BEYOND PEAT: SUBSTRATE SECURITY FOR A CHANGING CLIMATE

The Beyond Peat project will reimagine soilless substrate components and systems to meet future specialty crop growers' needs through reducing inputs while maximizing efficiency. The specialty crop industry currently relies on Sphagnum peat, industrial aggregates, and raw forestry byproducts to create substrates which have antiquated physical and chemical property standards for soilless substrate systems. In addition, potential regulation on the use of peat could be proposed, greatly reducing its availability, mandating the need for alternative substrate components and systems. The Beyond Peat project will address the legislatively mandated focus areas of Plant Production and Production Efficiency and Technology to ensure a viable future U.S. specialty crop industry through our objectives: A) advance sustainable substrate components development; B) engineer substrate systems to optimize resource management; C) analyze economic and environmental relationships and considerations of sustainable substrate component adoption for growers and consumers; D) develop outreach strategies which enhance end user adoption of sustainable substrate components; and E) conduct effective Extension and Outreach efforts that result in specialty crop growers' adoption of alternative substrate components and systems. The objectives will be met by modifying and evaluating raw materials available in the U.S.; optimizing stratified substrate systems; validating engineered substrates and stratification techniques in the laboratory and on-farm; economic and Life Cycle analysis of alternative systems; and producer adoption sociological research. Project results will be delivered through a research-informed, robust Extension and outreach plan culminating in a sustainable website and e-Book.