**1. Introduction**

According to a new UN DESA report (United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs "World Population Prospects: The 2015 Revision," 2015), the current world population of 7.3 billion is expected to reach 8.5 billion by 2030, then 9.7 billion in 2050, and 11.2 billion in 2100.

Due to mentioned data of UN DESA report, it is necessary to consider new solutions in food production, generally. Plant production is a part of food production and it requires innovative types of plant growing, especially in modern glasshouses or other types of protected areas without daylight. In such protected areas full equipment which would provide optimal climate conditions for successful plant growing is necessary. It means developing and applying the newest crops production technologies in modern greenhouses. On that way, it would be possible to get healthy, high quality, and safe food, which is connected with high protection of

environment. It is very important for smaller and urban areas. Plant production in urban areas is a great contribution in food production for growing population, generally. One of such kind of plant production is vertical crop production in modern greenhouses or closed systems, both equipped with all necessary installation for providing optimal climate control. In such environment pests, control is efficient, too.

Vegetables have an important role in human consumption as fresh products, food, and pharmaceutical industry. They are mostly low calorie, low fat, and low protein foods, but are a significant source of some of the most needed vitamins, minerals, and microelements. Average recommended daily intake for vegetables is about 400 g [1]. Interesting dietary guidelines vegetable consumption USDA posted on their website (USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans). In the mentioned post there is a detailed description of daily servings of vegetables for people living in different parts of world.

Vegetables reaction on the global climate changes is very sensitive and vegetable production is becoming more difficult by time. At the same time, with the increase in population on the planet, demand for vegetables is increasing. Therefore, the modernization of horticultural production has been catching the attention of scientists for years. One way to modernize horticultural production generally is to use LED lighting in a protected space, with and without daylight in urban areas.

Urban farming comprises production of various crops in urban areas, in objects with artificial light and without daylight, completely controlled environment in order to provide successful process of photosynthesis and crop productivity. It is one of the solutions for food production for a growing population on the planet. It is solution for the food production in the near future, and nowadays.

Such objects are provided with all necessary installations for optimal crops growth, high productivity, clean, and safe fresh food.

High-tech urban farming can be conducted in various spaces, like special rooms, chambers, buildings intended for such purpose, removable grow-trainers. It is sustainable production without pesticide usage.

Some of very important equipment is light emitting diodes (LED) for horticulture, which are made to provide needed light recipe for every phenophase of crop growth. It is important for photosynthesis and crop productivity. The other important installation, especially in closed systems without daylight, is possibility to provide needed CO2 implementation, which is also very important for process of photosynthesis and crop productivity. Thus, it is possible to get, for example, high quality various vegetables and safe for human consumption.

According to Sprecht *et al*. [2] greenhouses could be placed on the roofs of the buildings in the cities, for example, what belongs to urban horticulture.

#### **2. Supplemental lighting**

Supplemental lighting is necessary in seedling production, as well as in growing vegetable crops that have a longer vegetative period and high demands for light (tomatoes, peppers, and cucumber), and for vegetables with smaller habitus growing in climate chambers in various urban facilities. In greenhouses, it is usually needed during long winter months and periods of overcast. The supplemental lighting prolongs a day, compensates for a natural light limiting effect in winter, and enhances the amount of the available light. Supplemental lighting support photosynthesis in plants and empower plant growth, so they become more resistive on various diseases. Supplemental lighting should not be confused with photoperiodic lighting, which is applied to create long days, thus controlling the plant growth and development processes.

**307**

excess heat.

the greenhouse.

