Controlled-atmosphere (CA) technology is applied in indoor cultivation spaces where plants grow in a "bubble-like" environment. Not an airtight environment, but a more-efficient, gas-tight environment that serves as the first line of defense against contamination.
This technology is used for "quality hold," meaning that we can extend the storage of biomass beyond the capabilities of normal cooling (refrigeration). For example, this technology can hold supermarket quality in some fruit for up to 14 months, something that can also be done with a good crop of cannabis biomass that has valuable terpenes. The controlled atmosphere can also kill insects and their eggs without using pesticides or chemicals. We can also increase the efficiency of the dry/cure process for cannabis.
Precise digital control of air molecules means controlling the air down to two decimal points in terms of percentages of CO2, O2, N2, ethylene and ethanol, the gases that exist around large amounts of biomass. The concentrations of these gases influence the quality, quantity (yield) and energy efficiency of equipment, notably temperature and humidity.
Read the full article at SmartIndustry (Chris Treville, GrowEx)