Water and soil salinity pose a significant challenge to global food production, particularly in semi-arid and arid regions. In many of these areas, the only available irrigation water often has high salinity levels. Utilizing irrigation water with high salinity can lead to salt accumulation in the rhizosphere, causing reduced infiltration rates, yield losses, decreased crop quality, and even potential plant mortality. Two strategies to address water and soil salinity include integrating compost soil amendments and implementing water desalination techniques. In addition to these two strategies, legumes are suitable crops for enhancing bioproductivity and reclaiming marginal lands due to their symbiotic association with rhizobia bacteria that can increase soil nitrogen. The objective of this study was to evaluate how the combined use of saline and desalinated water for irrigation, along with compost amendments, impacts faba bean germination, growth, physiology, and nodulation. Two common faba bean cultivars, Broad Windsor and Aquadulce were planted in fall of 2023 in field plots at the arid Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Facility, Alamogordo, NM, USA. Faba bean cultivars were grown in a combination of treatments of mulched composted wood with soil, bare soil, saline (1.97 dS/m) irrigation water, and desalinated (0.80 dS/m) irrigation water. Germination rates, plant nutrient composition, chlorophyll index, nodulation weight and number, along with root weight were measured. Preliminary results show that compost treatment as a main effect had a significant effect on faba bean germination rates with a 22-26% reduction in germination at 18, 25, and 35 days after planting (DAP) in plots with compost. By 107 days after planting, faba bean plants in the compost-treated plots showed no signs of nodulation, whereas the majority of plots without compost had nodules present. Water treatment significantly influenced the chlorophyll index of faba beans at 107 DAP; plants irrigated with saline water exhibited higher chlorophyll indexes. Compost treatments could have influenced germination rates due to variations in soil temperature, while nodulation might have been affected by adequate nitrogen potentially supplied by the compost. Upon completion of the current season and subsequent second season, we will have a more comprehensive basis to evaluate the relationships between compost application, saline irrigation water treatments, and their impacts on faba bean growth.
Agrivoltaics is the simultaneous production of both solar energy and crops on the same land. The success of crops grown underneath the panels depends on the crop type, soil composition, regional climate conditions, and panel configuration (height, row spacing, tilt angle, and tracking system). There is a need for more research-based guidance on the trade-offs between energy and crop production in agrivoltaics systems. The objective of this study was to compare the microclimate conditions and crop performance within a solar array to the control (without a solar array). The on-farm agrivoltaics study was conducted from July to September 2023 in Grafton, MA, using two contrasting crops: butternut squash (sun-loving) and Boston lettuce (shade tolerant). Microclimate variables such as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), air temperatures, soil temperatures, soil moisture, and relative humidity were monitored at different transect positions within the solar array [BP 1 (under leading panels), BP 2 and BP 3 (between two panels), and BP 4 (under the back panel)] and control. Data were analyzed in R statistical software using an independent sample t-test to compare control to array and test and one-way ANOVA to compare each bed position within the array only. Preliminary findings showed higher mean and maximum PAR in control than in BP 1, BP 2, and BP 4 within the array. Air temperature (mean and maximum) was found to be higher in control than in the array. Mean and maximum soil temperature was highest in control when compared to BP 1 and BP 2 under the array. Similarly, mean relative humidity was found to be significantly higher in the control than in the array. The chlorophyll index of butternut squash showed a positive correlation with decreasing PAR, suggesting potential adaptive responses to varying light conditions. Butternut squash fruit yield was similar across the four different bed positions under the array, and lettuce yield under the array was similar to that of the control area. Further continuation of this study in 2024 provides insights for growers about the successful production of butternut squash and lettuce production under the agrivoltaics system.
