Mississippi State University Partners with Greenhouse Lettuce Grower to Increase Yields
March 31, 2021 Casey Barickman, Associate Research Professor at Mississippi State University (MSU), has partnered with Salad Days, LLC, a hydroponic salad producer located in Flora, MS, to increase lettuce yields. The goal of this partnership is to see if increasing electroconductivity, or changing the mineral concentrations, would boost crop yields.
“The purpose of this research is to determine how increasing levels of electroconductivity, yearly seasonal changes, and differences in lettuce varieties affects yields, biomass accumulation, and polyphenol concentrations, which are antioxidants found in plant-based foods,” Barickman says.
After noticing yield decreases, Jamie Redmond, Co-Owner of Salad Days, reached out to Barickman to see if the cause was the lower levels of nitrogen and potassium.
Greenhouses are capable of controlling moisture and temperature well. However, outcomes of production still depend on external temperature and light. Barickman and the Salad Days team worked together to change the electroconductivity of their hydroponic solution to combat seasonal changes in temperature and moisture.
“Specifically, in the spring and winter, growers will want to increase their electroconductivity so the lettuce plants have access to available nutrients during periods of cold, cloudy weather,” Barickman says. “In the summer, when sunshine and hot days are abundant, lettuce plants use more water. So, lowering the electroconductivity will prevent the plants from having abundant nutrients in the roots and leaf tissue, which can cause the tissues to burn or become severely damaged.”
Since the partnership, Salad Days has seen a 70% increase in yields and 40% increase in profits.
“We ended up with a record output for what is usually the worst time of the year. We do not have supplemental lighting in our building, so you can imagine how happy we’ve been with the changes,” Redmond says. “[Barickman] is very easy to work with, and we are lucky that he is in Mississippi. MSU has a great team with specialists in many areas, and they are all accessible to local farmers. We are thankful for Dr. Barickman’s research and help.”
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