Source: CORNELL UNIVERSITY submitted to
RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN COMMERCIAL GREENHOUSE PRODUCTION
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
COMPLETE
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1001868
Grant No.
(N/A)
Cumulative Award Amt.
(N/A)
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
NE-1335
Project Start Date
Oct 28, 2013
Project End Date
Sep 30, 2018
Grant Year
(N/A)
Program Code
[(N/A)]- (N/A)
Project Director
Mattson, NE.
Recipient Organization
CORNELL UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
ITHACA,NY 14853
Performing Department
Horticulture
Non Technical Summary
In a needs assessment survey in 2012 of NYS greenhouse growers (n=107), the greatest barrier to profitability was high energy costs, followed by high input costs of other goods including fertilizers. Previous work has investigated using low-tech, unheated greenhouse structures (high tunnels) to produce spring bedding plants. While high tunnels greatly reduce energy costs they are prone to risk from frost which can destroy a crop. This project will investigate additional low-tech technologies (such as secondary row covers, minimal emergency heat, or root-zone heat) to reduce risk of production and expand the number of crops that can be grown in this manner. In greenhouse production, conventional liquid fertilizers readily leach from containers contaminating the environment. Because greenhouses can be used to intensely grow plants year-round, nitrogen inputs are as high 2,000 pounds per acre per year. One approach to reduce fertilizer inputs and run-off of nutrients to the environment is to use slow release nutrient sources such as controlled release fertilizers (CRF) or organic fertilizers. Organic production of containerized vegetables and herbs in greenhouses represents a high value market niche. Efforts are necessary to ensure nutrients are released in synch with crop demands. To reduce fertilizer inputs and run-off we will develop guidelines for the use of organic and CRFs for several economically important crops bedding and vegetable/herb transplants. Outreach efforts will take place annually including talks at NYS and regional greenhouse conferences, trade-journal and refereed articles, and online factsheets. As a result of the information gained from this project, it is expected that greenhouse operators that implement these guidelines can reduce their energy consumption by 10-30% and decrease fertilizer runoff by 20-50%.
Animal Health Component
90%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
10%
Applied
90%
Developmental
0%
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
2052123102060%
1025210200020%
4022123102020%
Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships; 205 - Plant Management Systems; 402 - Engineering Systems and Equipment;

Subject Of Investigation
2123 - Bedding/garden plants; 5210 - Fertilizers;

Field Of Science
2000 - Chemistry; 1020 - Physiology;
Goals / Objectives
To develop up-to-date water and nutrient as well as energy management guidelines for greenhouse crop production and provide stakeholders with educational opportunities that teach proper implementation at their own facilities.
Project Methods
To further promote the use of high tunnels or minimally heated greenhouses to reduce energy costs while producing high quality crops we will: 1) investigate the use of low-tech approaches to minimize risk from frost, 2) research the use of low temperature thresholds in minimally heated greenhouse to minimize crop damage from cold temperatures and expand the range of crops that can be grown in an energy efficient manner; and 3) calculate the energy savings of high-tunnel/minimal heat production as compared to conventional production for 10 economically important bedding plants. To reduce fertilizer inputs and run-off we will 4) develop guidelines for the use of organic and CRFs for several economically important crops bedding and vegetable/herb transplants. To address objective #1 we will conduct experiments during years 1-3 on finishing spring bedding plants in unheated high tunnels as compared to a heated greenhouse. Because outdoor conditions vary year-to-year affecting high tunnel conditions we realize the need to test across three field seasons. Five economically important crops which vary in their cold tolerance will be tested. In the high tunnel we will test 3 different strategies (use of secondary covers, root-zone ground heat and delayed planting date) to minimize frost damage and delays in production. Crop quality and marketability date will be assessed as compared to a heated greenhouse (control). For objective #2 we will conduct experiments in a greenhouse that is only heated when temperature falls below a minimum threshold (35, 45, and 55 °F) as compared to conventional temperature regime (65 °F). Crops used and assessment will take place as above. In years 4 and 5 we will conduct trials in consultation with stakeholders. We will also use available software (virtual grower) and crop information to calculate the energy costs of producing the crops using the strategies describe above (Obj. 3). For objective #4 we will test several organic and CRF materials at different application rates on several flower and vegetable transplants. Lab analysis will be conducted to determine the leaching of N-P-K as compared to conventional fertilizers. Outreach efforts will take place annually including talks at NYS and regional greenhouse conferences, trade-journal and refereed articles, and online factsheets.

Progress 10/28/13 to 09/30/18

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience for this project is New York State (NYS) greenhouse producers. As well, much of the information we gain on energy management is directly applicable to growers in the northern half the U.S. and information on water and nutrient management is more broadly applicable to U.S. greenhouse operations. The NYS greenhouse industry is broadly categorized into floriculture and vegetable producers. The floriculture industry (primarily bedding plants and potted plants) has traditionally been the primary segment of the greenhouse industry; this segment was comprised of 1,124 operations with 550 acres of greenhouse area producing $211 million in wholesale value (USDA, 2014). Our project also directly addresses the needs of high tunnel/greenhouse producers of vegetables. The production of vegetables in greenhouses is expanding in NYS, adding to the diversity of the industry. NYS had 435 operations with 114 acres covered area producing an annual wholesale value of $27 million - this represents a 54% increase in production in 5 years (USDA, 2009/2014). Greenhouse vegetable operations using sophisticated control of temperature, light and humidity are referred to as Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). Our research increasingly addresses the needs of this growing segment especially related to energy efficient production practices. In addition, this project has important implications for field vegetable producers that grow their own transplants in seasonal greenhouses. Many of the 3,192 field vegetable operations in NYS (USDA, 2009) produce their own transplants. A final audience is Master Gardener Volunteers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the past five years 17 undergraduate students were trained through independent study projects during the school year and summer internships, including projects on testing substrates and fertilizers for floriculture and vegetable crops, plant responses to LED lighting, production of bedding plants and vegetable in high tunnels, and production of leafy greens and vine crops in greenhouses. Seven graduate students were trained including 3 PhD students (molecular characterization of salt tolerance in petunia, use of organic fertilizers and substrates for vegetable transplants, greenhouse strawberry production and response to light and CO2 supplementation) and 4 M.S. students (optimizing cultural requirements for microgreens, developing Pineapple Lily as a potted flowering plant, CO2 supplementation and lighting for greenhouse tomatoes, energy efficiency and plant quality response of tomatoes and lettuce to LED lighting). Two MBA students were mentored in independent research developing cultural practices for production of hydroponic spinach, these students have gone on to form a commercial business. Training for the commercial greenhouse industry took place via 62 presentations in NYS, 30 presentations out-of-state and 8 webinars. Annually a floriculture field day was co-organized which included morning educational sessions and afternoon tours of the annual and perennial cultivar trials in landscape beds. During the 5 year period six meetings were organized of the Cornell Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) stakeholder/advisory group. And an additional one two-day CEA business planning workshop and 1-day lighting technology workshop was held. Several greenhouse hydroponics tours were given to 260 middle school students. