Photosynthesis is the process by which plants convert solar radiation into chemical energy. However, like the human eye, photosynthesis only utilizes a tiny fraction of the full electromagnetic spectrum emitted by the sun. This spectral range of Photosynthetically-Active Radiation (PAR) largely coincides with that of the visible spectrum of light and includes wavelengths from about 400 to 700 nanometers.

Plant cells contain light-absorbing molecules called pigments. There are three main pigments essential to photosynthesis, each of which only absorb specific wavelengths of light within the PAR spectrum: Chlorophyll a, Chlorophyll b, and Beta-Carotene. Each of these, more or less, absorb light wavelengths within the blue and red spectrums while reflecting greens and yellows. Because these photosynthetic pigments can only absorb and utilize these particular wavelengths of light, the specific use of red lights and blue lights within their respective spectral ranges is incredibly beneficial to a horticultural operation such as ours.

In the absence of natural sunlight, all of our lighting in the Grow Room is provided by 16 LED light boxes that allow us to carefully control the light spectrum and photoperiod in which our plants are grown. Each of these lights are set on timers and motorized tracks, which allows us to evenly control the duration of light exposure our plants receive. Each light box can be adjusted individually, and the proportions of red, blue, and white light they emit can be changed to meet our specific production needs by increasing or decreasing each color's intensity.

Generally speaking, the photoperiod and proportions of red, blue, and white light that should be used depend upon the stages of plant growth you wish to promote. For instance, compared to germinating seedlings, mature plants often benefit from a lower intensity of red light and higher intensities of blue and white. Some plants benefit from gradual increases in light exposure over the course of their growth, whereas others prefer their photoperiod to gradually diminish. Some plants can even be grown in continuous light exposure, 24 hours a day!

We use lighting conditions that are generally agreeable to most plant species because of the variety of plants we grow. Our plants are produced under 9-12 hours of light per day. Because we aim to extend and promote the vegetative growth of our mature plants, the intensities of red, blue, and white light our plants receive are as follows: 20% red, 80% blue, and 80% white. This is what gives the grow room its striking, purple glow! Our germinating seedlings are grown under full-spectrum fluorescent lamps (but research suggests that intensities of 40% red, 60% blue, and 60% white could also be used).

~ Tori 

AASHE Conference

 Hey y'all!

I am beyond excited to be able to share with you what the Green Team did this past week in San Antonio, Texas. We were privileged to have the opportunity to attend and present at the national AASHE conference! AASHE is the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, and we were able to talk with sustainability representatives and concerned students from campuses across the United States! 

It was amazing to see the response to our presentation about what we are doing here at Missouri State. Everyone was so excited to take this back to THEIR campus and try it for themselves. "Anyone can build a hydroponics setup, for any space, on any budget" - this is something that really seemed to resonate with everyone we spoke to. And it's so true!! Being sustainable doesn't have to be expensive, and baby steps can make a huge difference. 

Needless to say, I came back from San Antonio even more excited about my job, and that I'm a part of something making a difference across the country. The fact that we can save money is awesome, but I think even more important is the educational aspect. It's important for people to be conscious of our environment and how what they do every day affects it, but also to know where their food is coming from. Specifically from the standpoint of a College of Ag student, projects like this are a great way to reshape the misconceptions many people have of agriculture... Because farmers feed the world and, as a whole, we (me, my family, and the other 2% of the population) want to do it responsibly. 🌿

As always, feel free to comment below!

Have a great weekend,

Rachel 👩🏼‍🌾

Dining Hall Harvest

Happy Fall Break Everyone!

Here's a Green Team update so you know what to expect 

when you get back to good ole MOState. 🐻🍁

The dining halls have been stocked with lots of fresh herbs & greens.

The best part? They were grown by yours truly ... in the basement of Kentwood!

Seriously though, how cool is that?

Ready for delivery!

So much produce ...

... and it's all absolutely gorgeous.

What an awesome reminder of what this system is capable of, and how bright 

(and G R E E N) our future can be! 

Look forward to seeing you back on campus!

Rachel 👩🏼‍🌾

Picture Perfect

Good morning everyone!

I think it goes without saying that I have one of the coolest jobs on campus. I mean, I get to be around these picture-perfect plants every single day! However, I know that many people do not have that privilege, so I have decided to start sharing a lot more photos of these beautiful babies. 🌱 

Here is an awesome example of the  m a g i c  of hydroponics. ✨

This Fine Verde Basil went from seed to these productive plants in less than a month! Crazy right?

Fine Verde Basil at 1 week (on right side)

Fine Verde Basil today

Have a great weekend!

Rachel 👩🏼‍🌾

First Lettuce Harvest

Good morning everyone!

Just a quick post to share with you what I got to do on this Monday morning.

 ~ Our first harvest of the season for Outtakes!! ~

... And "lettuce" just say, it was a success.  🥗🌱🌿

Happy Monday!

Rachel 👩🏼‍🌾