*Urban Horticulture and Its Modernization by Using LED Lightning in Indoors Vegetable…*

Fundamental issue is lamps and diodes production technologies because they have to be adapted for horticultural crop production. Some of the lighting technologies include incandescent bulbs, halogen incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps, high-intensity discharge lamps, and light-emitting

For now, in the vegetable crop production practice, the High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps and LED lamps are in use. The HID lamps emit high heat (up to 50%), so they must be placed at about 2 m or more above the crops. The LED lamps are placed at about 40 cm or more above the crops (depends on the species) or in between the crop's rows in the greenhouses, as they do not produce heat that could

Nowadays, there are very intensive studies in the ways the plants use the incom-

Importance of LED lightning in urban horticulture and generally, horticultural production in protected areas could be seen on many official and representative movies of companies which have been cooperating in official scientific projects with

Many scientific examinations in the recent years showed that LED lightning save energy and improve and empower plat growth and modern urban vegetable

Light-emitting diodes (LED) represent a promising technology for the greenhouse industry that has technical advantages over traditional lighting sources, as well as a significantly positive impact on the plant photosynthesis process and therefore on the crops yield. They are only recently being tested for horticultural applications, both in greenhouses and in special chambers with a total control of climatic and other conditions necessary for the crop's growth and development. For the time being, they are mostly used in growing leafy vegetables and herbs. LEDs are solid-state light-emitting devices that emit broad-band (white) spectrum light that is necessary for both the vegetative and the reproductive crops phases. Depending on the vegetable varieties and their edible parts (vegetative part, fruit, and immature flower heads), LEDs could be designed to emit light for each phenophase of the crops, so as to adjust it to particular crops and production goals. One of the most important features of LEDs for horticultural application is that the generation of light in LEDs does not produce heat in the beam of light, and LEDs are cool to the touch. So, LEDs can be placed at 40–50 cm above the rows of crops or in between the rows in the greenhouse, and there will be no damage to the plants coming from

Besides the crucial role of light and its special qualities for the process of photosynthesis, a combination of light or photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and supplemental carbon dioxide is also very important in the greenhouse. It is vital that both light and carbon dioxide are provided in sufficient amounts within the greenhouse, or otherwise, a lack of either may pose a limiting factor for the photosynthetic process and consequently for the crop's productivity. Therefore, when supplemental lighting is applied for purposes of increasing the crops productivity, it is necessary at the same time to maintain a suitable carbon dioxide concentration in

ing photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) which is based on a principle of an exponential increase of absorbed photosynthetic active radiation with the increase

*DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90723*

diodes.

damage plants.

in leaf area index [3].

**3. Importance of LED lightning**

eminent universities around the world.

growing—in protected areas with and without daylight.

*Urban Horticulture and Its Modernization by Using LED Lightning in Indoors Vegetable… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.90723*

Fundamental issue is lamps and diodes production technologies because they have to be adapted for horticultural crop production. Some of the lighting technologies include incandescent bulbs, halogen incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lamps, compact fluorescent lamps, high-intensity discharge lamps, and light-emitting diodes.

For now, in the vegetable crop production practice, the High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lamps and LED lamps are in use. The HID lamps emit high heat (up to 50%), so they must be placed at about 2 m or more above the crops. The LED lamps are placed at about 40 cm or more above the crops (depends on the species) or in between the crop's rows in the greenhouses, as they do not produce heat that could damage plants.

Nowadays, there are very intensive studies in the ways the plants use the incoming photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) which is based on a principle of an exponential increase of absorbed photosynthetic active radiation with the increase in leaf area index [3].

#### **3. Importance of LED lightning**

*Sustainable Crop Production*

efficient, too.

environment. It is very important for smaller and urban areas. Plant production in urban areas is a great contribution in food production for growing population, generally. One of such kind of plant production is vertical crop production in modern greenhouses or closed systems, both equipped with all necessary installation for providing optimal climate control. In such environment pests, control is

Vegetables have an important role in human consumption as fresh products, food, and pharmaceutical industry. They are mostly low calorie, low fat, and low protein foods, but are a significant source of some of the most needed vitamins, minerals, and microelements. Average recommended daily intake for vegetables is about 400 g [1]. Interesting dietary guidelines vegetable consumption USDA posted on their website (USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans). In the mentioned post there is a detailed description of daily servings of vegetables for people living in different parts of world. Vegetables reaction on the global climate changes is very sensitive and vegetable production is becoming more difficult by time. At the same time, with the increase in population on the planet, demand for vegetables is increasing. Therefore, the modernization of horticultural production has been catching the attention of scientists for years. One way to modernize horticultural production generally is to use LED lighting in a protected space, with and without daylight in urban areas. Urban farming comprises production of various crops in urban areas, in objects with artificial light and without daylight, completely controlled environment in order to provide successful process of photosynthesis and crop productivity. It is one of the solutions for food production for a growing population on the planet. It is

solution for the food production in the near future, and nowadays.

growth, high productivity, clean, and safe fresh food.

quality various vegetables and safe for human consumption.

buildings in the cities, for example, what belongs to urban horticulture.

sustainable production without pesticide usage.