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?During the 5 year period 62 in-state presentations and 30 out-of-state presentations were given reaching more than 5,375 commercial greenhouse/controlled environment agriculture industry members. Eight webinars reaching a national audience of 700 were given. Twenty trade journal articles, and fourteen website extension bulletins reaching a national commercial greenhouse audience were published. The project leader contributes to electronic grower resource online (e-Gro.org) a multi-state effort that provides weekly alert emails to a national mailing list of 3,000 during the spring (of current greenhouse crop issues) as well as research reports, webinars, and recorded videos. The multi-state team for this project (NE-1335) collaborated to develop a seven-part article series on urban agriculture, for which the Cornell project lead contributed 3 articles. The Cornell-based greenhouse program work team co-organized annually a summer floriculture field day (5 total during the project period) reaching 75-100 attendees each year. The morning program of the field day included talks on new ornamental plants, retail/marketing tips, and pest/disease control. The afternoon of field day featured tours of the annual and perennial trials demonstrating landscape performance of plants as well as demonstrating plants attractive to pollinators and a session on identifying landscape disease, insect, and abiotic disorders. A one-day workshop was organized on lighting technology for greenhouses (including a grower panel, research updates on new technology and energy efficiency, and information on federal grants and state and utility incentives for energy-efficient technology adoption) reaching 130 attendees. Regarding an academic audience, 21 relevant peer reviewed journal articles were published and 16 presentations were given at academic meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Greenhouse production of flower and vegetable crops consume large quantities of energy (heating and lighting) and fertilizer due to their intensive year-round production. Major research and outreach efforts focused on reducing greenhouse crop resource use while maintaining crop quality. Energy (for heating and lighting) is typically the second largest input cost in greenhouse production. Unheated high tunnels were found to be a suitable energy-efficient alternative to heated greenhouses for finishing cold-tolerant bedding plants in the spring in two northern U.S. locations (IN and NY) and, in some cases, high tunnels finished led to higher plant quality (Currey et al., 2014; Gerovac et al., 2015). The energy efficacy (light output per unit electricity consumed) of supplemental lights has increased greatly in the past 20 years. Some, but not all, light emitting diodes (LED) have higher energy efficacy than traditional high pressure sodium (HPS) fixtures (Wallace and Both, 2016). Therefore the decision on which LED technology to adopt is important. Evaluation of 6 LED and 2 HPS fixtures found that adoption of the most energy-efficient LEDs reduced electricity use by 40% vs. the most efficient HPS fixture without reducing plant quality or yield of leafy greens (lettuce, arugula, and kale). The decision on when to add supplemental light to the greenhouse is often based on a time clock approach or instantaneous light threshhold. However, a coordinated daily predictive approach to achieve a target daily light integral (DLI) can reduce lighting energy costs by more than 30 percent (as compared to light threshold). As LEDs improve in energy efficiency and initial cost, commercial adoption will become more widespread. Current barriers to adoption include high up-front cost (An LED installation can be 4-times more expensive than an HPS installation) and lack of information on how lighting can impact cultural management (irrigation and temperature). Outreach efforts focused on a calculator tool to help growers calculate how many light fixtures they would need in a greenhouse and the associated purchase and ongoing energy costs. The tool was presented in a webinar, at numerous conference presentations, and made available online at http://cea.cals.cornell.edu/. In addition a 1-day conference focused on new lighting technology and federal grants and state/utility incentives was organized and it was attended by 130 stakeholders. Regarding fertilizer use efficiency, alternatives to constant liquid fertilizer (CLF) for bedding plants and vegetable transplants were investigated to reduce nutrient leaching as well as develop fertilization strategies for organic crops. Controlled release fertilizers incorporated into the potting mix could reduce leaching of garden mums by 5-fold (Mattson et al., 2014). Use of controlled- and slow- release fertilizers was most effective to replace CLF for bedding plants and vegetable transplants with low to moderate fertility (Mattson, 2014). For heavier feeders (ex: petunias, garden mums) additional liquid fertilizer appears necessary for optimal plant growth (Mattson et al., 2014). Commercial substrates vary greatly in their base fertility (starter nutrient charge), pH, and physical properties and growers should obtain media analysis before using new products (Li and Mattson, 2016). Substrate amendments/biostimulants can further enhance plant performance but must be examined on a crop-by-crop basis. For example, seaweed extract applied as a weekly drench (but not foliar spray) enhanced post-production quality of petunias and tomatoes (Li and Mattson, 2015). Research and commercial practices for organic fertilization practices was summarized a review article along with two collaborators Burnett, et al. (2016). For vegetable transplants, organic amendments added to the substrate may provide adequate fertility for 4 to 6 weeks, but must be further amended or supplied with liquid organic fertilizers after this time. Continued consumer interest in locally grown produce has led to increased greenhouse vegetable production in New York State. Traditional greenhouse crops include lettuce, herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. Microgreens (young leafy greens harvested at the emergence of a true leaf are a relatively new profitable niche crop for greenhouse operations. However, very little information is available in the scientific literature regarding cultural practices. A series of experiments was conducted to develop production protocols (seed density, fertility, temperature) on three brassica microgreens (arugula, mustard and mizuna) (Allred and Mattson, 2018). Greenhouse strawberries are another crop of interest but there is lack of cultural information as well as lack of yield data to help growers evaluate their economics. Four day-neutral strawberry cultivars were evaluated grown under supplemental light during winter months. Cultivar selection appears to be important as yield varied by a factor of two depending on cultivar. In New York State the greenhouse vegetable industry continues to grow at a rapid pace. However, More information is needed, however, on the economics of setting up Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) greenhouses which have relatively high capital and operating costs but are also high yielding. Led by Miguel Gomez, horticultural economist in Cornell's Dyson school we have collaborated in an effort to develop cost accounting spreadsheets for greenhouse lettuce and tomato production. The spreadsheets incorporate both fixed and ongoing costs and allow the user to select a variety of production methods and input costs according to their own production settings. The spreadsheets were seeded with realistic starting values. In our example lettuce scenario, labor is the largest input cost (53%), followed by packaging (17%), and utilities (10%). In our tomato scenario, utilities are the greatest production cost (39%), followed by greenhouse environmental controls (12%), and labor (11%). The user can manipulate input costs to learn how changes in inputs (such as utilities, labor, etc.) can impact their profitability. Project materials/spreadsheets are available online at: http://cea.cals.cornell.edu/research/marketing.html The spreadsheets were shared with 34 stakeholder attendees from 26 businesses that attended a 2-day CEA business planning workshop in November 2018. The stakeholder attendees were asked to complete a baseline survey on their current operation as well as their proposed/expanded CEA business activities. To summarize key findings: The 26 stakeholder attendees are currently employing 287 full-time employees and 514 part-time/seasonal employees in their agricultural businesses. Currently, the stakeholders row in 56.5 acres of greenhouses producing a wide range of products (floriculture, leafy greens, microgreens, cucumbers, tomatoes, mushrooms and fresh market vegetables). When asked about their proposed/expanded CEA enterprise in NYS that are planning, the group, is proposing to develop an additional 90 acres of greenhouse crops (including tomatoes, peppers, leafy greens, herbs, strawberries, mushrooms, and tilapia [fish]). If these plans come to fruition, they would employ an anticipated 359 additional full-time employees and 155 part-time/seasonal employees.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Lyons, S.D., Miller, W.B., Wien, H.C. and Mattson, N.S., 2018. Bulb circumference influences growth and crop quality in pineapple lily. HortTechnology, 28(4), pp.450-452.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Lyons, S.D., Miller, W.B., Wien, H.C. and Mattson, N.S., 2018. Flurprimidol and Paclobutrazol substrate drenches on potted pineapple lily. HortTechnology, 28(4), pp.445-449.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Wang, B., Jin, Q., Zhang, X., Mattson, N.S., Ren, H., Cao, J., Wang, Y., Yao, D. and Xu, Y., 2018. Genome-wide transcriptional analysis of submerged lotus reveals cooperative regulation and gene responses. Scientific Reports (Nature Publisher Group), 8, pp.1-9.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Shahid, M.A., Balal, R.M., Khan, N., Zotarelli, L., Liu, G., Ghazanfar, M.U., Rathinasabapathi, B., Mattson, N.S., Mart�nez-Nicolas, J.J. and Garcia-Sanchez, F., 2018. Ploidy level of citrus rootstocks affects the carbon and nitrogen metabolism in the leaves of Chromium-stressed Kinnow mandarin plants. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 149, pp.70-80.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mattson, N. 2018. Fertilizer calculation basics for hydroponics. e-Gro Edible Alert 3(5). 8 pp. http://egrouni.com/pdf/E305.pdf
