About GRACE
Plant Biology
Michigan State University
- Dr. Yongsig Kim and his team are measuring photosynthesis efficiency to assess plant growth under different temperatures using advanced technology at Michigan State University.
- The project aims to identify resilient genes and use genetic editing to create improved tomato plants, which will be tested in controlled chambers and real greenhouse conditions in the final project year.
- They will pick the best-performing plants and analyze their genes to understand what makes them resilient to temperature changes.
University of Florida
- Dr. Germán Sandoya at the University of Florida is developing heat-resistant lettuce varieties by focusing on those that withstand bolting and tipburn, using controlled environment experiments to study growth and energy efficiency.
- In the second phase, he will cross the most heat-tolerant varieties with high-quality lines to create even more resilient lettuce.
- Expected outcomes include heat-tolerant lettuce for greenhouse production and improved breeding techniques for controlled environments, with a plan to explore additional germplasm resources if necessary.
Auburn University
- Dr. Neha Potnis at Auburn University is testing microorganisms that enhance tomato plant growth and resilience to temperature fluctuations.
- The goal is to identify beneficial microorganisms by testing their effects on tomato and lettuce plants, using methods like removing individual microorganisms and passing communities through temperature-exposed plants.
- Expected outcomes include finding microorganisms that improve plant resilience, testing them in larger greenhouse experiments, and addressing challenges like cultivation difficulties and pathogen susceptibility.
Greenhouse Production
Auburn University- Dr. Wells is evaluating seasonal crop rotation and polyculture in greenhouses to reduce energy consumption while maintaining yields, comparing conventional tomato production with seasonal tomato-lettuce rotation.
- Dr. Wells plans to investigate targeted climate control for plant meristems using inflatable ducts, aiming to improve growth efficiency in lettuce and tomatoes through localized heating or cooling.
Tuskegee University
- Dr. Mortley is studying light management strategies, including summer shade cloth and winter supplemental lighting, to optimize crop production and energy use while analyzing impacts on yields and carbon emissions.
Economics
Tuskegee University
- Drs. Chen and Diabate at TU will quantify economic impacts of interventions on producers and understand consumer behavior to promote sustainability.
- Dr. Chen will assess consumer perceptions and willingness to pay for low-carbon Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) commodities, using sociodemographic data to analyze preferences.
- Drs. Chen and Diabate will develop enterprise budgets for CEA under different practices to help small farmers understand financial implications, aiming to provide budget samples for tomato and lettuce production.
Education
Auburn University- Dr. Marghitu and her team are developing AR and VR learning modules for K12 students on Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA), aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
- The modules, including a virtual greenhouse capstone, will utilize 3D camera technology to capture plant health deficiencies, enhancing educational immersion.
- Dr. Cline is also engaging regional high schools in hands-on CEA education, aimed at preparing the future food and agriculture workforce in the Southeast, with impact assessed through educational evaluations.
Extension
University of Florida and Auburn University- Research findings and best practices in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) will be disseminated to specialty crop producers in Alabama and Florida through extensive extension and educational activities led by faculty from AU, TU, and UF.
- The University of Florida's Small Farms Academy will enhance greenhouse production workshops to incorporate the latest CEA research outcomes, benefiting vegetable growers in Florida and Alabama.
- Extension agents will receive in-service training on CEA best practices and low-carbon strategies, ensuring they can effectively support growers through both in-person and virtual formats.
Systems Modeling
University of Florida
- Dr. Zhang at UF is developing energy-efficient greenhouse models and control strategies to optimize climate control while minimizing energy consumption's impact on crop yields.
- Shelia is creating dynamic crop models for lettuce and tomatoes, combining conventional mathematical methods and machine learning to improve yield predictions in greenhouse environments.
Auburn University
- Dr. Higgins at AU is conducting life cycle assessments to enhance climate control efficiency in Controlled Environment Agriculture, focusing on sustainability modeling and environmental impacts.
Energy and Wastewater
Auburn University- Drs. Adhikari and Jahromi are exploring the gasification of greenhouse crop residues to provide energy for heating and cooling, aiming to achieve over 90% greenhouse gas reduction compared to coal-based technology.
- Dr. Higgins is developing an advanced wastewater treatment system for CEA irrigation, incorporating an algal-bacterial nitrifying reactor and UV disinfection, with the goal of reducing freshwater usage, fertilizer consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions.
- Dr. Blersch is developing periphyton systems to recover excess nutrients from hydroponic production, using diverse algae communities to absorb nitrogen and phosphorous for repurposing as soil amendments or bioproducts, with the aim of enhancing plant productivity and resource efficiency in Controlled Environment Agriculture.