**2. Supplemental lighting**

development processes.

Such objects are provided with all necessary installations for optimal crops

chambers, buildings intended for such purpose, removable grow-trainers. It is

Some of very important equipment is light emitting diodes (LED) for horticulture, which are made to provide needed light recipe for every phenophase of crop growth. It is important for photosynthesis and crop productivity. The other important installation, especially in closed systems without daylight, is possibility to provide needed CO2 implementation, which is also very important for process of photosynthesis and crop productivity. Thus, it is possible to get, for example, high

According to Sprecht *et al*. [2] greenhouses could be placed on the roofs of the

Supplemental lighting is necessary in seedling production, as well as in growing vegetable crops that have a longer vegetative period and high demands for light (tomatoes, peppers, and cucumber), and for vegetables with smaller habitus growing in climate chambers in various urban facilities. In greenhouses, it is usually needed during long winter months and periods of overcast. The supplemental lighting prolongs a day, compensates for a natural light limiting effect in winter, and enhances the amount of the available light. Supplemental lighting support photosynthesis in plants and empower plant growth, so they become more resistive on various diseases. Supplemental lighting should not be confused with photoperiodic lighting, which is applied to create long days, thus controlling the plant growth and

High-tech urban farming can be conducted in various spaces, like special rooms,

**306**

Importance of LED lightning in urban horticulture and generally, horticultural production in protected areas could be seen on many official and representative movies of companies which have been cooperating in official scientific projects with eminent universities around the world.

Many scientific examinations in the recent years showed that LED lightning save energy and improve and empower plat growth and modern urban vegetable growing—in protected areas with and without daylight.

Light-emitting diodes (LED) represent a promising technology for the greenhouse industry that has technical advantages over traditional lighting sources, as well as a significantly positive impact on the plant photosynthesis process and therefore on the crops yield. They are only recently being tested for horticultural applications, both in greenhouses and in special chambers with a total control of climatic and other conditions necessary for the crop's growth and development. For the time being, they are mostly used in growing leafy vegetables and herbs. LEDs are solid-state light-emitting devices that emit broad-band (white) spectrum light that is necessary for both the vegetative and the reproductive crops phases. Depending on the vegetable varieties and their edible parts (vegetative part, fruit, and immature flower heads), LEDs could be designed to emit light for each phenophase of the crops, so as to adjust it to particular crops and production goals. One of the most important features of LEDs for horticultural application is that the generation of light in LEDs does not produce heat in the beam of light, and LEDs are cool to the touch. So, LEDs can be placed at 40–50 cm above the rows of crops or in between the rows in the greenhouse, and there will be no damage to the plants coming from excess heat.

Besides the crucial role of light and its special qualities for the process of photosynthesis, a combination of light or photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and supplemental carbon dioxide is also very important in the greenhouse. It is vital that both light and carbon dioxide are provided in sufficient amounts within the greenhouse, or otherwise, a lack of either may pose a limiting factor for the photosynthetic process and consequently for the crop's productivity. Therefore, when supplemental lighting is applied for purposes of increasing the crops productivity, it is necessary at the same time to maintain a suitable carbon dioxide concentration in the greenhouse.

#### *Sustainable Crop Production*

In this way, it is possible to grow vegetables in the greenhouses without natural daylight but with the application of the suitable LED lighting (depending on the crops variety, its edible parts, growing requirements and other) and other controlled climatic conditions for optimal plant growth. LED lighting lasts approximately 18 hours and 6 hours plants are in the dark.