In the face of escalating environmental concerns, the horticultural sector is encouraged to pivot towards more sustainable and environmentally friendly production practices. Specifically, Certified Naturally Grown (CNG) emerged in 2002 as a new production system for small-scale producers rooted in organic farming principles and relying on peer-reviewed certification that fosters a community network. However, there is limited literature on the process of achieving CNG certification. Hence, this research strives to provide a detailed roadmap of the different phases of setting up a demonstrational CNG production system at the Oklahoma State University Student Farm including strategic planning and execution phases. The research plot is intended to serve as both an educational tool and a practical guide for growers aiming to transition to CNG practices. The implementation of this project began with familiarizing ourselves with the CNG organization, their inspection processes and planning accordingly. This is crucial to ensure the plot meets CNG criteria, focusing on sustainable practices and ecological balance from the outset. Next, the planning phase encompassed establishing the research plot including site selection, soil analysis, anticipated barriers of CNG certification, plot design and layout, resource assessment, and an implementation timeline. The planning phase aids in physically establishing the CNG demonstration plot and ensuring its role as a research and educational hub. By accurately addressing each planning component, the project aims to lay a solid foundation to demonstrate the viability of CNG practices in Oklahoma, stimulate community engagement, and promote a deeper understanding of sustainable agriculture practices. Ultimately, this project seeks to illustrate the detailed strategic planning and preparation required to develop a CNG production system. The education tools we develop will provide a template for producers aiming for CNG certification. With this initiative, we aim to educate growers on sustainable and resilient production methods and enable a transition towards them.
Greenhouse production is experiencing a rise, with more emphasis being placed on sustainability and efficient resource utilization. Accurate fertilizer applications are now more crucial than ever across various production systems. Soilless growth media possess different physical and chemical properties compared to soil, resulting in differences in nutrient retention capabilities. Because of this, it is imperative to apply precise fertilizer rates. This study evaluated 14 fertilizer blends with varying nitrogen (0-120ppm), phosphorus (0-120ppm), and potassium rates (0-120ppm). ‘Red Ace’ beet seeds were planted into 1-pint pots with Berger BM6 and plants were hand watered weekly with each treatment fertilizer rate to a 10% leaching fraction. Dry shoot weight, fresh root weight, dry root weight, number of leaves, and SPAD were taken as end measurements. This study found that high rate of nitrogen increased fresh shoot weight, while higher rates of potassium increased root weight. More studies should be done to dial in fertilizer rates for different specialty crops grown soilless greenhouse media.
The high organic matter soil (50 -80%) in the Holland Marsh, Ontario, Canada, is ideal for growing root and bulb vegetables but weeds also thrive. There are few registered herbicides and increasing herbicide resistance necessitates hand-weeding, but labor shortages and increased costs increase the interest in alternative methods. The solar-powered FarmDroid FD20 is one option, if adapted to work in vegetables. The FarmDroid was used to seed and weed onions on 2.8 ha of a commercial farm with weed control issues. The robot seeded 21 beds ~800 m long, with 4 single rows in each bed, and seeds 3.4 cm apart within the row, at 225 meters per hour. Seeding took 81 hours. Weeding was done with using a cultivator with metal tines to remove weeds growing between the rows it had seeded, at a speed of 500 m/hr. Weed counts were consistently higher in the robot-weeded than conventional-farmed sections (408 and 186 weeds/m, respectively), largely because of the inability of the robot to weed within the rows. There were no differences in yield. Small scale trials were conducted to compare conventional seeding of four double rows, with single rows as above and clusters of 3 seeds, 12 cm apart in the row. Emergence was 25, 35 and 17 plants/m for single, double and triple cluster seeding, respectively. There were no differences in yield at harvest (73-76 t/ha) but there were significantly more jumbo onions (42%) in those seeded in clusters, compared to the others (9 and 1%). A separate trial assessed seeding accuracy with increased speed. Emergence was highest for onions seeded at 200 m/hr with a significant decrease at speeds of 300 – 500 m/hr. Seeding in clusters shows promise for faster seeding and larger onions. Modifications to improve the configuration of tines for weeding are ongoing.