  • Type: Other Status: Submitted Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mattson, N. 2018. Magnesium deficiency of hydroponic and container grown basil. e-Gro Edible Alert 3(3). 6 pp. http://egrouni.com/pdf/E303.pdf
  • Type: Other Status: Other Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mattson, N. 2018. Pythium root rot on hydroponically grown basil and spinach. e-Gro Edible Alert 3(1). 5 pp. http://egrouni.com/pdf/E301.pdf
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Kovach, D. and N.S. Mattson. 2018. Response of tomato Merlice to the interaction of daily light integral and carbon dioxide concentration. Abstract and poster at Annual ASHS Conference. Washington DC, July 30-Aug. 3, 2018.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Hernandez, E.R., Harbick, K. and N.S. Mattson. 2018. Selecting high-quality head lettuce for greenhouse production under differing supplementary light sources. Abstract and poster at Annual ASHS Conference. Washington DC, July 30-Aug. 3, 2018.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Songsomboon K., Viands D.R., Mattson N.S. and Bergstrom G.C. 2018. Silicon amendment for control of Bipolaris leaf spot and seed rot of upland switchgrass, 2017. Plant Dis. Manag. Rep. 12:ST001. Online publication. doi:10.1094/PDMR12
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Allred, J. and N. Mattson. 2018. Growing better greenhouse microgreens. Greenhouse Product News, Under Control, CEA supplement. October:10-13.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Harada, Y., T. Whitlow and N. Mattson. 2018. Urban agriculture: Rethinking rooftops. Produce Grower. June.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Kacira, M., N. Mattson, R. Dickson and R. Lopez. 2018. Urban agriculture: Urban crop production in vertical farms. Produce Grower. April.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Both, A.J., N. Mattson and R. Lopez. 2018. Urban agriculture: Utilizing supplemental and sole-source lighting in crop production environments. Produce Grower. March.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Huang, R., Pocock, T., Deng, Z. and N.S. Mattson. 2018. Effect of light spectrum on pigment accumulation and expression of pigment biosynthesis genes in red leaf lettuce. Abstract and poster at Annual ASHS Conference. Washington DC, July 30-Aug. 3, 2018.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mattson, N.S. 2018. Webinar: Lighting decisions for CEA: Turning photons into dollars. July 27, 2018. 94 participants, length in hours=1.0, total contact hours=94, Available online: http://cc.readytalk.com/play?id=1qr0ng
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mattson, N.S. and C. Currey. 2018. Webinar: Leafy greens and herbs. Hosted by Greenhouse Management magazine. June 6, 2018. 88 participants, length in hours=1.5, total contact hours=132, Available online: https://www.greenhousemag.com/videos/category/webinars/
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2018 Citation: Mattson, N.S., C. Currey, and R.G. Lopez. 2018. Webinar: Photoperiodic responses and light strategies of ornamental and edible crops. Hosted by electronic grower resource online (e-Gro.org). Feb. 2, 2018. 95 participants, length in hours=1.5, total contact hours=142.5, Available online: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAQHq8nRzj4


Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience for this project is New York State (NYS) commercial greenhouse producers. As well, much of the information we gain on energy management is directly applicable to growers in the northern half the U.S. and information on water and nutrient management is more broadly applicable to U.S. greenhouse operations. The NYS greenhouse industry is broadly categorized into floriculture and vegetable producers. The floriculture industry (primarily bedding plants and potted plants) has traditionally been the primary segment of the greenhouse industry; in 2012 this segment was comprised of 1,124 operations with 550 acres of greenhouse area producing $211 million in wholesale value (USDA, 2014). Our project also directly addresses the needs of high tunnel/greenhouse producers of vegetables. The production of vegetables in greenhouses is expanding in NYS, adding to the diversity of the industry. In 2012, NYS had 435 operations with 114 acres covered area producing an annual wholesale value of $27 million - this represents a 54% increase in production in 5 years (USDA, 2009/2014). Greenhouse vegetable operations using sophisticated control of temperature, light and humidity are referred to as Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). Our research increasingly addresses the needs of this growing segment especially related to energy efficient production practices. In addition, this project has important implications for field vegetable producers that grow their own transplants in seasonal greenhouses. Many of the 3,192 field vegetable operations in NYS (USDA, 2009) produce their own transplants. A final audience is Master Gardener Volunteers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Three undergraduate students were trained through independent study projects during the school year, including projects on testing substrates and fertilizers for hydroponic herb production and response of tomato plants to organic fertilizers. Two MBA students were mentored in independent research developing cultural practices for production of hydroponic spinach and determining consumer interest in this locally grown production. Three graduate students were trained, 1 PhD on lighting practices and greenhouse strawberry production and 2 M.S. students (1 on lighting to optimize lettuce and tomato production, and one on CO2 supplementation and lighting for greenhouse tomatoes). One visiting PhD student from Pakistan was mentored in studies screening okra for heat tolerance and determining physiological mechanisms that underlie heat tolerance. Training for the commercial greenhouse industry took place via 15 presentations in NYS, 6 presentations out-of-state and three webinars. One summer floriculture field day was organized which included morning educational sessions and afternoon tours of the annual and perennial cultivar trials in landscape beds. Two meetings were organized of the Cornell Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) stakeholder/advisory group. And one two-day CEA business planning workshop was held. One interactive greenhouse hydroponics tour was given to 80 middle school students. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Fifteen in-state presentations and six out-of-state presentations were given reaching more than 950 commercial greenhouse/controlled environment agriculture industry members. Three webinars (one on nutrition for high tunnel crops, one on fertilization and impacts on aphid infestation, and one on Controlled Environment Agriculture [CEA]) reaching a national audience of 135 were given. Two trade journal articles, and four website extension bulletins reaching a national commercial greenhouse audience were published. A summer floriculture field day was co-organized reaching 75 attendees. The field day featured a morning program on performance of new ornamental plants, use of biopesticides in the greenhouse, retail/marketing tips. The afternoon of field day featured tours of the annual and perennial trials demonstrating landscape performance of plants as well as demonstrating plants attractive to pollinators and a session on identifying landscape disease, insect, and abiotic disorders. An Integrated Pest Management hands-on workshop was co-organized with 45 participants on campus and four subsequent workshops held around NYS. The workshop included an interactive session taught by the PI greenhouse lighting, economics of adoption of LED lighting, and lighting impacts on pest and disease management. Two one-day sessions were organized bringing together 180 CEA industry members to hear about the latest CEA research and discuss barriers and opportunities to increased CEA vegetable production. A two-day CEA business planning conference was organized with colleagues in the Dyson School and Food Science. The conference taught several interactive modules regarding business plan development, market planning, business structure development, and also included a greenhouse tour of CEA experiments. Regarding an academic audience, five relevant peer reviewed journal articles were published and five presentations were given at academic meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The primary research emphases for the next reporting period includes experiments on; 1) continued work to examine the impact of LED vs HPS lighting on electricity usage and plant performance for baby leaf greens and head lettuce; 2) screening strawberry cultivars for suitability of wintertime greenhouse production and determining impacts of supplemental lighting on tomato yield; 3) continued work to determine the impact of greenhouse tomatoes to light quality and CO2 enrichment to develop energy efficient lighting strategies; and 4) continued work to model the cost to light and heat greenhouses as compared to production in plant factories (i.e. warehouse farms or vertical farms).

