BTRIC Technical Support for Appalachia: FY 2023 Summary Report on Net Negative Carbon Building Demonstration with AgPod

This study investigates the effects of various concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO₂) on the photosynthesis and biomass accumulation of crops growing in an Agricultural Pod (AgPod). The initial test crop was kale. It has been found that increasing the CO₂ concentration in the AgPod promotes higher photosynthetic rates in kale plants up to 1300 ppm (highest CO₂ concentration). An interesting finding was that net photosynthetic rates of kale leaves remain unsaturated until unusually high levels of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, > 1200 µmolm-2s-1) and CO₂ concentration (> 1100 ppm) are reached. Such high levels of saturating PAR and CO₂ concentration values rarely occur under natural conditions, suggesting a promising potential for carbon capture via enriched greenhouse crop production. This task is one part of an overall plan to incorporate an AgPod to utilize carbon captured from the atmosphere to achieve net negative carbon emissions in a small neighborhood or community.