Lactuca sativa L., commonly known as lettuce, represents a vital winter leafy vegetable crop cultivated globally, including Libya, owing to its rich nutritional content and rapid growth characteristics. Enhancing the vegetative growth of lettuce and similar leafy crops often involves employing various horticultural practices, with fertilization being a key component utilizing diverse nutrient sources. Two field experiments conducted at the Department of Horticulture Farm, Omar Al-Mukhtar University, situated in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar region of Libya in 2021 and 2022 aimed to evaluate the effects of ground-applied urea fertilizer (46% nitrogen) at rates of 0, 60, 120, and 180 kg.ha⁻¹, combined with foliar applications of different concentrations of humic acid (0, 1, 1.5, and 3 ml.L⁻¹), on the fresh and dry weights of leaves and roots, as well as root length of lettuce cv. Nickerson-Zwaan plants under local environmental conditions. Each experiment comprised 16 treatments representing all possible combinations of the two factors and followed a randomized complete block split-plot design with four replications per treatment. Results revealed that increasing levels of mineral nitrogen and humic acid resulted in a significant increase of fresh and dry weights of lettuce leaves and roots across both growing seasons as compared to the control treatment, with consistent effects observed for the interaction between nitrogen fertilization sources and their respective rates. While no significant impact was observed on root length due to urea fertilizer or humic acid spray in either growing season, application of 180 kg.ha⁻¹ urea fertilizer in the second season showed a tendency towards greater root length compared to other treatments. Thus, the findings suggest that the application of mineral nitrogen fertilizer and humic acid spray holds promise for enhancing the vegetative growth of lettuce plants in Al-Jabal Al-Akhdar region of Libya.
Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas) is a nutritious crop that produces edible roots, stems, and leaves. The tender vine tips, including both leaves and stems, are consumed as a vegetable in many regions of the world, including the Pacific Islands, Asia, and parts of Africa. A field experiment in Mount Vernon, WA evaluated time of vine tip (15 cm from the end of every vine) harvest on sweetpotato root yield of breeding lines USDA-04-284 (semi-erect growth habit), USDA-04-136 and USDA-04-791 (both with spreading growth habit). Treatments included no harvest during the season (control treatment, 1 harvest at time of root harvest), early harvest (8–12 weeks after transplanting, 4 harvests), late harvest (12–14 weeks after transplanting, 3 harvests), and continuous harvest (8–14 weeks after transplanting, 5 harvests). Vine tips were harvested at 2-week intervals during the harvest period, with an additional harvest for all treatments (including control) immediately before root harvest. Breeding line USDA-04-284 (semi-erect growth habit) produced 330 g of greens (fresh weight) per plant on average for all harvest treatments, which was significantly higher (p
EFFECT OF SELENIUM FERTILIZATION ON BETA-CAROTENE ACCUMULATION IN HYDROPONICALLY GROWN TWO CRESS VARIETIES. A.O. Adeyeye*; T. Nzaramyimana, Ph.D.; A. Kofi. College of Agriculture, Community, and the Sciences, Kentucky State University, Frankfort, KY 40601. Advanced plant cultivation techniques such as hydroponic vegetable planting, coupled with targeted soil micronutrient fertilization, exemplify sustainable agriculture's innovative approach to maximizing crop yields, enhancing nutritional quality, and minimizing environmental impact. This study will investigate the effect of selenium fertilization on the accumulation of beta-carotene in two varieties of hydroponically grown watercress. Hydroponic cultivation offers a controlled environment for plant growth, allowing precise manipulation of nutrient levels to optimize desired outcomes. Selenium, an essential micronutrient for both plants and animals, has been shown to influence the synthesis of secondary metabolites in plants, including carotenoids such as beta-carotene, which are important antioxidants and precursors of vitamin A. In this innovative idea, the experiment will be conducted using two cress varieties, (watercress) and (Upland cress), subjected to different levels of selenium fertilization. Selenium treatments will be applied according to a randomized experimental design, with each variety divided into multiple treatment groups receiving varying concentrations of selenium fertilizer. The hydroponic system provided consistent environmental conditions, including nutrient solution composition, pH, temperature, and