Planned, funded and organized by the OptimIA (Optimizing Indoor Agriculture) project group, this ongoing series of open discussion forums will be continuing with dates announced through May. Funded as a USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative, the OptimIA project group has the goals of:

• helping to integrate indoor farming into the specialty-crop segment;
• to increase the sustainability and hence profitability of this rapidly emerging sector;
• and to locally produce leafy greens that have higher quality attributes.

That is all accomplished through critical research and extension activities. Check out their website to learn more about the programs goals and register for the upcoming Science Café dates. 

If you have been following the recent hurdles and setbacks being faced within the indoor farming realm of CEA, it has been a rather tumultuous few months as companies like Iron Ox and Bowery Farming reduce their staff and AppHarvest and Fifth Season file for bankruptcy. The big question: Which companies’ systems will prove the most successful in this continued race of efficiency and sustainability vs. profitability? Hippo Harvest is betting heavily on robotics and AI. 

What can you DO about your D.O. issues? Once you stop laughing, the first in a two-part series on irrigation water “Dramm on Water I: The Benefits of Dissolved Oxygen in Irrigation Water” will be this Wednesday, February 21st at 1:00 p.m. Eastern/12:00 p.m. Central. While too little D.O. can slow plant growth and introduce further crop problems, super-saturated levels of oxygen can improve plant health while advancing plant growth. Hosted by DRAMMwater Design & Solutions Manager, Les Evans, the webinar will cover recommended systems and protocols for optimizing D.O. in irrigation water. 

For anyone in California, or frankly anyone willing to travel distances large or small for plants, the annual California Spring Trials event will be held from March 20th to the 24th this year.

This industry-wide event features a selection of growers, breeders, educators and other plant professionals showing off their newest varieties and introductions.

It has historically been centered around ornamentals, but in recent years several stops have started including displays of the latest leafy greens, herbs and other crops that have been tailored for CEA production (personally, I always have one eye open looking for the next popular edible flower). With six trial stops in Northern California and four in Central California, there will be plenty of opportunities to catch up with your favorite member of the Ball Publishing staff (just look for the bobbleheads!). Register at the CAST 24 website and we look forward to seeing you all there!

As Indoor Ag-Con approaches its 11th year and is held at the Caesars Forum in Las Vegas from March 11 to 12th, the organizers have announced some changes to this years line up, specifically the inclusion of a new dedicated Cannabis Conference track. Co-located with the National Grocers Association (NGA) Show again this year and featuring 80+ speakers over the two days, the cannabis-centric track will include sessions: 

• “Past, Present & Future: The State of the Evolving Cannabis Landscape,” 
• “Elevate Your Cannabis Grow: Finding the Right Vertical Racking Systems for Optimal Efficiency,” and
• “Bridging The Gap: Integrating Cannabis Cultivation with Traditional Horticulture for Operation Excellence.”

Published last week in HortScience, researchers with the USDA ARS have released their findings on development of a hydroponic-based growing system optimized for strawberry production that could provide equivalent growth to substrate-based production. Hydroponic systems are valuable in root data studies as they minimize or remove the tedious task of removing root substrates, as anyone who has done large-scale rooting studies can attest (rockwool was always the toughest for me).

Deep water culture (DWC) refers to the practice of growing plants so that their root systems are suspended in oxygenated, nutrient-rich water, and is a common hydroponic growing method. The authors concluded that among the multiple treatments tested (perlite, sand, DWC, and a peat-based soilless substrate) that DWC provided equivalent plant growth with the added benefit described above. 

For the second installment of my series profiling CEA students, say hello to F. Mitchell Westmoreland of Utah State University as he tells us about CEA medical cannabis production, his research goals and his recommendations for best outdoor activities in Utah by season. As a reminder, the objective is to not only learn about the research but also to have a chance to get to know the student behind the work, so we encourage you to reach out to Mitch directly if you have further questions. More information can also be found by visiting the lab website. Registration for their 3rd installment of the online cannabis cultivation course will be opening within the next few months. 

1. Before we begin, can you tell all your (soon to be) fans who you are? Bonus points for all the things that make you interesting outside of your work. 

I am just a guy who loves to grow plants. Outside of work, I enjoy doing a lot of the same things I do at work including tinkering with environmental sensors and electronics. I really love building things and learning new skills – last year I built a chicken coop from scratch (bad pun intended) and I have slowly been crocheting a blanket over the past two years. At this rate, I should be finished before Halley’s comet makes its next appearance in 2061. 

2. Can you tell us a bit about your research? Skip the Intro and Materials & Methods sections and just give us the conclusions. 

My research focuses on plant-environment interactions of high-value crops like medical cannabis, studying light quality and quantity, nutrition, CO2 and temperature influence on plant growth, development, and secondary metabolism in controlled environments. I am fortunate to have access to world-class infrastructure, including a 10-chamber canopy gas exchange system that offers a unique insight into the physiology of whole-plant communities. My goal is to advance fundamental knowledge of plant physiology and provide evidence-based approaches to improve the sustainability and efficiency of medical cannabis cultivation and CEA in general.

3. While most are familiar with the elevator pitch, I find that I get more mileage out of my cocktail pitch, aka how would you describe a simplified version of what you do to someone new at a cocktail party?

I usually start by saying that I’m getting a PhD in weed, but it’s diet weed (aka low-THC cannabis or ‘hemp’). I study how environmental factors like light or temperature influence flower yield, cannabinoids and terpenes (the smelly stuff). My goal is to improve the productivity, efficiency and sustainability of medical cannabis, and bring some science to a plant that has been cultivated underground for too long.  One of the most satisfying things of my Ph.D. is watching people become motivated to learn the principles of plant physiology because of their interest in cannabis, proving it to be an excellent gateway to CEA. 

4. If you could recommend anything to a younger version of yourself, or any new student for that matter, what would it be?

Find something you’re interested in. Work hard. Be willing to learn. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. And for Pete’s sake, have some fun. For new students who are interested in science, I recommend reading “Letters to a Young Scientist” by E.O. Wilson. The book is full of inspiration for emerging scientists. My favorite line is: “Very often ambition and entrepreneurial drive, in combination, beat brilliance.”

5. What’s next for you? How about if you could do anything in the world?

In the short term, I plan to continue my research on cannabis and work to establish Utah as a global hub for medical cannabis research. At the end of the day, I want to continue growing plants, doing impactful research, and sharing my research with the hope of inspiring others to understand the principles of plant physiology.  If I could do anything in the world, I would do something out of this world: join a long-duration space flight to Mars so I could be among the first humans to grow plants on another planet! 

6. Finally and for my own benefit, what’s your favorite outdoor activity? (In honor of my close friend Frank, “these hands were made for typing, not being outdoors” is also an acceptable answer.)

The spectacular scenery in my home state of Utah offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities. In the summer, I enjoy kayaking/paddleboarding, camping, mountain biking, and watching my chickens and dogs take turns chasing each other. In the winter, I enjoy skiing and sledding, but I am mostly waiting for summer. The best part about living in Utah is the ability to ski world-class snow in the morning and be in the red-rock desert to mountain bike world-class trails in the afternoon.

For anyone who read last weeks profile of Samson Humphrey of NCSU, we wanted to give the update that he has successfully won his department’s cornbread competition. Congratulations Sam!