台湾农民运用高科技帮助种植

 　　Meet Chang Chen-kai, one of a new generation of high-tech¹ farmers in Taiwan.

　　Rather than toiling² in the fields, Chang works in an air-conditioned room at a plant factory operated by Taiwanese biotechnology company, ARWIN.

　　It's one of a growing number of plant factories in Taiwan which grows vegetables under LED lights.

　　Here, plants are grown in closed environments, meaning growers can control temperatures, humidity, nutrients⁴ and water, all the while using LEDs as the only light source.

　　Chang says that leads to many advantages.

　　台湾农民运用高科技帮助种植

　　"The advantage of LED-grown plants? To grow plants in the soil outdoors, you would need much more land for plantation⁵. But to grow vegetables in the water, you need less land and even less space. And to grow plants outdoors, you would need to use pesticides⁶ often, but in here you don't need pesticides as the room's environment is all controlled."

　　In a similar way to hydroponics, these LED-grown plants are cultivated without soil.

　　Instead they use mineral nutrient³ solutions in the water.

　　In the past few years, Taiwan has seen a boom in its LED industry.

　　Taiwan manufacturers have made LED lights which consume less energy and have a broad-spectrum⁷ that closely mimics⁸ the intensity⁹ and spectrum of natural sunlight.

　　With their low cost and natural-looking light, many now see LED lights as a viable¹⁰ option in the agricultural sector¹¹.

　　Ting Mao Agricultural Biotechnology started their plant factory in 2007. Today they're a leading producer of LED-grown vegetables in Taiwan.

　　One of their most popular products is this 'ice plant', a thick, leafy vegetable from South Africa. It's sold for 400 US dollars a kilogram.

　　The factory now produces a variety of exotic vegetables after extensive research into various light settings, temperatures and nutrients certain crops require.

　　According to company's CEO Lawrence Lo, Taiwan is well placed to become an international leader in terms of high-tech plant factories.

　　"Actually, Taiwan has an advantage on this, because we have a well-developed lighting¹² industry, environmental-control equipment industry and many other electrical appliance industries. These are all the things that a plant factory would need."

　　Ting Mao has up to 5,000 members and restaurant operators who order vegetables directly from them.

　　Aside from manufacturing various products, the company has also set up their own restaurant which uses vegetables from the factory.

　　Some restaurant customers are assured of the benefits of LED-grown vegetables in comparison to traditional ones, despite the higher price tag.

　　Long Si-wei is a restaurant customer.

　　"This fresh vegetable not only tastes good, but it's also trouble-free. You just take them out and eat them right away."

　　But Food writer and Professor at Innovative¹³ Institute of Technology, Lily Chang isn't so convinced. She thinks vegetables grown in the soil benefit from all sorts of minerals in the ground.

　　For CRI, this is Yu Yang.

1 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

2 toiling   

长时间或辛苦地工作( toil的现在分词 )； 艰难缓慢地移动，跋涉

参考例句：

• The fiery orator contrasted the idle rich with the toiling working classes. 这位激昂的演说家把无所事事的富人同终日辛劳的工人阶级进行了对比。
• She felt like a beetle toiling in the dust. She was filled with repulsion. 她觉得自己像只甲虫在地里挣扎，心中涌满愤恨。

3 nutrient   

adj.营养的，滋养的；n.营养物，营养品

参考例句：

• Magnesium is the nutrient element in plant growth.镁是植物生长的营养要素。
• The roots transmit moisture and nutrient to the trunk and branches.根将水分和养料输送到干和枝。

4 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 plantation   

n.种植园，大农场

参考例句：

• His father-in-law is a plantation manager.他岳父是个种植园经营者。
• The plantation owner has possessed himself of a vast piece of land.这个种植园主把大片土地占为己有。

6 pesticides   

n.杀虫剂( pesticide的名词复数 )；除害药物

参考例句：

• vegetables grown without the use of pesticides 未用杀虫剂种植的蔬菜
• There is a lot of concern over the amount of herbicides and pesticides used in farming. 人们对农业上灭草剂和杀虫剂的用量非常担忧。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

8 mimics   

n.模仿名人言行的娱乐演员，滑稽剧演员( mimic的名词复数 )；善于模仿的人或物v.（尤指为了逗乐而）模仿( mimic的第三人称单数 )；酷似

参考例句：

• Methods:Models were generate by CT scan,Mimics software and Abaqus software. 方法：采用CT扫描，Mimics软件和Abaqus软件的CAD进行三维有限元模型的创建。 来自互联网
• Relaxing the mind and body mimics the effect that some blood-pressure pills would have. 放松身心会产生某些降压药才能产生的效果。 来自辞典例句

9 intensity   

n.强烈，剧烈；强度；烈度

参考例句：

• I didn't realize the intensity of people's feelings on this issue.我没有意识到这一问题能引起群情激奋。
• The strike is growing in intensity.罢工日益加剧。

10 viable   

adj.可行的，切实可行的，能活下去的

参考例句：

• The scheme is economically viable.这个计划从经济效益来看是可行的。
• The economy of the country is not viable.这个国家经济是难以维持的。

11 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

12 lighting   

n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光

参考例句：

• The gas lamp gradually lost ground to electric lighting.煤气灯逐渐为电灯所代替。
• The lighting in that restaurant is soft and romantic.那个餐馆照明柔和而且浪漫。

13 innovative   

adj.革新的，新颖的，富有革新精神的

参考例句：

• Discover an innovative way of marketing.发现一个创新的营销方式。
• He was one of the most creative and innovative engineers of his generation.他是他那代人当中最富创造性与革新精神的工程师之一。