Today, the agricultural sector is under increasing pressure to feed a growing global population while minimizing its environmental impact and preserving natural resources. It has become evident that innovative technologies are needed to improve resource management, particularly in ensuring that photosynthetic organisms receive optimal conditions for their health and productivity while avoiding unnecessary resource consumption.
In response to these challenges, the EU-funded project DREAM proposes science-based technologies that aim to study the specific needs of plants and provide cultivation protocols that optimize indoor production. The project focuses on introducing innovation in lighting systems, scientific instruments, and data processing. The ultimate goal is to promote the widespread adoption of controlled environments, such as greenhouses, vertical farms, and indoor gardens, for plant production, enabling more efficient resource utilization and reducing the environmental impact.
Since 2022, the DREAM researchers have been actively studying and harnessing the complex network of processes that regulate photosynthesis. It is now understood that photosynthetic organisms, including plants and algae, respond and adapt to various environmental factors, such as temperature, drought, CO2 concentration, and light quality and quantity, in intricate ways. Recent scientific advancements have shifted the understanding of photosynthesis regulation from a static and simplified view to a more dynamic and complex one.