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Microgreens (young leafy greens harvested at the emergence of a true leaf are a relatively new profitable niche crop for greenhouse operations. However, very little information is available in the scientific literature regarding cultural practices. The influence of liquid fertilizer (applied at 0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 ppm N from a complete liquid fertilizer) was evaluated on three brassica microgreens (arugula, mustard and mizuna). All species exhibited increased fresh weight as fertilization increased from 0 to 200 ppm N, with fresh weight about double at 200 ppm N than the unfertilized control. Seeds were sown in a peat/perlite based soilless media. Substrate depth within a flat was also studied and significantly enhanced yields were found when a flat was filled nearly to the top (as opposed to shallow filling to save on substrate). Microgreens growers are interested in lighting and CO2 enrichment practices to optimize yield without wasting energy. For many greenhouse vegetable crops carbon dioxide enrichment can also be used to improve photosynthesis and reduce the need for supplemental light saving on energy use. Microgreens are thought of as a relatively low light requiring crop but little research is available to determine the impact of daily light integral (DLI) and CO2 enrichment on crop yield. In controlled environment chambers, microgreens of arugula, mustard, and mizuna were grown at combinations of 4 DLI (3, 6, 9, and 12 mol/m2/d) and CO2 (400, 600, 800, and 1,000 ppm). Increased plant fresh weight was found as both DLI and CO2 were increased within the range of this study. CO2 enrichment from 400 up to 1,000 ppm could reduce the need for lighting by 25% to still reach the same fresh weight. For example fresh weight at 9 mol/m2/d and 1,000 ppm CO2 was the same or greater than fresh weight at 12 mol/m2/d and 400 ppm CO2. Greenhouse hydroponic lettuce production typically uses plant varieties developed for field production conditions and not necessarily optimized for indoor growing. An experiment was conducted to screen 25 lettuce varieties in greenhouse hydroponic production using nutrient film technique (NFT). Of the 25 varieties, twelve were considered inappropriate for greenhouse NFT due to issues with either: leaf tip burn (a calcium disorder), early bolting, susceptibility to powdery mildew, and low overall biomass. The remaining 13 cultivars will now be grown in a trial comparing performance to high pressure sodium (broad spectrum light) to LED (narrow spectrum light) to determine influence of lighting source to plant biomass and susceptibility to abiotic disorders. An experiment is in progress to compare performance of three baby leaf greens (lettuce, arugula, and kale) to supplemental light from HPS vs. LED fixtures. The LED fixtures were found to be 40% more energy efficient (light output per kWh electricity consumed) than their HPS counterparts. Fixtures were set up in an array to light a 340 sf pond hydroponic production area with light sensors connected to greenhouse environmental control software to light each array to a target DLI of 17 mol/m2/d. A baby leaf crop is being grown under each array each month for 1-year to determine the impact of light quality on plant yield and morphology. Initial results from summer and fall 2017 suggest there may be a slight yield benefit of LED fixtures during the warmer months and a slight yield benefit of HPS during cooler months. The differences may be due to a slight warming effect on the leaves from longwave radiation from HPS fixtures and is the subject of follow-up through winter and spring 2018. In New York State the greenhouse vegetable industry continues to grow at a rapid pace. According to the latest data available (USDA Census of Agriculture) whole value of greenhouse vegetables increased by 10.6% annual between 2007 and 2012 as consumer interest for locally grown food increases. More information is needed, however, on the economics of setting up Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) greenhouses which have relatively high capital and operating costs but are also high yielding. Led by Miguel Gomez, horticultural economist in Cornell's Dyson School we have collaborated in an effort to develop cost accounting spreadsheets for greenhouse lettuce and tomato production. The spreadsheets incorporate both fixed and ongoing costs and allow the user to select a variety of production methods and input costs according to their own production settings. The spreadsheets were seeded with realistic starting values. In our example lettuce scenario, labor is the largest input cost (53%), followed by packaging (17%), and utilities (10%). In our tomato scenario, utilities are the greatest production cost (39%), followed by greenhouse environmental controls (12%), and labor (11%). The user can manipulate input costs to learn how changes in inputs (such as utilities, labor, etc.) can impact their profitability. The spreadsheets were shared with 35 entrepreneurs that attended a 2-day CEA business planning conference in November. Producers of organic greenhouse plants cited that managing fertilization is one of their most difficult production challenges (behind pest/disease control). Liquid organic fertilizers are available and relatively easy to apply but are about ten times more expensive than conventional fertilizers. Granular slow release fertilizers that are incorporated into the potting mix before transplanting are more cost effective but provide less control (i.e. it is easy to under or over apply them). We tested two new water dispersible fertilizers (WDF) that while not fully soluble in water can be applied through the irrigation water. Performance of tomato transplants to the two WDFs was as good or better than performance to two industry-standard organic water soluble fertilizers. The WDFs may be a useful tool for more cost effective organic fertilization. Summer experiments were conducted to determine impact of container size and growing environment (outdoors, high tunnel, and greenhouse) on yield of container-grown tomatoes. Outdoor production led to the shortest production season (ending in September) due to the development of late blight, high-tunnel production was maintained through October (and led to second highest yields), with greenhouse production (without supplemental lighting) able to be maintained through November resulted in the greatest plant yield. Results suggests that seasonal tomato production may be economically viable in underutilized greenhouses/high tunnels.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Xu, Y., Wang, Y., Mattson, N., Yang, L. and Jin, Q., 2017. Genome-wide analysis of the Solanum tuberosum (potato) trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) gene family: evolution and differential expression during development and stress. BMC genomics, 18(1), p.926. DOI 10.1186/s12864-017-4298-x
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Villarino, G.H., Hu, Q., Scanlon, M.J., Mueller, L., Bombarely, A. and Mattson, N.S. 2017. Dissecting Tissue-Specific Transcriptomic Responses from Leaf and Roots under Salt Stress in Petunia hybrida Mitchell. Genes 2017, 8(8), 195. DOI 10.3390/genes8080195.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Erwin, J., Mattson, N., and R. Warner. 2017. Light effects on bedding plants. Chapter 13 in Light Management in Controlled Environments (R.G. Lopez and E.S. Runkle, eds.). Meister Media Worldwide, Willoughby, OH. pp. 119-134.
