Recent studies on implementing controlled environment agriculture (CEA) to cultivate plants with therapeutic properties might result in production techniques that enhance the levels of a natural anti-cancer substance produced by specific plant species.

The investigation, directed by doctoral candidate Rebekah Maynard, aimed to pinpoint crops suitable for medical applications and devise methods to elevate the concentration of an anti-cancer substance generated by these plants.

Utilizing controlled environment agriculture to cultivate medicinal flora

Collaborating with Rhuanito Ferrarezi, an associate professor specializing in CEA crop physiology, Maynard cultivated compact crops with brief life cycles — chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla) and parsley (Petroselinum crispum) — within a vertical farming setting. The team assessed the plants’ yield of apigenin, a naturally occurring anti-inflammatory substance with potential anti-cancer benefits.

“Apart from citrus, which is a naturally prolific producer of apigenin and would not be suitable for a vertical farming setup, parsley was identified as the leading source of apigenin,” Maynard noted. “Although chamomile was reported to yield less apigenin than parsley, we chose to explore it because it is a compact species that could thrive in a vertical farming environment.”

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