Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Annual Meeting Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center The Ohio State University Wooster, OH 44691 July 13-14, 2005 Multistate Research Project Annual Station Accomplishments Report Project No. and Title: NE1017 Developing and Integrating Components for Commercial Greenhouse Production System Project Duration: October 1, 2003 to September 30, 2008 Report Information: Annual Meeting Dates: 13-Jul-2005 to 14-Jul-2005 Period the Report Covers: June 2004 to July 2005 Date of Report: 12-Sep-2005 Participants: 1. Albright, Lou ldai@cornell.edu , NY 2. Both , A.J. both@aesop.rutgers.edu , NJ 3. Brechner , Melissa mlk38@cornell.edu , NY 4. Brugger, Mike brugger.1@osu.edu, OH 5. de Villiers, David dsd5@cornell.edu , NY 6. Fisher , Paul Paul.Fisher@unh.edu , NH 7. Ge, Zhenyang ge.27@osu.edu , OH 8. Gent , Martin martin.gent@po.state.ct.us , CT 9. Giacomelli, Gene giacomel@ag.arizona.edu, AZ 10. Hansen , Robert hansen.2@osu.edu , OH 11. Holcomb , Jay ejh3@psu.edu , PA 12. LaFrance, Tim LaFrance.5@osu.edu, OH 13. Ling , Peter ling.23@osu.edu , OH 14. Mackenzie, Alec Alec@arguscontrols.com, Canada 15. Mackenzie, Marlene MMackenzie@arguscontrols.com, Canada 16. Meyer, George gmeyer1@unl.edu, NE 17. Murdoch, Don dsm17@cornell.edu, NY 18. Norikane, Joey jnorikane@bae.uky.edu, KY 19. Reiss , Eugene reiss@aesop.rutgers.edu , NJ 20. Runkle, Erik runkleer@msu.edu MI 21. Short, Ted short.2@osu.edu, OH 22. Wien , H. Chris hcw2@cornell.edu , NY Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting: URL: Copy of Minutes Accomplishments: Annual Meeting at The Ohio State University The Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center Wooster, OH 44691 July 13 and 14, 2005 OBJECTIVES: Topic No. 1. Managing nutrients and water in greenhouses 1. Develop and evaluate methodologies such as evapotranspiration modeling, non-contact sensing of plant responses to drought stress, and measurement of root zone water tension for plant water status assessment and compare these assessments to actual water and nutrient use for tomato, salad greens and potted ornamental plants, as a part of managing delivery of nutrients and water in greenhouses (CT, NY, NE, OH, AZ, KY, NJ). A team project called the Young Plant Center was initiated at NH, with floriculture production, breeding, pathology, and entomology faculty collaborating on several topics related to breeding, propagation and shipping of vegetatively-propagated plants. Several of these research topics relate directly to water and nutrient use, including developing new soil testing methods suitable to the propagation environment, optimizing humidity and mist levels, and management of disease (botrytis) and pests (fungus gnats) that are very dependent on moisture level. Ohio researchers continued to work with the hypothesis that by regularly limiting water supply during the early morning hours of a growing season, it is possible to suppress stretching in flowered bedding plants without adversely affecting plant growth and/or quality. The testing apparatus was assembled in a controlled environment greenhouse. Soil moisture was monitored with tensiometers and irrigation was well managed. The results were mixed, but encouraging. 2. Evaluate the entire fertigation system, including water delivery, plant uptake, and runoff, while accounting for optimization of micronutrient, media pH, and EC levels (AZ, CT, NE, NH, NY, OH, PA). Several research topics were initiated at NH for this objective. That includes (a) surveying physical and chemical qualities of commercial propagation media, (b) quantifying lime reactivity and residual (unreacted) lime in container media, (c) micronutrient levels in both fertilizer and contaminant sources, (d) quantifying tissue and media nutrient levels from the stock plant stage through to propagation for vegetatively-propagated cuttings, (e) a new nutrition-training website (FloraSoil), and quantifying leaching of nutrients during propagation. Ohio researchers reported that the Landscape Nursery Crop Engineering Research Laboratory (LNCERL) was filled with trees again for the 2004 summer growing season. A major improvement in the fertigation system was implemented to permit more accurate delivery of nutrient concentrations specified for each treatment. A timer-controlled outlet valve was installed and activated at the start of each irrigation event so within-the-fertigator tubing could be purged to a waste tank and then primed with the next recipe in the queue before the valve to the specified treatment was opened. This was required because the number of trees in each treatment was small and the quantity of nutrient solution to be delivered to each tree was small relative to the amount of solution retained by the fertigator plumbing and tubing. Therefore, solutions to be delivered to the currently queued treatment were being diluted by the previously delivered solution. Studies by OH of biomass production and plant tolerance to herbivory were continued during 2004 by growing 120 poplar trees (hybrid poplar clone NC5271, Populus nigra) for the second year in a row. The trees were grown at two levels of fertility this year: (1) 30 ppm N and (2) 150 ppm N in a randomized block experimental layout identical to the layout