Research chair to focus on environmental horticulture

Vineland, ON – The Vineland Research and Innovation Centre and the University of Guelph have announced a new research partnership for the Canadian horticulture industry. Well-respected researcher Dr Youbin Zheng has been appointed as the Vineland/University of Guelph chair in environmental horticulture. The position is intended to improve collaboration across Canadian research networks and speed access to new technologies and innovations for industry.

“Dr Zheng will be splitting his time between Vineland and the University of Guelph where some of the country’s best work in greenhouse ‘intelligent irrigation’ systems, water treatment for re-circulation, plant environment interactions, and biocontrol is being led for the greenhouse and nursery sectors. No surprise to anyone but rapid delivery of results is the focus here, and of course the key to industry competitiveness globally,” said Dr Jim Brandle, CEO of the Vineland centre.

Dr Zheng was an adjunct professor and technical manager of the Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility in the Ontario Agricultural College’s School of Environmental Sciences, University of Guelph. He will be working side-by-side with Dr Michael Brownbridge, Vineland’s research director in horticultural production systems. Together these researchers bring decades of combined experience in green roof technology, greenhouse and nursery plant production, and urban agriculture.