Location: Horticultural Crops Production and Genetic Improvement Research Unit
Project Number: 2072-21000-055-003-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 15, 2018
End Date: Sep 14, 2023
Objective:
Characterize impact of irrigation and nutrition on crop quality and environmental sustainability of nursery production systems.
Approach:
The effects of different cultural practices (fertilizer and irrigation management) will be investigated in a series of experiments with woody perennial nursery crops. Using different nursery crop species we will assess how (1) digital imagery can be used to monitor crop performance (nutrition and water stress); (2) fertilizer type and formulation alter plant nutrient uptake and nutrient run-off into the environment; and (3) irrigation management influences product and environmental quality. Experiments will be performed in greenhouses, under experimental nursery production conditions, and in commercial nurseries, and will be replicated across and within seasons to develop robust models for monitoring and evaluating crop responses.
