• Plastic technologies
  • Drip irrigation
  • High tunnels
  • Low tunnels
  • Mulches
  • Row covers

• Production details
  • Marketing of crops
  • Pest management
  • Post harvest
  • Stand establishment
  • Wind breaks

• Recycling and combustion
  • Recycling
    • Rigid plastic items
    • Film plastic items
    • Organizations
    • Activities elsewhere
  • High-temperature combustion
    • Penn State activities
      • Plastofuel
      • GR Technologies
      • Further information
• Photos
• Upcoming events

Introduction:

The Center for Plasticulture was established June, 1998 and is housed in the Department of Horticulture, College of Agricultural Sciences, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802. Initial funding for the Center was obtained from state funding sources and thereafter, industry support has funded Center activities. The Director of the Center was elected from the original core members and heads an advisory committee responsible for determining Center policy(s) and determining research direction and proposals which could be funded by the Center. Dr. Michael Orzolek has served as the Center Director since inception.

The principle objectives of the Center for Plasticulture are: the development of cutting-edge plasticulture technology for the horticultural crop producer in Pennsylvania and the Northeast United States, production information related to specific crop applications and recovery of plastics in the form of energy or recycled products. The Center develops production systems using Integrated Crop Management models for horticultural production programs that are both sound economically and ecologically. The core group of scientists who have participated in the Center include:

Dr. David J. Beattie, Penn State, Department of Horticulture
Dr. Rob Berghage, Penn State, Department of Horticulture
Dr. Dennis Decoteau, Penn State, Department of Horticulture
Kathy Demchak, Penn State, Department of Horticulture
James Garthe, Penn State, Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering
Dr. Jay Holcomb, Penn State, Department of Horticulture
Dr. William J. Lamont, Jr., Penn State, Department of Horticulture
Dr. Michael D. Orzolek, Penn State, Department of Horticulture
Catie Rasmussen, Penn State, Department of Horticulture, Facility Manager
Dr. Elsa Sanchez, Penn State, Department of Horticulture
Dr. Katrine Stewart, McGill University

This team serves as the advisory group to help manage the Center and conduct field research in plasticulture.

The Center for Plasticulture pursues plastic-related research opportunities and address educational programs and problems associated with all the types of plastics used in agriculture including: silage covers, hay bale wraps, greenhouse covers, plastic mulch, drip irrigation tape and tubing, row covers, nursery house coverings, various plastic pots, containers and trays used in the vegetable, ornamental and floriculture industries, and plastic fittings and parts that are components of these systems. The Center for Plasticulture also works with food processors on plastic packaging of agricultural products.

Currently, the Horticulture Research Farm has 68 tillable research acres and is located in one of the coldest regions of Pennsylvania. The farm is equipped with mulch applicators, transplanters, grading and packaging facilities and a High Tunnel Research Park. Twenty four 17' x 36' single polyethylene layer high tunnels have been constructed at the Horticulture Research Farm. The Combustion Lab of Dr. Pisupati is ideal for pilot incineration research. In addition, the Department of Horticulture has approximately 1 acre of modern greenhouse structures for research on all Horticultural crops.

A High Tunnel Production Manual is available for purchase. Follow this link for more information.

Benefits of Plasticulture:

The use of plasticulture systems would offer a number of benefits to vegetable, ornamental nursery, small fruit and flower growers, consumers, and the citizens in the Commonwealth, the Northeast and the entire United States. Because of the large population in the Commonwealth and a blend of rural and urban environments, there is ever increasing pressure in the rural/urban interface zones for urban development and sprawl at the cost of the family farm. Horticultural crop producers who are farming in these rural/urban interface zones face challenges for a consistent water supply and must constantly develop/adopt production technologies that promote more efficient use of land and water resources. Whether a grower remains in an urban setting or moves to a more weather-risk environment, there is a dramatic need for improved production technology to enable these growers to remain on the farm and produce horticultural crops with increasing challenges brought on by society and weather. Horticultural growers would benefit from the Plasticulture Center by having alternative methods of producing horticultural crops in an economical, ecological, and efficient system resulting in reduced chemical purchases; increased worker safety standards; more efficient harvesting with minimum pesticide residues; predictable, higher crop yields and quality; and ability to produce horticultural crops in an extended season. Consumers would benefit from the Plasticulture Center by having safe, reduced pesticide or pesticide-free, high quality vegetables and other horticultural crops available for purchase over a longer growFriday, April 4, 2008 3:50 PMvel. Other benefits of this research to the general public are: less exposure to pesticides, higher quality cancer reducing vegetables being produced over a longer period of time, exposure to IPM production techniques through educational programs, and more production techniques that allows compatible integration of the rural and urban interface which can be a potential problem throughout the growing U.S. landscapes.