SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF MULTI-TIER CULTIVATION UNIT DESIGNS AND THE NORMATIVE BASE FOR PROTECTED CULTIVATION

Abstract

Purpose. To systematically analyse the design solutions of multi-tier cultivation units for protected cultivation, their technological and resource indicators, and the applicable normative framework; to formulate a classification system for small-volume multi-tier units and to quantify gaps in the normative base. Methods. A critical-analytical review was performed. The source base included international scientific publications, dissertations from the CIS scientific school, legislation and urban-planning standards of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and EN, ISO and ANSI/ASABE standards. Facilities were classified by nine independent attributes expressed in vector form; constructions were compared across nine indicators; eleven normative documents were assessed against eight criteria on a three-level scale, and a coverage index was calculated for each criterion. Results. Four stages of protected-cultivation engineering development were distinguished, revealing a consistent pattern: the number of controlled factors and the specific energy consumption per unit of product increase together. Coverage analysis showed a 0% coverage index for four criteria: inter-tier temperature difference, air velocity above the plant canopy, illumination non- uniformity, and applicability to small-volume multi-tier constructions. Conclusions. A small- volume, three-tier, fully automated unit using only artificial lighting occupies the least studied intersection of the classification space.