Growing Media, Lighting, AI Among Focuses of New Webinar Series
May 18, 2021 
Photo by Brian E. Jackson
American Floral Endowment (AFE) is kicking off its new Grow Pro Webinar Series on Tuesday, May 18, with a presentation on “The Current Status of Growing Media” by Brian Jackson from North Carolina State University.
The new Grow Pro Webinar Series features monthly webinars focused on production topics that directly impact greenhouse growers. The first three monthly webinars focus on growing media, optimizing LED lighting, and artificial intelligence. All webinars are held on a Tuesday and are open to anyone in the industry.
To further communicate new results from university studies and other advancements on a broader scale, these monthly AFE webinars are being offered free of charge, thanks to industry sponsorships. AFE’s nationally recognized researchers, hosts, and speakers will offer how-to advice based on research projects to help the industry navigate through ever-changing growing challenges. The webinar topics are current and offer long-term opportunities for growers to focus on increased profit, greater sustainability, and improved labor efficiency.
Each session will also feature a live Q&A discussion, which will allow the audience to get personalized advice and input from academic experts.
Topics to be addressed in Jackson’s presentation (register here) include:
- What is important in a good growing media?
- Are there new components that growers should consider and are the components sustainable?
- What should growers be asking their suppliers when selecting a high-quality growing media?
Here’s a closer look at what’s coming up in June and July:
- June 22 and 29: Optimizing LED Lighting for Flower Crops, sponsored by Apogee Instruments, Inc. and Fluence by OSRAM, and featuring speakers Jim Faust of Clemson University (Part 1) and Erik Runkle of Michigan State University (Part 2).
Growers seek to optimize plant growth while maintaining production costs. Interest in LED lighting has surged in recent years due to the potential energy savings. Growers continue to wonder if supplemental lighting with LEDs is needed for their greenhouse operations. In Part 1, Faust will explain how to determine if your location and crops justify adding supplemental lighting.
Questions abound when considering use of LED lighting. Choices of fixtures and light quality can be very confusing. Erik Runkle has been evaluating LED lighting since they were first available to the greenhouse industry. In Part 2, Runkle will simplify the selection and use of LEDs, both indoors and in greenhouses. - July 27: Making Sense of Artificial Intelligence in Floriculture, featuring speaker Dean Kopsell of the University of Florida
Artificial intelligence (AI) is being mentioned in all aspects of agriculture. The idea of AI in floriculture and other segments of agriculture seems like scientists are bringing “Star Wars” concepts to your businesses. Once you hear about the opportunities with AI, the future will seem much brighter as AI will be supporting your decisions for many aspects of your business. AFE has supported projects on the use of handheld monitors for monitoring plant nutrition and to provide early detection of western flower thrips. Take this opportunity to understand AI in just 30 minutes.
For a complete schedule of webinars, registration information, or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.endowment.org/GrowPro.
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