  • Type: Book Chapters Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Currey, C.J., Kopsell, D.A., Mattson, N.S., Craver, J.K., Lopez, R.G., Erwin, J.E. and C. Kubota. 2017. Supplemental and sole-source lighting of leafy greens, herbs, and microgreens. Chapter 18 in Light Management in Controlled Environments (R.G. Lopez and E.S. Runkle, eds.). Meister Media Worldwide, Willoughby, OH. pp. 170-180.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Mattson, N. and T. Merrill. 2017. Symptoms of common nutrient deficiencies in hydroponic arugula. Inside Grower. June:30-33.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Mattson, N. 2017. Fertilizer 2.0. GrowerTalks. 80(10):50-53.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Mattson, N. 2017. How many light fixtures do I need? e-Gro Edible Alert 2(5). 4 pp. http://www.e-gro.org/pdf/E205a.pdf
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Mattson, N. 2017. Dont be dim! Watch out for low light on leafy green seedlings. e-Gro Edible Alert 2(4). 5 pp. http://www.e-gro.org/pdf/E204.pdf
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Mattson, N. 2017. Bolting of hydroponic lettuce and spinach. e-Gro Edible Alert 2(1). 4 pp. http://www.e-gro.org/pdf/E201.pdf
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Balal, R.M., Shahid, M.A., Vincent, C., Zotarelli, L., Liu, G., Mattson, N.S., Rathinasabapathi, B., Mart�nez-Nicolas, J.J. and Garcia-Sanchez, F., 2017. Kinnow mandarin plants grafted on tetraploid rootstocks are more tolerant to Cr-toxicity than those grafted on its diploids one. Environmental and Experimental Botany. 140:8-18.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Jin, Q., Xu, Y., Mattson, N., Li, X., Wang, B., Zhang, X., Jiang, H., Liu, X., Wang, Y. and Yao, D., 2017. Identification of submergence-responsive microRNAs and their targets reveals complex miRNA-mediated regulatory networks in lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn). Frontiers in plant science, 8.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Jin, Q., Wang, Y., Li, X., Wu, S., Wang, Y., Luo, J., Mattson, N. and Xu, Y., 2017. Interactions between ethylene, gibberellin and abscisic acid in regulating submergence induced petiole elongation in Nelumbo nucifera. Aquatic Botany, 137, pp.9-15.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Mattson, N. and T. Merrill. 2017. Symptoms of common nutrient deficiencies in hydroponic arugula. e-Gro Research Update #2017.02. 10 pp. http://www.e-gro.org/pdf/2017-2.pdf
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Allred, J.A. 2017. Environmental and cultural practices to optimize the growth and development of three microgreen species. M.S. Thesis. Cornell University.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2017 Citation: Brace, S.A. 2017. Vermicompost application as a fertilizer source and substrate amendment for seedlings and transplants: practical application and microbial activity analysis. Ph.D. Dissertation, Cornell University.


Progress 10/01/15 to 09/30/16

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience for this project is New York State (NYS) greenhouse producers. As well, much of the information we gain on energy management is directly applicable to growers in the northern half the U.S. and information on water and nutrient management is more broadly applicable to U.S. greenhouse operations. The NYS greenhouse industry is broadly categorized into floriculture and vegetable producers. The floriculture industry (primarily bedding plants and potted plants) has traditionally been the primary segment of the greenhouse industry; in 2012 this segment was comprised of 1,124 operations with 550 acres of greenhouse area producing $211 million in wholesale value (USDA, 2014). Our project also directly addresses the needs of high tunnel/greenhouse producers of vegetables. The production of vegetables in greenhouses is expanding in NYS, adding to the diversity of the industry. In 2012, NYS had 435 operations with 114 acres covered area producing an annual wholesale value of $27 million - this represents a 54% increase in production in 5 years (USDA, 2009/2014). Greenhouse vegetable operations using sophisticated control of temperature, light and humidity are referred to as Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). Our research increasingly addresses the needs of this growing segment especially related to energy efficient production practices. In addition, this project has important implications for field vegetable producers that grow their own transplants in seasonal greenhouses. Many of the 3,192 field vegetable operations in NYS (USDA, 2009) produce their own transplants. A final audience is Master Gardener Volunteers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Four undergraduate students were trained during independent study research projects during the school year, including projects on 1) propagation of perennial agroforestry plants ginseng and chokeberry 2) hydroponic production of okra 3) comparison of nutrient film technique vs. deep water culture and three commercial fertilizers for hydroponic lettuce production, and 4) effects of hypoxic conditions on hydroponic crops. Three graduate students were trained, 1 PhD on developing use of organic fertilizers/substrates for vegetable transplant production and 2 M.S. students (1 on optimizing microgreens production while reducing inputs and 1 on light spectrum impacts on greenhouse tomato production). Two MBA students and 1 M.S. were mentored in independent research on consumer perceptions and willingness to pay for in-state and greenhouse-produced vegetables (as compared with out-of-state and field produced vegetables). Training for the commercial greenhouse industry took place via nine presentations and two webinars reaching a national audience. One summer floriculture field day was organized which included morning educational sessions and afternoon tours of the annual and perennial cultivar trials in landscape beds. One interactive hands-on workshop was given on alternatives to liquid fertilizer and cost and pest management impacts of fertility choices. A week-long training program for six USDA Cochran Fellows from Jordan was held (in collaboration with UC Davis colleagues) on hydroponic production methods to improve water use efficiency in vegetable production. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Eight presentations were given reaching more than 835 commercial greenhouse/controlled environment agriculture industry members. Two webinars (one on nutrition for hydroponic crops and one on greenhouse lighting) reaching a national audience of 215 were given. Four trade journal articles, and three website extension bulletins reaching a national commercial greenhouse audience were published. A summer floriculture field day was co-organized reaching 100 attendees. The field-day featured a morning program on pollinator friendly plants, deer-resistant plants and management, and new retail trends. The afternoon of field day featured tours of the annual and perennial trials demonstrating landscape performance of plants as well as comparing performance of fifteen retail potting mixes. An Integrated Pest Management hands-on workshop was co-organized with 45 participants. The workshop included session on alternatives to liquid fertilizer to reduce nutrient leaching and decrease fertilization costs. Regarding an academic audience, five relevant peer reviewed journal articles were published and five presentations were given at academic meetings. