Soilless substrate science for current and future growers

Authors: JACKSON, BRIAN - North Carolina State University; FIELDS, JEB - Louisiana State University Agcenter; Owen Jr, James - Jim; Altland, James

Submitted to: Growertalks
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/9/2022
Publication Date: 4/1/2022
Citation: Jackson, B.E., Fields, J.S., Owen Jr, J.S., Altland, J.E. 2022. Soilless substrate science for current and future growers. Growertalks. 82(12):52-45. https://www.growertalks.com/Article/?articleid=25658.

Interpretive Summary: Many horticultural crops spend a portion of their life-cycle in soilless substrates/systems. Soilless culture provides an easy-to-manage, more forgiving, precision-driven and interchangeable system for production of ornamentals, vegetables, leafy greens, herbs, small fruit, and other emerging crops within conventional systems, especially in areas where soil is depleted, and water is limited. Currently, there is a strong reliance on industrial or forestry/agricultural byproducts and Sphagnum peat that are blended to meet antiquated physical and chemical property standards that can “do-no-harm” when producing relatively short-term crops. Soilless substrates must be “engineered” to provide solutions for short- and long-term crops, spanning weeks to a decade, while ensuring resources, including substrate components, water, and agrochemicals are used wisely. The solution is in partnering allied suppliers, end users or growers, and scientists to identify the opportunities and challenges for today and the next 20 years to meet the increasing global demand for soilless substrates that is predicted to more than double. Substrate consumers or customers are driving new product development and shifts in crop production practices more than ever before. Our collective efforts to support the existing and new specialty crop producers in North America must 1) acknowledge the emerging shift to soilless systems, 2) accept that it is not a temporary trend, 3) understand rate of expansion, 4) predict short and long-term growth potential, 5) identify the barriers-to-entry preventing, 6) be strategic in how science-based research from publicly funded institutions can be better aligned with current and future industry needs, 7) provide easily accessible data, guidelines, diagnostic tools, and other critically important resources to growers whenever they need it.

Technical Abstract: Many horticultural crops spend a portion of their life-cycle in soilless substrates/systems. Soilless culture provides an easy-to-manage, more forgiving, precision-driven and interchangeable system for production of ornamentals, vegetables, leafy greens, herbs, small fruit, and other emerging crops within conventional systems, especially in areas where soil is depleted, and water is limited. Currently, there is a strong reliance on industrial or forestry/agricultural byproducts and Sphagnum peat that are blended to meet antiquated physical and chemical property standards that can “do-no-harm” when producing relatively short-term crops. Soilless substrates must be “engineered” to provide solutions for short- and long-term crops, spanning weeks to a decade, while ensuring resources, including substrate components, water, and agrochemicals are used wisely. The solution is in partnering allied suppliers, end users or growers, and scientists to identify the opportunities and challenges for today and the next 20 years to meet the increasing global demand for soilless substrates that is predicted to more than double. Substrate consumers or customers are driving new product development and shifts in crop production practices more than ever before. Our collective efforts to support the existing and new specialty crop producers in North America must 1) acknowledge the emerging shift to soilless systems, 2) accept that it is not a temporary trend, 3) understand rate of expansion, 4) predict short and long-term growth potential, 5) identify the barriers-to-entry preventing, 6) be strategic in how science-based research from publicly funded institutions can be better aligned with current and future industry needs, 7) provide easily accessible data, guidelines, diagnostic tools, and other critically important resources to growers whenever they need it.