Principal Investigator:  Jonathan N. Egilla, Ph.D.

Title of Research Project: “Sustainable small-scale hydroponic cropping of specialty

vegetables and herbs for limited resource growers in Missouri.”

 

Research Area: Horticulture /Plant Science

 

Project Location: G. W. Carver Research Farm, Jefferson City, Missouri

 

Objectives:

 

1) Develop protocols for evaluating selected cultivars of leaf, fruit, and seed yielding

specialty vegetables, spices and herbs, and to determine factors affecting their

adaptation to sustainable hydroponic culture under controlled environment

agriculture (CEA) systems.

 

2) To assess the relative suitability of different mineral nutrient solution formulations for

the growth, development, yield and marketable quality of selected specialty

vegetables, spices and herb cultivars in both aggregate and liquid–culture hydroponic

systems.

 

3) To evaluate the effect of different aggregate media on growth, yield and marketable

quality of selected leaf, fruit, and seed yielding vegetables, spices and herb cultivars.

 

4) To compare the operating cost of double–layered polycarbonate versus polyethylene

greenhouses.

 

Anticipated Impact:

 

Research findings from this project will enhance the development of sustainable hydroponic

production technologies for limited resource growers in Missouri. This project will contribute to

the commercial development of many small-scale hydroponic industries in Missouri and the

Midwest states. The proposed objectives also meet the USDA-ARS’s specific goals of enhancing

economic opportunities for small-scale family farms, and improving the quality of life for rural

citizens and communities. This project will also enhance horticulture research capacity at

Lincoln University, and provide valuable experience to its students, technical staff, and limited

resource growers in Missouri, through training, workshops and dissemination of research

findings.

 

 

Contact:

Jonathan N. Egilla, Ph.D.

Research Principal Investigator/ Horticulturist

Cooperative Research Program

Lincoln University, 820 Chestnut St.

Jefferson City, MO 65101.

E-mail: <egillaj@lincolnu.edu>