Christina Ek

Christina Ek

Sep 21, 2021

Group 6 Copy 464
1

Fall Crops

I am finishing up with the tomatoes and cucumbers. Soon, I will plant cereal rye (what is used for bread flour in northern Europe), potatoes, and some extra spinach and collards from last year. The cereal rye will be a cover crop to compare the impact of cover crops alongside or in lieu of algae. Cover crops are used to prevent soil erosion and bolster soil health. I am also doing some side experiments with bananas and grapes with regards to shelf life and Brix measurements. Brix is a measure of sugar content (and hence flavor and nutrients) based on how light bends or refracts in a sample of fruit or vegetable.

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  • Elizabeth Nestor
    Elizabeth NestorBacker
    so admire the way you've just been going on despite the pandemic - thank you!
    Sep 22, 2021
  • Christina Ek
    Christina EkResearcher
    Thank you so much for your kind words!
    Sep 22, 2021

About This Project

Food insecurity is a severe global problem in both developed and developing nations. Soil degradation due to misuse of chemical fertilizer hampers adequate food production. The purpose of the proposed research is to determine if and how Chlorella vulgaris, a potential soil amendment, impacts growth, shelf life, and nutrition of crops. It is hypothesized that tomatoes and kale grown with the algae display improved growth, shelf life, and nutrient value compared to controls.


Blast off!

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