Brief Introduction:

The research lab for vegetable cultivation engages in the studies on vegetable cultivation technologies and related applications. It mainly focuses on the researches in vegetable facility structure, vegetable facility cultivation, soilless cultivation technique as well as related physiological and molecular mechanism. Meanwhile, it carries out the researches and explorations on the planning, design and development strategies for modern agricultural parks, cultivate the master and post-doctoral talents in vegetable cultivation, and popularize new facilities and techniques for vegetable cultivation. It ranks top among the same fields at home. At present, there are 10 staff in the research lab, including 4 doctors and 4 masters in the team; 8 scientific and technological innovation posts, 1 worker and 1 assistant. Dr. Xu Gang, an expert on the configuration of technical system facilities of modern agricultural vegetable industry in Jiangsu Province and a third-level professor, works as the director of this research lab.

Research Achievements:

The research lab for vegetable cultivation has always focused on the optimization of vegetable facility configuration in Jianghuai Region and the development of new facilities. Breakthroughs have been made in the optimization theory and construction technology for solar greenhouse and net room structures. The solar greenhouse and insect control net room suitable for Jianghuai Region have been developed and stereotyped, and provincial standards have been formulated, which provides key technical supports for the upgrading and modernization of vegetable facilities in Jianghuai Region.

The cultivation and management expert system for small watermelons, tomatoes and muskmelons in greenhouses based on the models is first developed in China, which combines the prediction function of simulation model for growth and development with the consulting function of expert system. In 2007, this system was awarded the third prize of Shennong China Agricultural Science and Technology Award by the Ministry of Agriculture.

Efficient and practical soilless cultivation technology based on new organic substrate of vegetables has been developed, corresponding provincial standards are formulated and two national invention patents are obtained. The full-nutrition culture substrate of vegetables is the first of its kind in China. The industrialization development of this achievement has promoted the demonstration and popularization of new soilless cultivation technology in the whole province.

Progress has been made in the study of high-efficient and accurate optical spectrum of vegetables. The effects of different proportions of LED spectrum and light intensity on the quality and yield of leaf and fruit vegetables are studied. Thus, the high-quality and super-high-yield soilless cultivation system of Chinese Cabbage and the super-high-yield soilless cultivation system of tomatoes based on LED are established. 

The whole-process integration technology of industrialized seedling cultivation has been studied and developed, which has effectively improved the seedling cultivation capability and the application rate of industrialized seedlings in our province. The research achievements are leading in China and we are currently applying for the Shennong China Agricultural Science and Technology Award.

The research lab for vegetable cultivation has led the standard projects of Ministry of Agriculture, completed the DUS tests of characteristic vegetables such as crowndaisy chrysanthemum, water celery, auricularia, artemisia annua and mioga ginger, and formulated the industry standards for water celery and crowndaisy chrysanthemum (NY/T2506-2013、NY/T2507-2013). 

It has led the projects of National Natural Science Foundation, studied on the molecular mechanism for the effect of weak light on the fruit expansion of watermelons, and identified the key metabolic pathways and genes for the effect of weak light on fruit expansion of watermelons.

The characteristics and laws of temperature and light distribution and variation in photovoltaic installations are first studied in China. Five new models for efficient cultivation of photovoltaic facility vegetables are developed. 

More than 60 articles are published in SCI and other journals; 2 national agricultural industry standards and 4 provincial standards are formulated; 20 patents are obtained, among which 2 national invention patents are obtained for the full-nutrition culture substrate of vegetables. In addition, the research lab has taken in charge of more than 80 planning items for state-level and province-level modern agricultural industry parks.

Research Orientations:

1.Research Orientation of Facility Vegetable Cultivation

Currently, there are 6 research fellows, including 1 professor, 3 associate professors and 2 assistant professors. There are now 4 postgraduates being cultivated. This orientation mainly focuses on the researches in the optimization of vegetable facility configuration and the R&D of new-type facilities; the innovation, integrated demonstration and popularization of new techniques and modes for high-quality, high-yield and high-efficiency of facility vegetables; the planning and design of modern facility agricultural parks and modern agricultural industrial parks; the studies on environmental control of vegetable facilities and decision-making techniques for cultivation; the studies on soilless cultivation techniques, super-high-yield cultivation and related mechanism; the studies on stress mechanism and stress-resistant cultivation techniques of facility vegetables etc.

2.Research Orientation of Pollution-free Vegetable Cultivation

There are currently 4 research fellows, including 1 professor, 2 assistant professors and 1 assistant. This orientation mainly focuses on the demonstration and popularization of such technologies as the environmental-friendly prevention and control of vegetable diseases and pests, organic cultivation of vegetables, cultivation of fast-growing leafy vegetables in summer, vegetable soil improvement, nutrient supply, and cultivation environment control. 

Job Opportunities:

1. R&D of new-type vegetable facilities

2. Study on high-efficient & precise spectrum and LED soilless cultivation of vegetables

3. Study on stress mechanism and stress-resistant cultivation techniques of facility vegetables