Research Opportunities for Leafy Greens

Leafy greens such as lettuce, celery, and spinach are common crops in California and Florida, and Ag Metrics Group has a broad research program and well-established leadership reputation with these crops nationwide. In the west, Pacific Ag Research has stations in Salinas Valley, Guadalupe / Santa Maria Valley, and the Central Valley in California where hundreds of thousands of acres of these crops are grown commercially. Florida Ag Research's stations in Central and South Florida are also well suited for leafy green trials in the winter cropping season in the eastern cropping areas, followed by summer experimental plantings in Michigan.

Common Pathology Test Systems
California:
Downy Mildew, Fusarium, INSV (Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus), Powdery Mildew, Pythium, Sclerotinia, Verticillium, Post-Harvest
Florida:
Downy Mildew, Fusarium, Powdery Mildew, Pythium, Sclerotinia, Verticillium

Common Arthropod Species
California:
Aphids, Lygus Bug, Western Flower Thrips, Whitefly
Florida:
Aphids, Whitefly

Agronomy Studies
Effects of crop inputs to leafy greens such as fertilizer/nitrogen reduction, soil amendments, PGR’s, bio-stimulants, plant stress (water, salt, nutrients), seed variety performance and germplasm characteristics can be studied. Specific metrics include photosynthetic rate, biomass development, crop quality and shelf life, disease and pest tolerance evaluation of germplasm, to name a few.

Greenhouse and hydroponic trials are also conducted both at the Coastal California and Central Florida locations.