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The primary research emphasis for the next reporting period includes experiments on; 1) use of the high tunnel growing environment to produce quality high quality vegetable transplants; 2) outreach efforts to vegetable growers on fertilizer efficient practices for greenhouses and high tunnels; 3) continued work to examine cost and energy efficiency of LED lighting in greenhouse production, including research to optimize light spectrum (wavelength) and carbon dioxide concentration to reduce energy use for supplemental lighting.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Regarding reducing energy use in heating greenhouses: two projects were conducted to investigate use of a high tunnel (a simple unheated greenhouse) 1) use of the high tunnel growing environment to produce cold hardy bedding plants (pansy, snapdragon, and dianthus) and herbaceous perennials (Echinacea, heuchera) with and without row cover, over the winter months with no heat for spring sales. Plants were established in early November 2015 and monitored over the winter. Interestingly, while 2016 was a very mild winter, there were several freezing and thawing cycles which led to very poor plant survivability and performance. While row cover improved plant survival slightly, those treatments had greater rodent problems. and 2) use of the high tunnel environment to produce high quality vegetable transplants (from the seedling stage) with no heat. In early May seedlings of several species of vegetables were transplant in either the high tunnel or standard heated greenhouse (control), performance was evaluated at market date (late May). The strategy was quite effective at producing compact, marketable transplants. A project continued to compare energy efficiency and plant growth of greenhouse supplemental lighting with high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps versus new light-emitting-diode (LED) lamps. The project is a collaboration with Dr. A.J. Both at Rutgers University who has an integrating light sphere to quantify light output vs. electrical consumption. The project is funded by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The energy efficiency of two HPS and five LED fixture was compared, the best LED fixtures had 40% greater energy efficiency. However, in an economic evaluation the high cost of LEDs appears to be a barrier to adoption (in one scenario, estimated payback of the most efficient LEDs was 22 years). The 7 types of fixtures were used to produce baby leaf lettuce, arugula, and kale. The fixtures each had quantum sensors and were controlled so that plants under each light treatment received the same daily light integral. There were some subtle differences in plant yield and morphology, with slightly higher yield found under HPS fixtures in some cases. A project continues on looking at the intersection of greenhouse fertilization practices and control of a common greenhouse pest: aphids. The project was sponsored by New York State Farm Viability Institute and project collaborators include John Sanderson (Cornell Entomology) and Betsy Lamb and Brian Eshenaur (NYS IPM). Biological control practices for aphids are of increasing importance due to public pressure to reduce use of neonicotinoid pesticides. In previous research we found that use of controlled release fertilizer (CRF) or organic slow release fertilizer (OSRF) as alternatives to liquid fertilizer (LF) significantly reduced green peach and foxglove aphid populations on pepper transplants, but had less impact on pansies. In 2016 research, we looked at the interaction of fertilization practices and effectiveness of parasitic wasps for biological control. Overall fertilizer treatment had minimal impact on biological control of aphid pests, suggesting that growers can switch to CRF or OSRF without negative ramifications for insect control. Trials were conducted at six commercial collaborators to compare performance of spring bedding plants/hanging baskets in response to CRF or LF as well as to observe effectiveness of biological control. In New York State the greenhouse vegetable industry continues to grow at a rapid pace. According to the latest data available (USDA Census of Agriculture) whole value of greenhouse vegetables increased by 10.6% annual between 2007 and 2012. A meeting was organized for diverse members (producers, suppliers, produce buyers, and financiers) of the controlled environment agriculture (CEA) industry. The meeting was attended by 50 individuals and has resulted in the formation of 4 committees to address barriers in profitable CEA production: access to capital, an educated workforce, research and development, and the creation of a CEA industry association. CEA industry members have continued interested in understanding consumer perceptions and market value of locally grown produce. A project in collaboration with Miguel Gomez (Dyson School) and Julie Stafford (Food Science) and sponsored by a specialty crop block grant seeks to determine consumer willingness to pay for locally-grown CEA produce. Preliminary results for lettuce and tomato found consumers willing to pay almost 20% more for in-state vs. out-of-state produce, but within those categories they did not differentiate as to whether the vegetables were produce in the field or in a CEA environment. Work is also ongoing to develop a interactive spreadsheet template to help new and transitioning growers estimate the fixed and variable costs in CEA production.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Jin, Q., Hu, X., Li, X., Wang, B., Wang, Y., Jiang, H., Mattson, N. and Xu, Y., 2016. Genome-wide identification and evolution analysis of Trehalose-6-phosphate synthase gene family in Nelumbo nucifera. Frontiers in Plant Science, 7, 1445 doi:10.3389/fpls.2016.01445
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Li, Y. and N.S. Mattson. 2016. Effect of different commercial substrates on growth of petunia transplants. HortTechnology. 26(4):507-513.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Balal, R. M., Shahid, M. A., Javaid, M. M., Iqbal, Z., Anjum, M. A., Garcia-Sanchez, F., & Mattson, N. S. 2016. The role of selenium in amelioration of heat-induced oxidative damage in cucumber under high temperature stress. Acta Physiologiae Plantarum, 38(6), 1-14.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Burnett, S. E., Mattson, N. S., & Williams, K. A. 2016. Substrates and fertilizers for organic container production of herbs, vegetables, and herbaceous ornamental plants grown in greenhouses in the United States. Scientia Horticulturae. 208:111-119. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2016.01.001
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Bombarely, A., Moser, M., Amrad, A., Bao, M., Bapaume, L., Barry, C.S., Bliek, M., Boersma, M.R., Borghi, L., Bruggmann, R. and Bucher, M.,&Mattson, N.S&. 2016. Insight into the evolution of the Solanaceae from the parental genomes of Petunia hybrida. Nature plants, 2, p.16074.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Harbick, K., Albright, L.D., and Mattson, N.S. Electrical savings comparison of supplemental lighting control systems in greenhouse environments. 2016 ASABE Annual International Meeting. American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, 2016. 8 pp. DOI: 10.13031/aim.20162460478
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Mattson, N. and T. Merrill. Symptoms of common nutrient deficiencies in hydroponic basil. Inside Grower. Inside Grower. October:30-33.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Mattson, N. 2016. Growing hydroponic leafy greens. Greenhouse Product News. 26(10):16-20.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Mattson, N. and T. Merrill. 2016. Symptoms of common nutrient deficiencies in hydroponic lettuce. Inside Grower. Inside Grower. February:30-32.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Hutchins, K., W. Miller, N. Mattson, Cheni Filios. 2016. Combos that are pretty & tasty. GrowerTalks. 79(9):90-91.
