Bizen Hu, PhD

Biography

I have over 15 years of research experience with a focus on sustainable vegetable production. Crops involved in my research programs included broccoli, snap bean, asparagus, watermelon, tomato, pepper, okra, squash, sweet potato, turmeric, potato, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, spinach, and mustard green. The cropping systems investigated in my research projects included organic, conventional, open field, low tunnel, high tunnel, hydroponic, aquaponic, vertical farm, and greenhouse production. Crop production practices included in my research projects were season extension strategies, sensor-based irrigation techniques, grafting, mulching, cover crops, rotation, intercropping, LED light technologies, row covers and biological control for integrated pest management, nutrient management, and environmental management. Collaborating with other faculty, industry stakeholders, and external partners, I secured 11 grants to support my research programs. My research efforts generated 12 peer-reviewed journal articles, 34 outreach publications, 40 Extension training and workshops, and 27 national and international scientific conference presentations.

I have established a research, Extension and teaching program on horticultural food crop production in small-scale/urban settings, through collaborating with multi-disciplinary teams for applied research projects, organizing Extension workshops and meetings, and teaching undergraduate and graduate courses including Commercial Vegetable Production, Urban Horticulture Production, Hydroponics and Soilless Crop Production.

In my current position at Kansas State University, I continue my research area in sustainable food production, such as produce safety, season extension, nutrient management, and irrigation techniques. I direct the Willow Lake Student Farm, which has six 10,000 sqft. blocks dedicated to annual vegetable production and research, 1.6 acres of Food Forest/Orchard research blocks, two high tunnels, additional blocks for perennial berry, asparagus, and mushroom production, and temporary nursery space for future projects.

Education