E-Learning Resource for Nursery & Greenhouse Industry

- Success Story -

This project is just one example within the Land Grant University System that enhanced better nutrient and pesticide management thereby improving water quality. Please check back periodically for other highlighted programs.

E-Learning Resource for the Nursery and Greenhouse Industry

screen shot of E learning website Situation
Today, ornamental crop production is among the fastest growing sectors of agriculture. The American Nursery and Landscape Association has ranked water and nutrient management as one of their top five research priorities. Container-nursery and greenhouse systems differ radically from traditional agronomic-type agricultural operations in terms of water and nutrient use, and there is an acknowledged lack of up-to-date information in these knowledge areas.

Actions
Extension Faculty from six states (in Mid-Atlantic and Southern regions) developed a web-based educational resource center to provide research-based knowledge on water (both irrigation and surface water) management and nutrient management for the nursery and greenhouse industry. Users are directed to information resources on the greenhouse and nursery industries in the six states, including information on regulations, best management practices (BMPs), active research areas, accreditation and certification as well as the gateway to the learning modules. Initial beta-tests involving 50 growers, industry consultants and educators have been completed of ten learning modules. Additional development and testing of the remaining modules is planned during 2007. Users also have access to a large number of specific journal articles (as searchable PDFs) with password-secure access through Moodle.

Impacts
Development of these e-learning resources for a large geographic area will:

Facilitate public policy education.
Provide research-based knowledge for the implementation of water and nutrient BMPs to change behavior at the arm level.
Lead to individual actions to undertake water conservation, reduce runoff, and improve nutrient management, thereby reducing non-point source pollution in these operations’ watersheds.
Form partnerships between growers, green-industry groups, Cooperative Extension, and state and federal agencies, most notably NRCS, for accreditation purposes.