A new study from the Lamm Lab titled “Exploring Growers’ Perspectives on Substrate Transitions in American Specialty Crop Production: Challenges and Opportunities for Research and Communication” has been published in Sustainability. Supported by the USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative (USDA SCRI #2024-51181-43290), the research was conducted by Michael Batame, Dennis Baffour-Awuah, Dr. Alexa Lamm, Dr. Kevan Lamm, Dr. Jeb Fields, Dr. James Altland, and Dr. Guilherme Signorini.
The U.S. specialty crop industry significantly supports the country’s agricultural sector, with many crops grown in container systems that use soilless substrates. Peat remains one of the most common substrate elements due to its excellent growing qualities. However, concerns about environmental sustainability, supply stability, and the future availability of peat have driven increased interest in alternative materials. Although existing studies have thoroughly evaluated the performance of peat substitutes, less attention has been paid to growers’ views, the challenges they face in adoption, research needs, and their preferred information-delivery methods. To fill this gap, the researchers employed a mixed-methods approach to investigate growers’ experiences and decision-making processes regarding substrate changes.
How the Study Was Conducted
Thirty-five specialty crop stakeholders from various U.S. states involved in production facilities participated in the study. First, they completed a survey, followed by focus group discussions. This happened in Ohio and Florida. This mixed-method approach enabled the research team to gain deeper insights into growers’ concerns, research priorities, and preferred channels for receiving information about emerging substrate innovations.
What Growers Had to Say
The findings indicated that growers mostly see peat alternatives favorably in terms of environmental impact and are willing to reduce peat use if alternative options are cost-effective. Nonetheless, they also raised concerns regarding the future availability of substrates, production expenses, and how well alternative materials is compatible with current infrastructure, equipment, and management practices.
Growers pinpointed several key areas for future research, such as irrigation, fertilizer, and pesticide management, economic analyses of substrate transitions, and alternative materials availability. They emphasized the importance of research conducted in real-world production environments and stressed the need for practical, locally relevant information to aid decision-making.
Growers showed a preference for websites, YouTube videos, in-person workshops, demonstrations, and short podcasts that can be accessed during their daily work. These results indicate that successful outreach should integrate digital channels with practical, hands-on learning activities.
Moving Substrate Research Forward
Overall, the study indicates that choices regarding substrate adoption are mainly influenced by economic viability, operational feasibility, and supply stability, rather than solely environmental factors. The authors suggest that effective substrate transitions depend on research and extension initiatives that offer clear economic assessments, region-specific production trials, and practical management advice. By aligning research and communication to meet growers’ actual needs, researchers and Extension professionals can better facilitate informed decisions as the specialty crop industry explores sustainable substrate options.
