Virginia Tech researchers are revolutionizing the way food is grown, using advanced technology to cultivate flavorful, high-yielding crops in indoor environments.

Contributing to this novel research is Brandan Shur, a first-year Ph.D. student in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Shur’s work at the Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Innovation Center focuses on optimizing controlled environments to enhance the yield and taste of hydroponic crops – primarily focusing on micro-dwarf tomatoes and expanding into new crops such as watercress.

“In CEA, we’re not just growing plants – we’re fine-tuning conditions to optimize plant performance,” Shur said. “By precisely controlling factors like light, temperature, and nutrient composition, we can push the boundaries of what’s possible with crop production. The goal is to grow food that’s not only resource efficient but also better-tasting.”

These studies have far-reaching implications for urban agriculture, vertical farming, and food security, providing a blueprint for how crops can be grown more efficiently in controlled environments.

“This research is more than just academic — it’s about solving real-world problems,” said Shur. “With land and resources becoming more limited, we need new ways to produce high-quality food in smaller spaces. CEA gives us that opportunity.”