Biography:
Dr. Petrus Langenhoven is the Horticulture
and Hydroponics Crop Specialist in the Department of Horticulture and Landscape
Architecture at Purdue University. His focus is to support the establishment
and expansion of local and regional food systems by increasing the productivity
and efficiency of vegetable growers. His collaborative extension and research programs
emphasize the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly
production technology that can increase the efficiency of inputs and production,
and the evaluation and introduction of alternative horticultural crops. Before
arriving at Purdue, Dr. Langenhoven dedicated his career to the development of
Sub-Saharan Africa’s horticulture sector. He completed his M.S. in agronomy at
Stellenbosch University; and completed his Ph.D. in agronomy, specializing in
vegetable production in high tunnels, at Stellenbosch. As operations director
and senior agronomist at Agribusiness in Sustainable Natural African Plant
Products (ASNAPP) — a non-governmental organization — Dr. Langenhoven led
greenhouse crop production, specialty fresh-market vegetable and herb crop
research, and technology transfer programs. He specialized in analyzing and
developing horticulture supply chains. Thanks to his extensive experience in
applied on-farm research and development, outreach and extension, agribusiness
development, and the implementation of sustainable farming models, Dr.
Langenhoven has assisted many start-up agribusinesses in developing business feasibility
plans, production planning and management, and product marketing.
Research Interests:
Dr. Langenhoven’s research interests
include the development of production technology that can increase the
efficiency of inputs and production, while producing the highest quality
products in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner in conventional
and controlled environment agricultural systems (CEA). Vertical farming,
hydroponics, high tunnels and greenhouses are technologies of key interest. Water
use efficiency, the optimization of plant mineral nutrition, soilless
substrates, the use of more environmentally friendly energy sources for heating,
and the use of aqueous ozone in water treatment form part of his research
interests. His field research concentrates on addressing the growing needs of
field and greenhouse vegetable and herb crops, and mint producers in Indiana.
Education:
Ph.D.
Agronomy, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
M.S.
Agronomy, Stellenbosch University, South Africa
B.S.
Agronomy and Entomology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa