Light, Plants and An Orchestra of Flavours

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Pass the peachy strawberries and purple lettuce, would you?

If you asked me a couple of weeks ago, what light meant to plants, I would say simply, “life.” But, after my discussion with Kevin Folta, associate professor at the University of Florida, light has become as fascinating as the very plants that depend on it.

Off-camera, Folta (who spoke at the recent “Communicating the Science of Agriculture Workshop” in Saskatoon), informed me of some of the challenges in the United States, including an insect-vectored disease in citrus trees. He also described some of the work he’s been involved with in the laboratory, which is when I decided to hit record.

For more from the workshop, check out: An Agvocate’s Guide to Effective Communication.

In this video, Folta describes the work being done to rectify lost flavours in strawberries and — perhaps slightly more controversial? — how light has the ability to influence plant growth, nutrition, shelf-life and the ag-industry.

If you cannot view the embedded video, click here.

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