RESEARCH AND OUTREACH EFFORTS SUSTAIN OHIO HYDROPONIC INDUSTRY

The Ohio Hydroponic Crop Research and Extension Program (OHCP) is a multifaceted program integrating applied research and outreach efforts to assist hydroponic vegetable and specialty crop producers in Ohio. The OHCP provides technical, cultural, and marketing support to sustain small and medium-sized producers who conduct business in an increasingly competitive marketplace. Research and extension efforts are aimed at developing tools that maximize crop growth and harvestable yield of high-value, locally-grown hydroponic crops. Tools developed through the OHCP allow producers to make informed decisions that affect the long term viability of their business. Several recently developed tools include a water quality assessment package to assess and improve water management and fertilization practices in hydroponic facilities, a series of comparative diagnostic tools for determining nutrient imbalances in hydroponic lettuce production, and an instrumentation package of environmental sensors to assess greenhouse environmental conditions and their impact on crop growth and yield. Key outreach efforts of the OHCP include consultations and site visits, a monthly greenhouse newsletter, an interactive hydroponic website (www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/hydroponics/), as well as the development of fact sheets and educational bulletins. Additional efforts include the development of a demonstration greenhouse designed to illustrate various hydroponic production techniques, compare yield of commercially available crops and alternative crops for prospective and existing hydroponic producers.