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Soilless Substrate Science

Reimagining soilless substrates

Our mission is to advance soilless substrate systems and components that meet the future needs of specialty crop growers.

Our Research

The Soilless Substrate Science project addresses the growing challenges posed by shrinking and increasingly scrutinised supplies of sphagnum peat moss.

A transdisciplinary approach to a critical industry challenge

The Soilless Substrate Science project brings together experts in soilless substrates, sociology, economics, and environmental science to tackle one of the most urgent challenges facing specialty crop growers: the shrinking availability and increasing scrutiny of sphagnum peat moss. The team uses systems-thinking and team-science approaches to guide all research, management, and outreach decisions.

Why peat access is becoming increasingly uncertain

Peat is the foundation of most soilless production systems, but growers now face serious uncertainty. Limited harvests, poor weather, environmental concerns, and growing public pressure reduce access to peat and prompt some distributors to phase it out entirely. At the same time, demand for soilless production continues to increase, leaving growers with few research-backed alternatives.

Responding with a systems-based solution

Because these social, political, and environmental pressures evolve rapidly, solving the peat shortage requires a true systems-based approach. The Soilless Substrate Science team includes specialists in materials engineering, horticulture, substrate development, agricultural economics, life-cycle assessment, and stakeholder sociology. Their combined expertise supports the development of viable, scalable alternative substrates that growers can adopt with confidence.

Integrating grower and stakeholder perspectives

Sociologists and value-chain experts analyse stakeholder perceptions to guide the development of new substrate materials and production systems. Economists and life-cycle analysts evaluate the financial and environmental impacts of each option to ensure real-world feasibility.

Turning research into usable resources for growers

Science communication and Extension specialists translate research into clear, accessible guidance and standard operating procedures. These materials appear across multiple platforms so growers and substrate suppliers can easily find and use them. Evaluation experts monitor progress using agreed-upon success metrics, ensuring consistent alignment across the team.

Guided by ongoing industry feedback

A stakeholder Advisory Board made up of industry leaders provides continuous input throughout the project. Their feedback shapes ongoing research and outreach, strengthening the project’s impact. Altogether, the Soilless Substrate Science team represents a purposefully assembled, highly interdisciplinary group addressing peat-reduction challenges and supporting the specialty crop industry into the future.

Podcast

Listen to project team members Jeb Fields and James Altland as they explain the Soilless Substrate Science project, explore practical peat alternatives, and discuss what stratified substrates mean for growers. They also share realistic steps growers can take now to prepare for a future with limited peat availability.

Our People

The Soilless Substrate Science project unites experts across horticulture, social sciences, economics, and environmental science.

My research areas are:

  • Soilless Substrate Science
    • Evaluating new materials & processing methods
    • Substrate physics & hydraulics
  • Root zone temperature management
  • Irrigation scheduling & water efficiency

Jeb Fields
University of Florida

My research areas include:

  • Soilless substrate material property analysis (composition, chemical, and dynamic water absorption properties)
  • Fibrous material thermal modification (equipment/process design and material characterization)
  • Fiber/particle size distribution, surface wettability, and substrate stability modeling

Qinglin Wu
Louisiana State University

My research areas include:

  • Soilless Substrate Science
    • Evaluating new materials
    • Substrate chemistry
    • Substrate biology
  • Developing new substrate methods
  • Substrate sustainability issues

James E. Altland
USDA-ARS

My research areas are:

  • Alternative substrate development
    • Processing of organic materials
    • Valorization of tree species as substrates
    • Preconditioning methods to improve wood fiber use
  • Crop production in peat-reduced substrates
  • Substrate physical properties

Brian Jackson
North Carolina State University
 

My research areas are:

  • Science Communication
    • Ensuring project activities address industry needs
    • Translating scientific findings into useful information
  • Consumer Education & Acceptance 

Alexa J. Lamm
University of Georgia

My roles and areas of interest are:

  • Associate Professor and Extension Leadership Specialist
  • Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities (APLU) Experiment Station Committee on Organization & Policy Social Science Subcommittee Chair
  • Leadership, Extension/outreach, human dimensions expert
Kevan Lamm
University of Georgia

My research areas include:

  • Agricultural production management
  • Sustainable practices and input adoption
  • Strategic marketing for ag technology innovation
Guil Signorini
Ohio State University

TBC!

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Bryan Synder
Louisiana State University
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Contact us

We look forward to hearing from you

Site content
info@soillesssubstrates.org
 
Site function & operation
s3@freshlearn.co.nz