The VPSL has been focused on the research of microbial-based biostimulants for the past several years. A timeline, description of activities, and photos of completed work are available at this page. Scroll down or click on the links below to view specific projects and their details.
Effects of microbial inoculants in fall-to-spring lettuce production project activities completed in OSU-OARDC, Wooster, Ohio
Product used during project: Biogenesis I
Project sponsors: OSU-Center For Applied Plant Sciences, Department of Horticulture and Crop Science
Project Timeline
April 2017
Lettuce in outdoor raised beds was harvested on April 19, 2017.
Lettuce transplants will be harvested in two weeks.
February 2017
Lettuce seedlings were transplanted into outdoor raised beds.
Lettuce seedlings are nearly ready to be transplanted.
December 2016
Snow covered mid-tunnels on December 11. Lettuce plants are protected inside low and mid-tunnels.
Lettuce transplants were planted in the newly prepared beds and microbial bioproduct is watered in.
Beds were raked in preparation for the next planting.
November 2016
Beds were prepared for harvest on November 15.
October and November 2016
Either low tunnels or low tunnels plus mid-tunnels were used to protect young plants from cold weather.
October 2016 – Seeding at the OARDC in Wooster, Ohio
Step 1. Beds were direct-seeded using ‘Paris Island’ lettuce. Step 2. The beds were rolled to insure adequate seed-soil contact. Step 3. The microbial bioproduct was applied with overhead watering.
The microbial bioproduct was prepared in a water mixture containing 3.6×106 Colony Forming Units (CFU) in 5L water and agitated well.
April 2016
Lettuce was direct-seeded using ‘Paris Island’ lettuce in April and covered only with low tunnels due to warm Spring temperatures.
January 2016
Lettuce seedlings were transplanted to the outdoor raised beds at the OARDC in Wooster.
December 2015
Lettuce beds were covered with both low and mid-tunnels. Lettuce was harvested by members of Matt Kleinhenz’s lab.
November 2015
Lettuce was directed-seeded and covered with low tunnels at the OARDC in Wooster. Lettuce was drenched at different frequencies with the microbial brioproduct, BioGenesis ITM beginning with seeding.
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Grafted tomato with microbial inoculant completed in OSU-OARDC, Wooster, Ohio
Product used during project: Environoc 401
Project sponsors: OSU-Center For Applied Plant Sciences, Department of Horticulture and Crop Science
Project Timeline
January 2017
Tomato plant branch length, plant height, and stem diameter were measured.
December 2016
Tomatoes were transplanted in a greenhouse room at the OARDC in Wooster, Ohio.
November 2016
Grafted tomatoes with ‘Supernatural’, Estamino’, and ‘Maxifort’ rootstocks were being prepared for a repeated study in the greenhouse with microbial inoculation.
July 2015
Zheng Wang measured the stem diameter, plant height, and leaf area of grafted tomato plants.
June 2015
The microbial bioproduct used to inoculate grafted tomato plants. Plants were drenched with the product.
Grafted tomato plants were transplanted into 6 inch pots in a greenhouse room at the OARDC in Wooster, Ohio.
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Farmer-centered evaluation of OMRI-approved microbe-containing products advertised as enhancing vegetable crop growth completed on four Ohio organic vegetable farms located near Ashland, Fremont, Wellington, and Columbus, OH
Products used in this project: Bio-Yield*, Environoc 401, Hydroguard, RTlag Azos Blue Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria
*Bio-Yield is not OMRI-listed but it is approved for organic use by OEFFA.
Sponsors: Paul C. and Edna H. Warner Endowment Fund for Sustainable Agriculture, OSU-Center For Applied Plant Sciences
Project Timeline
August 2015: On-farm evaluations continue
On August 6, graduate student Julie Laudick examines plants inoculated at planting commercial microbial bioproducts.
July 2015: On-farm evaluations continue
Julie Laudick and Zheng Wang measure tomatoes at the two North Central Ohio farms on July 1 and 2.
June 2015: On-farm evaluations begin
Zheng Wang measures tomato plants at an Ohio farm June 18 and 19.
May-June 2015: On-farm experiments begin
Julie Laudick applying organic microbial inoculants to tomato on two additional Ohio farms on June 4 and 5.
Julie Laudick, Zheng Wang, and Matt Kleinhenz applying organic microbial inoculants to tomato and pepper crops on two Ohio farms May 22 and May 26. The same inoculants will be applied on two other farms June 4 and 5.
Current Study Site Locations (4 Study Sites Total)
May 2015: Preparation for on-farm and on-station field trials
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Performance of microbial inoculants under the presence of different nitrogen sources on organic broccoli production completed in Fremont, Ohio
Products used in project:Biogenesis I NP, NP Bioplin, Environoc 401, RTlag Azos Blue Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria
Project sponsors: Paul C. and Edna H. Warner Endowment Fund for Sustainable Agriculture, OSU-Center For Applied Plant Sciences
Project Timeline
September 2015: On-farm harvest and evaluation begins
Julie Laudick and Zheng Wang help harvest and evaluate broccoli at a North Central Ohio farm on September 11.
July 2015: New on-farm experiment started
Julie Laudick and Zheng Wang inoculate 1800 broccoli plants at a North Central Ohio farm on July 22.
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Interactive effects of N-fixing biofertilizers and organic soil amendments on spinach productivity and root zone microbial population completed in OSU-OARDC, Wooster, Ohio
Products used in this project: Environoc 401, RTlag Azos Blue Nitrogen Fixing Bacteria
Project sponsors: Paul C. and Edna H. Warner Endowment Fund for Sustainable Agriculture, OSU-Center For Applied Plant Sciences
Project Timeline
November 2015
 
Spinach stems were pressed for nitrate reading by Cardimeter.
Spinach was harvested in November.
    
Root zone and microbial analysis.
Spinach stand counts were completed three weeks after seeding.
Quadratic picture was taken for the analysis of leaf area.
October 2015
 
Spinach was directly seeded and drip lines were placed on the ground.
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