"Rosenberg said that farmers usually apply fertilizer once, water the crop and hope it grows. AeroFarms, meanwhile, applies fertilizers many times, adjusting along the way to optimize plant growth"
Not true. Most farmers I grew up around follow the recommended fertilization guidelines provided by their local coop, it's not a one time and "hope it grows" thing.
“I’ve learned how ignorant we are about how to make plants grow.”
Who is we? People who use "we" like this always use it to assume and judge things they feel.
“A plant doesn’t necessarily need 10 hours of darkness,” said Rosenberg. “Maybe it needs 10 minutes.”
Yes it does if the plant is photoperiodic. Many are.
“When you can really play with those environmental factors and all these tools in a big data way in a farm the size of [a] building, it really becomes illuminating of how plants react in different ways.”
Indoor and greenhouse growers have already been doing this forever. Welcome to the club.