Research of Horticulture and Product Physiology

The role of the Horticulture and Product Physiology group is to foster the science of the supply chain for crops produced under controlled environment agriculture (greenhouses and vertical farms).

Aim

Within this chair group we focus on controlled environment agriculture and the post-harvest quality of products produced in greenhouses and vertical farms. We study responses of physiological processes to the environment and we aim to predict and control the phenotype of the plant and plant products.

Research themes

One of our research themes focusses on Plant growth and development, as well as product quality. These form emergent properties of underlying physiological and genetic processes. In addition, research fields such as phenotyping, (LED) light regulation of plant processes and functional-structural plant modelling are gaining increasing prominence within the group.

Plant growth & development

We study several aspects of plant growth and development, focusing on crop physiology, crop modelling, carbon partitioning and storage in plants, and rootzone physiology in hydroponic systems.

Photosynthesis

We study how photosynthesis in crops responds to fluctuating environments, as well as related plant behaviours such as gas exchange.

Product physiology

We study how preharvest conditions affect the (postharvest) quality of plants, and how plants regulate different biochemical routes during stages of plant development and during postharvest.