light intensity, throughout the experiment. The beta-carotene content in watercress leaves will be quantified using High-performance Liquid chromatography (HPLC)analysis which is a technique used in analytical chemistry to separate, identify, and quantify components in mixtures and this allows for accurate measurement of carotenoid levels. Statistical analysis of the data will reveal significant differences in beta-carotene accumulation between selenium-treated and control groups within each watercress variety. Moreover, variations in beta-carotene accumulation will be observed between the two watercress varieties in response to selenium fertilization, indicating potential genotype-specific responses. Overall, the results will demonstrate that selenium fertilization influences beta-carotene accumulation in hydroponically grown watercress, with implications for agricultural practices and human nutrition. Understanding the interactions between selenium supplementation and carotenoid synthesis in watercress can inform strategies to enhance the nutritional quality of crops and promote sustainable agricultural production systems. Keywords; Selenium fertilization, Beta-carotene, Hydroponic, Watercress varieties, Agricultural sustainability, Crop yields, Environmental impact, Spectrophotometric analysis,
Phytonutrients in fruits and vegetables are crucial in promoting human health and preventing various diseases. Among these are carotenoids that are found abundantly in green leafy vegetables like kale, which have garnered significant attention due to their numerous health benefits, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Despite kale’s reputation as a nutritional powerhouse, little research has focused on the effect of magnesium fertilization on carotenoid production and accumulation in this vegetable. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the impact of different rates of magnesium fertilization on the carotenoid contents and elemental nutrient levels of three hydroponically grown kale cultivars. The Darkibor, Mamba, and Red Russian kales would be grown hydroponically using Hoagland solution in a greenhouse. Different magnesium rates at 0 mgL-1, 12.3 mgL-1, 24.6 mgL-1 and 59.2 mgL-1 would be used. Carotenoid contents and levels in the three kale varieties will be analyzed using High-performance Liquid Chromatography. Additionally, an Agilent 7500ce inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) system will be used to measure their elementary nutrient levels. Data would be analyzed using the PROC GLM analysis of variance (ANOVA) and regression analysis procedure of the SAS v9.1 software package. At the end of the experiment, it is expected that increased rates of magnesium fertilization will lead to a significant increase in the accumulation of carotenoid and elemental nutrient levels in each kale cultivar. Understanding how magnesium fertilization influences carotenoid accumulation and other nutrient levels in kale could improve nutritional quality, thereby reducing reliance on dietary supplements to address nutrient deficiencies. Keywords: Phytonutrients, Magnesium, Carotenoids, Kale, Antioxidants
Food safety, environmental impact, and efficient energy usage are growing concerns in horticultural production systems. In Hawaii, 'Koba' and local strains of green onion can be planted year round. The use of artificial lighting in green onion production could be a solution to help address the above concerns. The objective of this study was to compare the effects of red and blue LED lighting on the growth of 'Koba' green onion plants in a noncirculating hydroponic system. 'Koba' green onion (Allium fistulosum) seeds were germinated in Oasis® cubes under T5 high output fluorescent lighting in the lab. Seedlings were then transferred to 5.1-cm net pots, which were placed in 1.9-liter containers containing a hydroponic nutrient solution of Hydro-Gardens' Chem-Gro lettuce formula 8-15-36 hydroponic fertilizer with added calcium nitrate (19% Ca and 15.5% N) and magnesium sulfate (9.8% Mg and 12.9% SO4). Half of the seedlings were grown under red LED lighting (82 µmol/m2/s, 12-h photoperiod) and half under blue LED lighting (82 µmol/m2/s, 12-h photoperiod). Data was collected at the end of the experiment. At the end of the study, there were significant differences in plant height, number of leaves per plant, stem diameter, total leaf length per plant, leaf dry weight per plant, and root dry weight per plant. For all these variables, red LED lighting resulted in greater values than those for blue LED lighting. In conclusion, different LED lighting could be used to supply artificial lighting for 'Koba' green onion plants. Red LED lighting enhanced the growth of 'Koba' green onions.
