Project Greenlight for New Greenhouse Lettuce Study
Did you know: Lettuce is the third most consumed vegetable in the U.S. However, as a perishable product, much of the produce is not marketable because lettuce leaves discolor after harvest. The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research is providing a $2,591,231 grant through its Precision Indoor Plants (PIP) Consortium to prevent discoloration in indoor-grown lettuce, while increasing lettuce yield and leaf quality.
PIP partners AeroFarms, BASF, Benson Hill, Fluence by OSRAM, and GreenVenus provided matching funds, for a total $4,792,131 investment. This is the first project funded by the PIP Consortium.
PIP Lettuce Project researchers, led by Dr. Csanad Gurdon of AeroFarms, is studying how biological and environmental conditions in indoor grow environments affect postharvest discoloration.
Many environmental conditions affect lettuce metabolism and genes related to discoloration and growth, so the researchers are conducting growth experiments in an indoor environment where they can control changes in lighting, heat, humidity, fertilizers, irrigation, and other factors.
The research team is investigating what conditions lead to slower or faster postharvest discoloration and high-yield, high-quality leaves. They are also studying a diverse set of lettuce cultivars to identify genetic markers, biochemical and physical traits that lead to high yield and quality, as well as low postharvest discoloration.
Existing candidate genes affecting postharvest discoloration also will be edited as part of the project.
For more details on the project, continue reading at Foundationfar.org.
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