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Mattson, N. 2016. Iron deficiency of hydroponic leafy greens and herbs. e-Gro Edible Alert 1(8). 5 pp. http://www.e-gro.org/pdf/E108.pdf
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Mattson, N. and M. Daughtrey. 2016. Basil Fusarium Wilt. e-Gro Edible Alert 1(2). 4 pp. http://www.e-gro.org/pdf/E102.pdf
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2016 Citation: Mattson, N. and T. Merrill. 2016. Symptoms of common nutrient deficiencies in hydroponic basil. e-Gro Research Update #2016.04. 10 pp. http://e-gro.org/pdf/2016-4.pdf


Progress 10/01/14 to 09/30/15

Outputs
Target Audience:The primary target audience for this project is New York State (NYS) greenhouse producers. As well, much of the information we gain on energy management is directly applicable to growers in the northern half the U.S. and information on water and nutrient management is more broadly applicable to U.S. greenhouse operations. The NYS greenhouse industry is broadly categorized into floriculture and vegetable producers. The floriculture industry (primarily bedding plants and potted plants) has traditionally been the primary segment of the greenhouse industry; in 2012 this segment was comprised of 1,124 operations with 550 acres of greenhouse area producing $211 million in wholesale value (USDA, 2014). Our project also directly addresses the needs of high tunnel/greenhouse producers of vegetables. The production of vegetables in greenhouses is expanding in NYS, adding to the diversity of the industry. In 2012, NYS had 435 operations with 114 acres covered area producing an annual wholesale value of $27 million - this represents a 54% increase in production in 5 years (USDA, 2009/2014). Greenhouse vegetable operations using sophisticated control of temperature, light and humidity are referred to as Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). Our research increasingly addresses the needs of this growing segment especially related to energy efficient production practices. In addition, this project has important implications for field vegetable producers that grow their own transplants in seasonal greenhouses. Many of the 3,192 field vegetable operations in NYS (USDA, 2009) produce their own transplants. A final audience is Master Gardener Volunteers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Four undergraduate students were trained during summer internships and two students were trained in independent study research projects during the school year. Three graduate students were trained, (1 PhD and 2 MS). Training for the commercial greenhouse industry took place via 13 presentations in New York State and 12 national presentations. Two webinars reaching a national audience were held. One summer floriculture field day was organized which included morning educational sessions and afternoon touring of the annual and perennial cultivar trials in landscape beds. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Thirteen New York State and twelve national presentations were given reaching more than 1,366 commercial greenhouse/high tunnel industry members. Two webinars reaching a national audience of 210 were given. Four trade journal articles, and four website extension bulletins reaching a national commercial greenhouse audience were published. A summer floriculture field day was held reaching more than 125 participants. Regarding an academic audience, four relevant peer reviewed journal articles were published. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?The primary research emphasis for the next reporting period includes experiments on; 1) use of the high tunnel growing environment to produce cold hardy bedding plants (pansy, snapdragon, and dianthus) and herbaceous perennials (Echinacea, heuchera) with and without row cover, over the winter months with no heat for spring sales, 2) use of the high tunnel environment to produce high quality vegetable transplants with no heat, 3) a continuation of the aphid/fertility project including both on-campus experiments and trials with commercial collaborators, 4) continued work to examine cost and energy efficiency of LED lighting in greenhouse production. A variety of outreach efforts are also planned including trade journal articles, a floriculture field day, and several hands-on greenhouse training workshops.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Regarding greenhouse heating alternatives to fossil fuels, work has continued on a project using a wood furnace to heat a small nearby commercial greenhouse. The furnace can also produce biochar (agricultural charcoal). Initially the project was to use municipal waste wood chips (from yard trimmings). However, size and moisture quality of these chips was not adequate for the furnace. The furnace is currently operating using locally produced wood pellets and in the future we hope to use graded micro-wood chips as a more cost effective solution. The biochar from the furnace has been tested as a substrate amendment for container grown plants. Biochar from some of the feedstocks tested incorporated into a peat/perlite substrate at 10% by volume led to a significant increase in growth of basil and lettuce. A project continues on looking at the intersection of greenhouse fertilization practices and control of a common greenhouse pest: aphids. Integrated Pest Management practices for aphids are of increasing importance due to public pressure to reduce use of neonicotinoid pesticides. Pepper and pansy plants were grown with low and high rates of liquid fertilizer (LF), controlled release fertilizer (CRF), and organic slow release fertilizer (OSRF). A controlled number of green peach or foxglove aphids were then placed on each plants and aphid populations were counted 10-14 days later. For pepper, LF plants had substantially more green peach aphids than CRF or OSRF plants. Aphid population numbers correlated closely to leaf tissue nitrogen. The results suggests that moderate fertility (such as low rates of liquid feed or CRF/OSRF) can result in marketable plants while substantially reducing aphid infestations. More work is now in progress looking at the intersection of plant fertility and aphid biological control. A project continues looking at energy efficiency and plant growth of greenhouse supplemental lighting with high pressure sodium (HPS) lamps versus new light-emitting-diode (LED) lamps. The project is a collaboration with Dr. A.J. Both at Rutgers University who has an integrating light sphere to quantify light output vs. electrical consumption. The project is funded by New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). The first phase has looked at energy efficiency. Interestingly, despite popular claims of LED efficiency, most LED lamps had similar efficiency to HPS lamps. One LED lamp had higher efficiency than HPS. Work is now in progress comparing plant yield under the different lamps, where the lamps are adjusted to provide the same daily light integral. The project will conclude with an economic evaluation of the lamps combining initial and operating cost and plant yield data. Another NYSERDA funded project has developed in a simulation tool to compare energy costs for hydroponic plants grown in a CEA greenhouse versus a vertical/warehouse farm. Vertical farms are gaining popularity due to the ability to grow plants in a small area footprint in an urban area. However, our results indicate that vertical production has much higher energy costs and carbon footprint than CEA greenhouse production due to the need to provide all the plants light needs from electricity as well as due to the cooling and dehumidification costs. Research has been conducted on the development of novel CEA greenhouse crops including: microgreens, kale, swiss chard, and dwarf tomatoes. For example, microgreens represent a high value crop ($30-50 per pound) however very little published information exists on optimum production protocols. An M.S. student is determining the effects of several production parameters (seed density, substrate, fertilizer, temperature, light and carbon dioxide) on microgreen quality and yield.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Shahid, M.A., R.M. Balal, M.A. Pervez, T. Abbas, M.A. Aqeel, A. Riaz and N.S. Mattson. 2015. Exogenous 24-Epibrassinolide elevates the salt tolerance potential of pea (Pisum sativum L.) by improving osmotic adjustment capacity and leaf water relations. Journal of Plant Nutrition: 38(7):1050-1072. doi:10.1080/01904167.2014.988354
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Gerovac, J.R., R.G. Lopez and N.S. Mattson. 2015. High tunnel versus climate-controlled greenhouse: transplant time and production environment impact growth and morphology of cold-tolerant bedding plants. HortScience. 50:830-838.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Li, Y. and N.S. Mattson. 2015. Effects of seaweed extract application rate and method on post-production life of petunia and tomato transplants. HortTechnology. 25:505-510.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Furtini E.D., K.V. Furtini, N.S. Mattson. 2015. Nutrition and quality in ornamental plants. Advances in Ornamental Horticulture and Landscaping. 21(2):139-150.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Mattson, N., L.D. Albright, D. de Villiers, M. Brechner, R. Langhans. 2015. Top misconceptions about CEA. Inside Grower. February: 32-34.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Mattson, N. 2015. 10 tips to improve retail shelf life of bedding plants. Greenhouse Grower Magazine. 33 (June).
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Mattson, N. 2015. Selecting fertilizer rates for several spring bedding plants. Greenhouse Grower Magazine. 33 (August).
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Mattson, N. 2015. Growing greenhouse tomatoes in containers. Inside Grower. October:20-22.
