Stomatal Conductance to Improve Leafy Green Shelf Life

The long-term goal of this project is to increase the shelf life of leafy green vegetables. Short shelf life of produce is a significant concern for the produce industry and consumers worldwide. We believe the opportunity resides with longer shelf life which will result in significantly less waste and enhanced revenue along the value chain improved consumer satisfaction and increased food safety. Water loss through open stomata is believed to be the main cause of reduced shelf life. However; the importance of stomatal control to prolong shelf life has not been investigated yet. To fill in this gap in knowledge we propose to develop preharvest water and light management practices to stimulate and maintain stomatal closure after harvest for prolonged shelf life and improved food safety. The objectives are: (1) establish baseline for pre- and postharvest stomatal closure under current growing practices (2) evaluate duration of preharvest drought that forces stomatal closure (3) evaluate timing of pre-harvest drought for stomatal closure (4) evaluate the frequency of preharvest drought on stomatal closure and (5) evaluate the impacts of dark periods on the stomatal response to drought. Leaf stomatal traits (aperture conductance) and leaf produce properties (water loss firmness turgidity) will be determined for all treatments at the R&8D facility of AeroFarms. After completion of Phase I we will apply for Phase II to determine how we could translate our findings to commercial production including automation of controls. We expect that longer shelf life will result in significantly less waste and enhanced revenue along the value chain in addition to improved consumer satisfaction and increased food safety.