Further development of Controlled Environment Agriculture requires close interaction between biology, technology, and quantitative analysis. Improving plant performance is the central objective.

The scientific work is carried out within CERIN89 — the Controlled Environment Research Institute, where we study how crops respond to fully controlled growing conditions and how this knowledge can be translated into practical cultivation systems.

CERIN89 provides the environment in which experiments are designed and conducted. Students from different disciplines contribute to the research program and help generate new insights and publications. The Research Cabinets make it possible to measure whole crops under strictly controlled conditions, including their carbon, water, and energy balances.

Plant behavior is analyzed using the Plant Balance Model (PBM). This mathematical framework describes how light, photosynthesis, growth, and yield are related. A key concept within the model is the relationship between source and sink: the production of assimilates through photosynthesis and the plant’s capacity to convert those assimilates into leaves, fruits, or other harvestable organs. Understanding and optimizing this balance is a central element of CERIN89’s research.