Department - Horticulture

GARRETT OWEN, OPENING NEW PATHWAYS FOR KENTUCKIANS

By Carol Spence and Aimee Nielson

The United Nations projects the Earth’s population to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050. Feeding that many people will be a challenge unlike any other that farmers and agriculturalists have faced. Kentucky is leading the charge to find innovative ways to produce more healthy food without destroying the environment.

The University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment’s Department of Horticulture is at the forefront of those efforts. New faculty member Garrett Owen is an expert in controlled environment production. He is creating new classes and expanding research opportunities for UK students. Some of Owen’s current research includes floriculture crop production and hydroponic cucumbers and other specialty crops, such as eggplant and melons.

“When you look at all the research that’s been conducted in the U.S., hydroponic cucumbers have gained little attention, though there are some researchers looking at cucumbers for high tunnel production,” Owen said. “Greenhouse food crop research has been more focused on tomato production, leafy greens and herbs. Our mission is to generate Kentucky-specific data for growers who are interested in growing cucumbers or want to diversify their crops.”

Owen chose cucumbers because many Kentucky greenhouse growers have predominantly grown tomatoes. Cucumbers can adapt to the current systems they already have in place. Greenhouse vegetable producers must manage the environment and cultural practices to prevent and mitigate any disease or infestations while maximizing yield.

“Our most problematic disease in our cucumber research is powdery mildew, but with good cultural practices and management of the environment, we’ve only sprayed in a few instances,” Owen said. “In addition, we could not manage diseases and pests without our UK plant pathology and entomology extension specialists, Nicole Gauthier, Jonathan Larson and Ric Bessin.”

Owen is part of team in the Department of Horticulture. Their efforts will support Kentucky’s growing controlled environment industry. The team brings the expertise of scientists and educators from a variety of disciplines to study controlled agriculture environments, commercialization and production and will assist in workforce preparedness.

The UK team is basing its controlled environment systems on those in the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, small-scale farmers use greenhouse technology that benefits many communities and more than just a few large companies.

A diversity of Professor Owen's research plants at the college's South Farm.

As part of the team’s efforts, Owen will be a liaison between UK and universities in the Netherlands to provide exchange opportunities for students and faculty, as well as internships.

“This is a very exciting opportunity to expose students to high-tech, controlled environment horticulture and to offer worldly experiences outside the classroom,” he said. “We plan to conduct a 10-day study abroad trip exposing students to the Dutch controlled environment ecosystem and then offer students the opportunity to perform a six-month to a yearlong exchange program with HAS or Fontys universities.”

In addition, students will have internship opportunities with controlled environment technology companies and production facilities located in Kentucky and globally.

“These are other examples of what we can do at UK that others may not be able to do,” Owen said. “Furthermore, this prepares our students to be more competitive in the controlled environment industry.”

Owen’s cucumber crop at the South Farm.

Owen’s cucumber crop at the South Farm.