Successful production of high-value specialty crops necessitates an understanding of how the four dimensions of light (quantity, quality, duration, and uniformity) can regulate plant growth and development. In this talk, Erik will discuss each of these dimensions and give examples of how they can interact with each other, as well as with temperature, during production. He will also discuss the major considerations when selecting a lighting fixture.

Strawberry is a fast-growing CEA sector as shown in the most recent USDA statistics reporting a nearly five-time increase in production acres over 2019 – 2024.  This presentation summarizes strawberry physiology of flowering, fruit set, balancing crops growth, and environmental disorders. Temperature, vapor pressure deficit, carbon dioxide, and light control, as well as irrigation/fertigation management will be discussed to keep the high productivity of strawberries.

This presentation introduces the core principles of food safety in controlled environment agriculture (CEA), with a focus on how contamination risks arise in hydroponic production systems. Growers will gain a practical understanding of key microbial hazards, pathways of spread through water, surfaces, plants, and people, and the fundamental practices that support safe production from propagation through harvest.

Production of leafy greens and herbs continues to expand; they have relatively short production cycles, they occupy a relatively small amount of space, and there is virtually year-round demand. Supplemental (greenhouse) or sole-source (indoor) lighting can regulate the harvestable yield as well as quality attributes such as leaf coloration. Erik will share research-based information on this topic, with an emphasis on how the light spectrum regulates crop production indoors, without sunlight.

This session focuses on actionable strategies growers can use to prevent, monitor, and control food safety risks in hydroponic operations. Topics include water and nutrient solution management, sanitation programs, employee practices, environmental monitoring, and operational decision-making to reduce contamination risks while maintaining productivity and product quality.

Tip-burn in lettuce is a “localized” calcium deficiency around young leaves at the shoot tip when plants grow quickly under optimum environmental conditions. This presentation will introduce practical guidelines including 1) methodology to assess tip-burn inducing environments and cultivar specific tip-burn sensitivity, 2) lighting strategies to mitigate tip-burn, and 4) efficacy of vertical downward airflow to mitigate tip-burn.