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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Main Authors: Marco Custódio, Paulo Cartaxana, Sebastián Villasante, Ricardo Calado, Ana Isabel Lillebø
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/11/4995
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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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