used in 2003. Analyses of laboratory measurements of treatment effects on biomass production, constitutive resistance to gypsy moth and white marked tussock moth are pending. Collaborative experiments by OH using computer-controlled fertigation to grow 240 Austrian pine (Pinus nigra) trees in containers (two years old/approximately 8 inches tall) were initiated during 2004. The trees were grown at three levels of fertility: (1) 30 ppm N, (2) 75 ppm N and (3) 150 ppm N in a randomized block experimental layout. The 2004 growing season was used to grow the plants in preparation for pathogen and insect treatments during 2005 and 2006. This OH research project was designed to measure lag time from the moment water is added to the container at the surface until the sensor detects additional moisture. This information will contribute to more effective placement of moisture sensors in containers. OH researchers designed a laboratory experiment using three VWC targets to make irrigation decisions. The objective was to determine if a VWC Sensor could be successfully used to decide when to irrigate a container grown crop. The targets were 20, 30 and 40 % VWC plus or minus 5 %. Dry mass measurements of stems, leaves and roots were measured at the beginning and end of the growing season for each target level. Results indicated dry matter production increased as the VWC targets increased but water use efficiency (grams of dry matter produced divided by liters of water delivered) deceased. In NY, researchers hypothesized that hydroponic lettuce production system failures sometimes correlated with manganese deficiency. This may be due to a buildup of the synthetic chelator in the system. Laboratory experiments were conducted to compare the fates and effects on plant nutrition of three chelators, EDTA, DTPA, and EDDS. In addition, the researchers designed a model system to mimic environmental conditions in the lettuce greenhouse and to track the effects of the three chelators. The NY researchers also completed a study that compared three sterile, coil-less media; Agrifoam and Oasis growth foams, and Grodan, an expanded rockwool substrate. Focus was on pop-outs during lettuce seedling development and growth for the first week and a half from seeding. 3. Improve design of water and nutrient recirculation systems (NJ, NY, KY, OH, AZ, PA). No accomplishments during this reporting period. Topic No. 2. Managing the aerial environment for greenhouse plant production 1. Develop design and control recommendations for naturally ventilated greenhouses (OH, NE, NY, NJ, KY). Kentucky researchers have initiated a study examining thermal control strategies for double poly greenhouses. The goal is to develop natural ventilation methods that would allow existing greenhouse facilities that were used in tobacco seedling production to be used in the cultivation of other plants. New Jersey researchers are investigating the utility of high tunnels (simple greenhouse-like structures clad with a single layer of polyethylene film) for the production of tomatoes in NJ. 2. Enhance technology transfer and research in light integral control (CT, MI, NH, NY, AZ). Michigan and New Hampshire researchers coordinated a 14-article series of magazine articles that appeared in Greenhouse Grower magazine from September 2003 through September 2004. A 98-page book was published by MeisterMedia Worldwide in July, 2004 and includes information in the articles, plus case studies, study questions, and research highlights. The book also includes a CD that contains PowerPoint presentations for each chapter and light conversion tables. The intended audience for the book includes greenhouse growers, industry sales and technical staff, and university students. The book can be purchased through MeisterMedia Worldwide and Ball Publishing. Proceeds benefit the Floriculture Industry Research and Scholarship Trust. Contributors to this project included: Theo Blom (Univ. of Guelph), A.J. Both (Rutgers Univ.), Art Cameron (Michigan State Univ.), Martine Dorais (Laval Univ.), John Erwin (Univ. of Minnesota), Jim Faust (Clemson Univ.), Paul Fisher (Univ. of New Hampshire), Royal Heins (Michigan State Univ.), Erik Runkle (Michigan State Univ.), Marc van Iersel (Univ. of Georgia), Helma Verberkt (DLV Facet, The Netherlands) and Ryan Warner (formerly Univ. of Minnesota). Additional contributors authored research highlights. In NY, a pilot-plant for year round lettuce production is in operation. The production strategy requires tight management of light integral. Two control methods were evaluated in an initial study. Topic No. 3. Integrating sustainable and economically profitable systems and processes for the greenhouse industry 1. Develop an economic analysis of the costs and benefits of supplemental lighting for seedling plugs, other greenhouse crop types, and photoperiodic lighting (AZ, CT, KY, MI, NE, NH, NY, NJ, OH). A collaborative research project with NH provided data on growth and economics of plug production using supplemental lighting. The results of this research have been published as a chapter in the book titled Lighting Up Profits, Understanding Greenhouse Lighting, edited by Paul Fisher (NH) and Erik Runkle (MI) (Published by Meister Media Worldwide). Dr. Brumfield (NJ) developed a cost accounting