Members of Celina Gómez’s lab, including graduate students and a new intern, recently traveled to Michigan for a three-day tour of commercial greenhouse operations, including a visit to Walters Gardens. Alexandra Jewell, Isaac Damer, and Ethan Meyers also joined the group during the trip. As part of the International Plant Propagators Society (IPPS) meeting, a…Read more about Gómez Lab Explores Michigan Greenhouses and Presents at IPPS Meeting[Read More]
HORT 10100 lab sections recently visited Flint Creek Orchard for a hands-on learning experience led by orchard owner Paul Howard, a former member of Purdue Horticulture and Landscape Architecture. During the tour, students explored commercial fruit production practices and gained insight into the management of a working orchard.
Dr. Ariana Torres and members of the Torres Lab, Visiting Scholar Alvaro Hernandez and Postdoctoral Researcher Juliano M.R. Marques, examined how food-label preferences among agricultural buyers relate to sourcing from diversified farms. Using survey data from procurement managers, the study identified distinct buyer segments based on preferences for certified and non-certified sustainability labels and found…Read more about New Research Connects Food Label Preferences to Diversified Farm Purchasing[Read More]
Master’s student Maria Celeste Ortez, mentored by Dr Ariana Torres, evaluated the economics of incorporating cut sunflowers into diversified specialty-crop operations using the Purdue HortCalculator framework. Under the study’s baseline assumptions, a 1,000-ft² sunflower planting generated $4,760 in gross revenue and $629 in net returns, with profitability highly sensitive to marketable yield and price….Read more about Graduate Research Explores Profitability of Cut Sunflowers Using HortCalculator[Read More]
Krishna Nemali, Sangrak Son, Jin Wei-Kocsis, Amanda Deering, and Lori Hoagland published their research article, “Smart Fertigation: Automated Fertilizer Application Based on Plant Growth Using Digital Sensors with IoT Capability,” in the journal PLOS ONE. The study evaluated a smart fertigation system that uses digital sensors and Internet of Things (IoT) technology to automatically regulate…Read more about Nemali Lab and Colleagues Published Smart Fertigation Study in PLOS ONE[Read More]
Dr. Celina Gómez‘s former visiting scholar, Siria Cárdenas, and current PhD student, Sungeun Lim, published their research in the Journal of Plant Growth Regulation. Their article,“A Comparison of Indoor and Greenhouse Acclimation of Lavender Cuttings: Effects of Monochromatic Blue Light and Daminozide Sprays,” examines how light quality and plant growth regulator treatments influence the acclimation…Read more about Gómez Lab Researchers Publish Study in Journal of Plant Growth Regulation[Read More]
Anna Paltseva and Shams Rahmani published a new paper introducing the Urban Soil Health Index, a 0–1 scoring framework that evaluates urban soils based on human health risks, environmental functions, and climate resilience. The tool can help planners and residents compare sites and make more informed decisions about gardens, parks, and climate adaptation projects. Read…Read more about New Publication from Anna Paltseva and Shams Rahmani[Read More]
Freddie Mildenhall (graduate student in the Varala Lab) completed an internship in the Regulatory and Stewardship Department at Corteva Agriscience’s Indianapolis headquarters. Freddie has returned to Purdue to finish his doctoral degree with a new perspective on the differences between plant biology in academia and industry. Graduate students interested in learning more about industry careers…Read more about Freddie Mildenhall Returns from Corteva Internship with New Insights into Industry Research[Read More]
As part of the International PhD Internship, PhD student Oshin Huamani Huaranca, together with her advisor, Dr. Lori Hoagland of Purdue’s Horticulture and Landscape Architecture Department, presented the results of their research into the role of Agricultural Innovation Systems in fostering innovation and technology among small farms in the United States at the Annual Conference…Read more about Oshin Huamani Huaranca and Dr. Lori Hoagland Share Small Farm Innovation Research at ASHS[Read More]
Miné van der Berg (graduate student in the Hoagland Lab) received a NC-SARE graduate student grant for her proposal titled “BIONIC Carrots: Biological Interactions of Native and Introduced Consortia in Carrots”. This project is investigating the potential for biochar and mycorrhizal inoculants to support the needs of vegetable farmers. The long-term goal is to determine…Read more about Miné van der Berg Receives NC-SARE Graduate Student Grant for BIONIC Carrots Research[Read More]