2026: Quantifying the Effects of Alternative Soil Amendments on Tomato Production in High Tunnel and Open Field Conditions
Tomato production in New York faces challenges from soil degradation, rising costs, and unpredictable weather. High tunnels offer crop protection and season extension, but optimal soil amendment strategies are underexplored. This project investigates how alternative amendments like bokashi compost affect marketable yields, soil health, and pest and disease ecology, with soil health evaluated through microbial and invertebrate diversity. Two undergraduates, guided by a graduate student, will conduct the study, gaining interdisciplinary research experience. Findings will provide evidence-based recommendations for high tunnel growers, supporting regenerative agriculture practices that enhance sustainability, improve tomato production, and increase farm profitability in New York.
Faculty Lead: Dominique Holtappels (Cornell CALS / School of Integrative Plant Science / Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology Section)
Faculty Collaborator: Samantha Willden (Cornell CALS / Entomology / Cornell Agritech)
Graduate Student Mentor: Renée Smith (Plant Pathology and Plant-Microbe Biology)