program to help floricultural and nursery producers calculate crop production costs for their businesses. A simplified version is on the Rutgers University Farm Management Website (http://aesop.rutgers.edu/~farmmgmt) and linked to the national risk management website. In addition, an Excel version is distributed through Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension so that producers can calculate their own costs for producing specialty cut flowers and greenhouse crops. The Lighting Up Profits book was published, with contributions from 19 authors and several NE1017 states. This book and the associated magazine series and Powerpoint CD is a potential model for future collaborations in NE1017. Workshops were presented at the OFA Short Course and New England Greenhouse Conference on lighting management during 2004. New York researchers conducted research focusing on methods to produce baby-leaf spinach. Although, hydroponic spinach is not produced commercially in the United States today, there is a growing consumer demand for clean, fresh spinach of consistent quality. The goal is to develop an optimized, both physiologically and economically, method for continuous-mode spinach production. 2. Improve the understanding of using shade to optimize production of high-quality greenhouse tomato for spring and early summer production (AZ, CT, KY, MI, NE, NH, NY, NJ, OH). Tomatoes were grown in spring and summer in CT in greenhouses covered with a double layer of 4-mil clear polyethylene film. Some sections were covered with reflective aluminized shade cloth that provided 85%, 70% or 50% transmittance of direct radiation. This shading was applied in mid June, after fruit began to ripen, and remained for the rest of the summer. Fruit was picked through August. A similar experimental protocol was used in 2003 and 2004. The maximum shading only decreased daily integrated solar radiation to 69% of that without shade, as measured by PAR sensors set at a 2 m height in each greenhouse. Shading reduced yield of ripe fruit from 16.6 to 13.1 kg/m2, proportional to the measured decrease in radiation. Neither fruit size nor weight fraction of marketable fruit was affected by shading in 2004. Nutrient content was analyzed in tissues of ripe fruits, and upper-most expanded leaves harvested in early August. As shading decreased transmittance, it increased the concentration of most elements in leaves. Thus, shading a greenhouse to improve fruit quality had no effect on the value of ripe tomatoes as a dietary source of mineral nutrients. A simple spreadsheet tool was developed by NJ allowing for the evaluation of single and multiple shade curtains on the light conditions in greenhouses. This tool can be used for locations where hourly weather data (wet and dry bulb temperature and horizontal radiation) and greenhouse characteristics are available for an entire reference year. 3. Quantitatively evaluate seasonal and annual water balances for greenhouses (AZ, CT, KY, MI, NE, NH, NY, NJ, OH). No accomplishments during this reporting period. Other accomplishments that do not necessarily relate to the 2003-2008 NE-1017 Multistate Research Project objectives: 1. At the request of the NJ State Agricultural Development Committee, Drs. Wulster, Both, and colleagues have written Agricultural Management Practices (AMPs) for permanent greenhouses. The goal of these AMPs is to provide guidance in case of disputes between members of the greenhouse industry and others (e.g., other industries and homeowners). The text of the AMPs is in its final review stages and should be available shortly through the Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension web site: http://www.rcre.rutgers.edu/. 2. Research in underway investigating the utility of high tunnels (simple greenhouse-like structures clad with a single layer of polyethylene film) for the production of tomatoes in NJ. 3. Research is underway investigating the surface temperature distribution and heat transfer associated with greenhouse floor heating systems in NJ. 4. Kentucky researchers continue to evaluate a hypoxic fumigation treatment for infested greenhouse plants. Current testing examines the effect of the treatment on whole plants. Prior findings established the effectiveness of low-oxygen condition against several greenhouse pests. The goal is to evaluate the commercial potential of this treatment. 5. A user-friendly, Internet-based, version of the NiCoLet lettuce model that includes most of the versions currently available was developed for Internet access by NY. The potential use of this simulation is as a decision-support iad for growers and extension agents, as well as for use in teaching students crop simulation modeling. 6. New York has initiated research to improve the accuracy and sensitivity of lettuce growth models through precise monitoring of the morphological and physiological characteristics of each leafs growth. The methodology to extract the required information is under development. 7. The optimal design of supplemental lighting systems for greenhouse crop production using a genetic algorithm technique was developed by NY. The approach uses evolutionary parallel search capabilities of genetic algorithms to design the layout of luminaries, their mounting heights and wattages.