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Mattson, N. 2015. Greenhouse lighting. 6 pp. http://www.greenhouse.cornell.edu/structures/factsheets/Greenhouse%20Lighting.pdf
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Mattson, N. 2015. Seaweed extract drenches increase postharvest drought tolerance of bedding plants. E-Gro Research Update #2015.02. 5 pp. http://e-gro.org/pdf/Mattson_SWE_2015_1.pdf
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Mattson, N. 2015. Tipburn of hydroponic lettuce. e-Gro Alerts 4.31. 7 pp. http://www.e-gro.org/pdf/2015_431.pdf
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Mattson, N. and T. Merrill. 2015. Symptoms of common nutrient deficiencies in hydroponic lettuce. e-Gro Research Update #2015.09. 10 pp. http://e-gro.org/pdf/Mattson_Lettuce_2015_9.pdf
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2015 Citation: Mattson, N. 2015. Ethylene in the greenhouse. e-Gro Alerts 4.15. 5 pp. http://www.e-gro.org/pdf/2015_415.pdf


Progress 10/28/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: The primary target audience for this project is New York State (NYS) greenhouse producers, much of the information we gain on energy management is directly applicable to growers in the northern half the U.S. and information on water and nutrient management is more broadly applicable to U.S. greenhouse operations. The NYS greenhouse industry is broadly categorized into floriculture and vegetable producers. The floriculture industry (primarily bedding plants and potted plants) has been the primary segment of the greenhouse industry; in 2012 this segment was comprised of 1,124 operations with 550 acres of greenhouse area producing $211 million in wholesale value (USDA, 2014). Our project will also have important implications for two other groups: field vegetable producers that grow their own transplants in seasonal greenhouses, and high tunnel/greenhouse producers of vegetables. Many of the 3,192 field vegetable operations in NYS (USDA, 2009) produce their own transplants. The production of vegetables in greenhouses is also expanding in NYS, adding to the diversity of the industry. In 2012, NYS had 435 operations with 114 acres covered area producing an annual wholesale value of $27 million - this represents a 54% increase in production in 5 years (USDA, 2009). Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Three undergraduate students were trained during summer internships (2) and independent study research projects (1). Three graduate students were trained, (2 PhD and 1 MS) with one successfully completing his PhD Thesis on characterization of salt stress response in petunia hybrida. Training for the commercial greenhouse industry took place via more than 17 presentations in New York State, with several including an interactive format including: 1 hands-on workshop an Integrated Pest Management in-depth on greenhouse lighting, two interactive sessions on media and soil testing for high tunnels, one greenhouse open house for participants to view research projects on campus, and one summer floriculture field day to view performance of annuals in garden beds. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? 17 New York State and four national presentations reaching more than 1,000 commercial greenhouse, high tunnel, and vegetable growers. Six trade journal articles reaching a national commercial greenhouse audience were published. A greenhouse open house on campus and a summer floriculture field day were held reaching more than 125 participants. Regarding an acadmic audience, three presentations were given at the annual meeting of the American Society for Horticultural Science and two relevant peer reviewed journal articles were published. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? The primary research emphasis for the next reporting period includes experiments on; 1) use of the high tunnel environment (with treatments including root-zone heating, and row-cover) to finish high quality bedding plants in a manner which saves us heating fuel costs 2) comparison of organic/conventional additives for peat-based potting mix on performance of bedding plants; 3) further characterization of the ability of a high-quality organic vermicompost to facilitate nutrient transfer to the plant and for potential biostimulant effects, thereby reducing nutrient leaching; 4) investigating the use of controlled release fertilizers to reduce aphid populations and make aphid biocontrol more effective; 5) further demonstration of biomass heat to reduce fossil fuel use in greenhouse production; and 6) a comparison of light-emitting-diode (LED) to high pressure sodium lights to reduce electricity consumption in greenhouse supplmental lighting. A vaiety of outreach efforts are planned including trade journal articles, a floriculture field day, and several greenhouse training workshops.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? The results of our reserach projects can be used the commercial greenhouse industry to reduce nutrient leaching in their greenhouse operations by using controlled release and organic slow release fertilizers. As well, information on the salt tolerance of spring bedding plants can be used to group plants according to salt stress response and leach only when necessary, thereby reducing water and fertilizer requirements. Information gained on silicon fertilizer supplementation to calla lilies and petunias will help growers improve cut flower quality and improve the heat stress tolerance, respectively, of these crops. Primary research efforts included 1) a characterization of petunia transcript response to salt stress which has lead to increased knowledge of novel methods adopted by this plant to increase salt stress tolernace; 2) the effect of silicon supplementation on heat stress in petunia and cut flower quality in calla lily, in both cases Si was successfully we are further refining Si fertilizer recommendaitons and preparing publications on our findings; 3) developing guidelines for the successful use of a commercial dairy-manure based vermicompost for use as a peat replacement in organic substrates; 4) determine bedding plant performance and nutrient leaching of several organic granular fertilzers (including vermicompost) as compared to conventional liquid fertilizer or controlled release fertilizer; 5) examining several aspects of high-value microgreens production including yield of several common varieties, development of a suitable organic potting mix, and working with a commericla greenhouse to determine if root-zone heat for 1 or 2 weeks can improve crop germination and yield while reducing heating costs in a minimally heated greenhouse; 6) funding was secured from an outside source to set up a demonstration wood biomass furnace in a greenhouse to reduce fossil fuel use and produce agricultural charcoal (biochar), the furnace has been set up and is now it is early stages of operation; 7) state funding was secured to develop a software tool compare the energy use and greenhouse gas emissions of producing vegetables in a greenhouse versus a warehouse environment, the results will be used to inform business and policy decision making.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Currey, C.J., R.G. Lopez and N.S. Mattson. 2014. Finishing bedding plants: a comparison of unheated high tunnels versus heated greenhouses in two geographic locations. HortTechnology. 24(5):527-534.
  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Villarino G.H., Bombarely, A., Giovannoni J.J., Scanlon M.J., and N.S. Mattson. 2014. Transcriptomic analysis of Petunia hybrida in response to salt stress using high throughput RNA sequencing. PLoS ONE 9(4): e94651. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0094651.
  • Type: Theses/Dissertations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Villarino. G.H. 2014. Transcriptomic analysis of Petunia hybrida in response to salt stress. PhD Thesis. Cornell University.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Beeks, S. and Mattson, N. 2014. Temperature effects on tomato growth and nutrient release in substrates amended with organic and conventional fertilizers. Abstract and presentation 111th Annual ASHS Conference. Orlando, FL, July 28-31, 2014.
  • Type: Websites Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Mattson, N.S., S.A. Beeks Brace. 2014. Website: Substrates and fertilizers for organic vegetable transplant production. http://www.greenhouse.cornell.edu/crops/organic.html
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Mattson, N. and M. Moyal Ben Zvi. 2014. Potassium silicate supplementation enhances heat tolerance of Petunia x hybrida Mitchell Diploid. Abstract and presentation 111th Annual ASHS Conference. Orlando, FL, July 28-31, 2014.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Villarino, G. and N. Mattson. 2014. Transcriptome response of Petunia x hybrida to sodium chloride salinity using high throughput RNA sequencing. Abstract and presentation 111th Annual ASHS Conference. Orlando, FL, July 28-31, 2014.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Mattson, N. 2014. Comparing substrate fertilizer amendments for spring bedding plants. Greenhouse Grower Magazine. 32(13)48-54.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Mattson, N.S., M. Bridgen, and N. Catlin. 2014. Using controlled-release fertilizer to produce garden mums. Greenhouse Grower Magazine. 32(9):72-74.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Mattson, N., J. Sanderson, and E. Lamb. 2014. How cultural factors impact fungus gnat populations. Greenhouse Grower Magazine. 32(5).
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Owen, G., R. Lopez, S. Beeks, and N. Mattson. 2014. Vermicompost Validity. GrowerTalks. 77(11):68-70.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Beeks. S., N. Mattson, and R. Lopez. 2014. Vermicompost 101. GrowerTalks. 77(10):66-71.
  • Type: Other Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Mattson, N. and C. Peters. 2014. A Recipe for Hydroponic Success. Inside Grower. January:16-19.