Aerial multispectral imaging is a great tool for early detection of plant health stresses. There is a variety of sensing hardware with even more options for data analysis ranging in their ease of use and computing power requirements. These tools have been used very successfully in research settings such as breeding trials, nutrient management evaluations, and pesticide efficacy trials. These technologies have tremendous potential benefits if utilized in commercial production systems. While some agronomic crop producers have been using some of these technologies to some extent, there have been various barriers to adoption in specialty crop production. Data collection, analysis, and computing power limitations are some of the primary challenges. However, we find that there is a serious limitation in integration and data output compatibilities from the analysis side to plugging in precision ag equipment. In this project, we examine multiple systems and platforms from data collections to creating decision maps used in field equipment. This project is conducted in partnership with specialty crop growers and aerial service providers. We are in the process of streamlining the process of data collection, analysis, and creation of decision maps, to optimize the use of ground based or aerial fertility and pesticide precision applicators.
Vegetable soybean, also known as edamame, is a specialty crop harvested at an immature stage and consumed as pods. It has become increasingly popular in the United States due to its high nutritional value and good taste. Currently, most edamame consumed in the U.S. is imported as a frozen product. States such as Arkansas and Kentucky have started to grow this crop locally on a small scale to meet the high demand. South Florida, known for producing fresh vegetables sold nationwide, especially in the winter and spring markets, also has a highly diverse and growing ethnic population with significant local market potential. These factors make growers in South Florida highly interested in cultivating edamame to meet the demand in both national and local markets. Sixteen commercial edamame varieties were selected and assessed for differences in phenotypic performance, including emergence, yield, plant height, plant width, 10-pod weight, and pod size, to evaluate their production potential in South Florida. Varieties showed significant effects on most traits studied. Emergence rates ranged from 0 to 85%, and fresh pod yield ranged from 4.41 to 14.34 t/ha among all 16 varieties. Varieties like Goo, Karikachi #3, and Midori Giant, despite having moderate emergence rates, produced higher fresh pod yields due to their larger plants, resulting in bigger pods. There were variations in average pod length (35.61 – 51.21 mm), width (9 - 14 mm), and thickness (5.46 - 8.74 mm) among the varieties, with Goo standing out significantly in size. Overall, Goo, Karikachi #3, and Midori Giant demonstrated particularly favorable yield and good pod quality, showing potential for commercial edamame production in South Florida. This research highlighted the potential to grow edamame in higher hardness zone, providing foundational knowledge on edamame production in the US.
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a leafy vegetable in the Asteraceae family and is classified into various types, such as Romaine, Butterhead, Crisphead (Iceberg and Batavian), Latin, Leaf, and Stem. Lettuce propagates by the seeds. The seedling can grow in soil or a hydroponic system in a controlled environment Agriculture (CEA) system. This study was conducted to study the ability of different types of lettuces to grow in a hydroponic system and to assess the effect of light, humidity, and temperature on the yield. The experiment was conducted twice (2023 and 2024) in the Department of Agricultural Science lab at Morehead State University. Four lettuce cultivars, including 'Gustav's Salad' and 'May Queen' as the Butterhead type, 'Ice Queen' as a Crisphead type, and 'Lollo' as the Leaf type, were planted directly on rock wools (Rockwool Starter Plugs) in 2-inch Garden Net Pot in hydroponic containers. The commercial aquarium pumps constantly aerated the nutrient solution. Plants were fertilized with liquid plant food, and the Standard Hydroponic solution controlled the pH. The artificial light was provided by a mix of different lights (µmol/m2/s), including LEC, LED, and Fluorescent, for 16 hours daily under different temperatures (°C) and humidity (%). Biological control products were used for pest and disease control. Harvesting was done after 60 days, and fresh and dried yields of leaves were calculated. The roots were also collected and weighed. Dried leaves and roots were ground and analyzed. The primary results show significant differences among different cultivars.
