARE & Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalECOMARE & Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, PortugalHalophytes are salt-tolerant plants that can be used to extract dissolved inorganic nutrients from saline aquaculture effluents under a production framework commonly known as Integrated Multi-Trophic Aquaculture (IMTA). <i>Halimione portulacoides</i> (L.) Aellen (common name: sea purslane) is an edible saltmarsh halophyte traditionally consumed by humans living near coastal wetlands and is considered a promising extractive species for IMTA. To better understand its potential for IMTA applications, the present study investigates how artificial lighting and plant density affect its productivity and capacity to extract nitrogen and phosphorous in hydroponic conditions that mimic aquaculture effluents. Plant growth was unaffected by the type of artificial lighting employed—white fluorescent lights vs. blue-white LEDs—but LED systems were more energy-efficient, with a 17% reduction in light energy costs. Considering planting density, high-density units of 220 plants m<sup>−2</sup> produced more biomass per unit of area (54.0–56.6 g m<sup>−2</sup> day<sup>−1</sup>) than did low-density units (110 plants m<sup>−2</sup>; 34.4–37.1 g m<sup>−2</sup> day<sup>−1</sup>) and extracted more dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus. Overall, <i>H. portulacoides</i> can be easily cultivated hydroponically using nutrient-rich saline effluents, where LEDs can be employed as an alternative to fluorescent lighting and high-density planting can promote higher yields and extraction efficiencies.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/11/4995sea purslanehydroponicsaquaponicslight-emitting diodessustainable aquaculturenature-based solutions |
spellingShingle | Marco Custódio Paulo Cartaxana Sebastián Villasante Ricardo Calado Ana Isabel Lillebø LED Lighting and High-Density Planting Enhance the Cost-Efficiency of <i>Halimione Portulacoides</i> Extraction Units for Integrated Aquaculture Applied Sciences sea purslane hydroponics aquaponics light-emitting diodes sustainable aquaculture nature-based solutions |
title | LED Lighting and High-Density Planting Enhance the Cost-Efficiency of <i>Halimione Portulacoides</i> Extraction Units for Integrated Aquaculture |
title_full | LED Lighting and High-Density Planting Enhance the Cost-Efficiency of <i>Halimione Portulacoides</i> Extraction Units for Integrated Aquaculture |
title_fullStr | LED Lighting and High-Density Planting Enhance the Cost-Efficiency of <i>Halimione Portulacoides</i> Extraction Units for Integrated Aquaculture |
title_full_unstemmed | LED Lighting and High-Density Planting Enhance the Cost-Efficiency of <i>Halimione Portulacoides</i> Extraction Units for Integrated Aquaculture |
title_short | LED Lighting and High-Density Planting Enhance the Cost-Efficiency of <i>Halimione Portulacoides</i> Extraction Units for Integrated Aquaculture |
title_sort | led lighting and high density planting enhance the cost efficiency of i halimione portulacoides i extraction units for integrated aquaculture |
topic | sea purslane hydroponics aquaponics light-emitting diodes sustainable aquaculture nature-based solutions |
url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/11/4995 |
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