When a cultivation condition value changed by using a prescribed value in a changing step is equal to or above a preset upper limit value, the cultivation condition value is replaced with the upper limit value. When the cultivation condition value changed by using the prescribed value in the changing step is equal to or below a preset lower limit value, the cultivation condition value is replaced with the lower limit value.

Growing systems may include a number of modular growing chambers adapted to be configured in a stacked arrangement with each growing chamber surrounding a corresponding portion of the plant. The grow chambers may be selectively added or removed during plant growth, such that different sections of the growing plant may be influenced differently using aeroponic, hydroponic or other growing techniques. The grow chamber stack may be portable and provided with integrated or independent lifting devices to assist an operator in adding or removing chambers from the stack. Three growing processes may be facilitated using such systems. These include a process for producing assorted product from a single plant for simultaneous harvest, a process for producing an extended harvest of a desired size product from a single plant, and a process for extending the productive life of a plant and provide for multiple, continued, and perpetual harvest.

A method for growing leaf vegetables and/or herbs and/or potato plants, a device there for, a system there for, and use of ferrate for growing leaf vegetables and/or herbs and/or potato plants. The method includes providing a growth substrate, providing one or more leaf vegetable and/or herb and/or potato plant seeds and/or leaf vegetable plants and/or herb plants and/or potato plants to a growth substrate, providing growth media to the one or more leaf vegetable seeds and/or herb seeds and/or potato plant seeds and/or leaf vegetable plants and/or herb plants and/or potato plants, wherein the growth media at least comprises a liquid, and providing ferrate to the growth media.

A method for growing leaf vegetables and/or herbs and/or potato plants, a device there for, a system there for, and use of ferrate for growing leaf vegetables and/or herbs and/or potato plants. The method includes providing a growth substrate, providing one or more leaf vegetable and/or herb and/or potato plant seeds and/or leaf vegetable plants and/or herb plants and/or potato plants to a growth substrate, providing growth media to the one or more leaf vegetable seeds and/or herb seeds and/or potato plant seeds and/or leaf vegetable plants and/or herb plants and/or potato plants, wherein the growth media at least comprises a liquid, and providing ferrate to the growth media.

A hydroponic apparatus includes: a cultivation tank inside which a plant is held, and into a lower portion of which a nutrient solution is introduced; a separator that separates a first space where aboveground portions of the plant are positioned and a second space where underground portions of the plant are positioned; an environmental control unit that performs control of adjusting a temperature of the first space to a first temperature in a first period and adjusting the temperature of the first space to a second temperature lower than the first temperature in a second period; and a humidity control unit that performs control to decrease a humidity of the second space when the growing period for the plant shifts from the first period to the second period.

A plurality of apparatus herein includes a locomotion device, a storage space with straps configured to be carried on a user's back, a trolley, or a wheelbarrow that each have a reflector body extending therefrom to which is mounted a UV-C light source operatively positioned relative to a reflector and operatively temperature controlled by an on-board temperature control unit to form a panel. The UV-C light source is operatively controlled to administer a dose of UV-C light based on a duration of exposure of at most two seconds when the panel has an optical power density between 300 W/m.sup.2 and 3000 W/m.sup.2 and a surface area of 0.01 m.sup.2 to 5 m.sup.2. The dose is in a range of 100 J/m.sup.2 to 1600 J/m.sup.2 as the locomotion device moves at an operating speed in a range of 1 km/hr to 10 km/hour.

A plurality of apparatus herein includes a locomotion device, a storage space with straps configured to be carried on a user's back, a trolley, or a wheelbarrow that each have a reflector body extending therefrom to which is mounted a UV-C light source operatively positioned relative to a reflector and operatively temperature controlled by an on-board temperature control unit to form a panel. The UV-C light source is operatively controlled to administer a dose of UV-C light based on a duration of exposure of at most two seconds when the panel has an optical power density between 300 W/m.sup.2 and 3000 W/m.sup.2 and a surface area of 0.01 m.sup.2 to 5 m.sup.2. The dose is in a range of 100 J/m.sup.2 to 1600 J/m.sup.2 as the locomotion device moves at an operating speed in a range of 1 km/hr to 10 km/hour.

Disclosed implementations for improving crop yield in arid environments. Implementations include a method comprising selecting a cover crop adapted to absorb one or more of atmospheric or soil moisture for storage in an underground portion of the cover crop, and planting the selected cover crop in a particular tract of land at a first time instance. The method additionally includes controllably terminating growth of the cover crop at a second time instance, subsequent to the first time instance, to initiate a decay phase of the cover crop to cause transfer of the moisture absorbed in the underground portion of the cover crop to soil of the tract of land, and planting a primary crop in the tract of land at a third time instance, the primary crop absorbing from the soil at least some of the moisture released during the decay phase of the cover crop.

Disclosed implementations for improving crop yield in arid environments. Implementations include a method comprising selecting a cover crop adapted to absorb one or more of atmospheric or soil moisture for storage in an underground portion of the cover crop, and planting the selected cover crop in a particular tract of land at a first time instance. The method additionally includes controllably terminating growth of the cover crop at a second time instance, subsequent to the first time instance, to initiate a decay phase of the cover crop to cause transfer of the moisture absorbed in the underground portion of the cover crop to soil of the tract of land, and planting a primary crop in the tract of land at a third time instance, the primary crop absorbing from the soil at least some of the moisture released during the decay phase of the cover crop.

A method is provided for obtaining new distant germplasm of intergeneric hybridized potato based on grafting-mentor, including the following steps: (1) using young branches, which are growing well, free of diseases, non-lignified, and from an upper part of Lycium as rootstock; (2) using seedlings of diploid primitive cultivated potato with 2-3 unfolded leaves as scion; (3) grafting; (4) conducting post-grafting management; (5) obtaining distant hybridized germplasm by using potato flower buds from the grafted plants for pollination, obtaining seeds of potato varieties after self-fertility, performing pre-germination on selfing seeds, obtaining true seed mini-tubers, and using these mini-tubers for further grafting and pollination to obtain distant hybridized seeds, performing tissue culture propagation on the distant hybridized seeds to obtain F1 asexual clone line foundation seeds.