Tag: tissue culture

Why Tissue Culture Matters Now for the Future of Controlled Environment Agriculture

Written by Kyle Barnett, Indoor Ag-Con Program Director on December 13, 2025. Posted in Blog.

Tissue culture is becoming a practical tool for growers who want cleaner starting material, more consistent genetics, and a pathway into higher value crops. As the industry matures, knowing where tissue culture fits into production planning is becoming increasingly relevant.

I recently met with the group leading our first dedicated tissue culture session at Indoor Ag-Con. Hearing their combined experience created a clearer picture of how this work already supports growers who want predictable and healthy plants. This panel brings together hands-on operators who deal with real production conditions every day.

The session will be moderated by Della Fetzer, founder and CEO of Rebel Cultures. Her work spans conservation, agriculture, forestry, laboratory design, and tissue culture project execution. Joining her are:

Rinnie Rodenius, Co-Owner and Head of Operations, Polymorph Bio. Her background includes commercial work across house plants, landscape plants, and endangered orchids, with experience managing clean stock programs and solving contamination challenges across multiple crop types.
• Micah E. Stevens, Ph.D., Research Lab Manager, Sierra Gold Nurseries. His work focuses on genetic testing, woody plant micropropagation, and protocol development to support their commercial tissue culture program.
• Dr. Hsien Ming Easlon, micropropagation specialist with extensive commercial experience across multiple high value crops.

Together they have worked across more than 1,400 plant varieties and have built or managed tissue culture programs that support growers at scale.

With that group in mind, here is how tissue culture fits into the broader CEA conversation.

Tissue culture gives growers a more dependable start

A consistent theme across the panel was how important it is to begin with clean, uniform plants. Many higher value crops grown indoors depend on vegetative starts rather than seed, which makes the condition of the starting material a major factor in overall success. Vegetative starts can include cuttings, runners, rhizomes, bare roots, tissue culture, and other methods that require clean and consistent plant material from the beginning.

Tissue culture helps growers access clean stock programs, steady supplies of starts, and plant material that behaves more predictably in controlled environments. These advantages support crop scheduling, planning, and consistent yields.

Rinnie Rodenius explained that tissue culture has been used for decades to solve problems growers still face today. Issues like virus load, decline in mother plants, uneven vegetative material, and slow rollout of new genetics all trace back to reliability at the start. Tissue culture helps stabilize these areas and gives growers a stronger foundation.

Higher value crops require a different level of cleanliness

As growers move into crops such as strawberries, cane berries, wasabi, and specialty ornamentals, many discover that traditional propagation brings limitations. Pathogens spread easily, mother plants break down over time, and plants can behave inconsistently when the starting material is not clean.

Dr. Hsien Ming Easlon’s work across strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, coffee, agave, and other crops shows how important clean stock is when scaling production. Indoor systems depend on plants responding predictably to the environment around them. Tissue culture supports that predictability by providing uniform, disease-free plants at volume.

Tissue culture creates opportunities for new crop categories

Rebel Cultures highlighted an important point. Some crops mature too slowly from seed or do not perform well when started the traditional way. Tissue culture can shorten timelines and create a clean starting point for plants that often struggle indoors.

This opens the door for growers interested in diversifying into higher value crops. Berries, wasabi, squash, and other specialty categories become more realistic when the starting material is clean, uniform, and ready for controlled production.

A wider range of crops also strengthens the industry as a whole. More options give growers flexibility and reduce dependence on only a few crop types.

Growers need clear guidance on how and when to use tissue culture

Every panelist pointed out the amount of confusion surrounding tissue culture. There is genuine interest, but many growers are unsure how to start, what timelines look like, or how to evaluate a potential partner.

Micah Stevens emphasized the importance of correct testing, proper scaling, and avoiding common mistakes that slow early projects down. This is where experienced practitioners become valuable. They help growers plan correctly, understand realistic timelines, and determine whether tissue culture is a good fit for their crop and business model.

The group leading this session offers guidance shaped by real-world production. They each operate or have operated functioning labs that supply commercial growers, and their perspectives come from solving practical challenges rather than theory.

What this means for CEA operators

Growers do not need to run a tissue culture lab to benefit from one. What matters is knowing:

How clean starting material affects production
• When tissue culture supports a crop choice
• How to choose a credible lab partner
• What questions to ask before beginning a project
• How tissue culture fits within existing propagation systems

As operators explore higher value crops, these questions naturally become part of the planning process. Tissue culture gives growers a path to stable genetics, cleaner supply chains, and a more dependable foundation for intensive indoor production.

Indoor Ag-Con is committed to bringing these conversations to the industry in a clear and practical way. This session is designed to give growers guidance they can use immediately as they evaluate their next steps.

Special thanks to Della Fetzer, Rebel Cultures and Dr. Hsien Ming Easlon for photos.

Nourse Farms: Innovating with Smart Practices to Minimize Risks and Elevate Growing Standards

Written by Nourse Farms on February 14, 2025. Posted in Blog.

Strawberry plants growing in Nourse Farms’ North Carolina greenhouse location.

“Let’s be honest: agriculture isn’t the industry for someone who likes a sure thing,” said John Place, Nourse Farms CEO. “There are many factors beyond the growers’ control that influence outcomes, such as extreme weather and disease pressure—2024 made that abundantly clear. But by staying ahead with proactive risk management, we can help the industry succeed.”

One of the biggest topics in the strawberry industry right now is the outbreak of Neopestalotiopsis (Neo-P), a fungal pathogen that has gained attention due to its rapid spread in certain regions, which has the industry on high alert. Neo-P has impacted thousands of growers across North America, causing shipments to be canceled and many growers to abandon strawberry-growing plans this season. As a leading North American berry plant propagator, Nourse Farms isn’t letting Neo-P stand in the way of providing high-quality plants to its customers.

Nourse Farms is focused on investing in innovative propagation techniques that mitigate disease risks while enhancing overall plant quality. Place recognizes the importance of providing customers with plants that are not only healthy but also free from the risks associated with diseases like Neo-P.

Pictured are strawberry plants growing in Nourse Farms’ North Carolina greenhouse location.

“It starts with our virus-indexed tissue culture mother plants, which has been a hallmark of our organization for decades,” said Place. “By propagating mother plants from tissue culture and growing our tray plants in a controlled environment, we are providing the best possible plants to our customers. We believe the strawberry plants should be grown in a controlled environment. By growing our tips in a high-tech glasshouse, we keep the mother plants clean—thus keeping the runner tips clean.”

Nourse Farms prides itself in its stringent quality control processes, which are designed to ensure the plants are in the best position to meet the highest standards of cleanliness and health. Nourse Farms’ unique process allows the organization to maintain control over every stage of plant production. This holistic approach enables Nourse Farms to respond swiftly to industry challenges, innovate continuously, and deliver exceptional plants that meet the ever-evolving needs of growers.

Nourse Farms strawberry plug plant showing off strong roots.

“With unpredictable weather patterns and emerging disease pressures, controlling our propagation process is essential,” said Place. “While there’s no single solution to eliminate all of the risks that we face as an industry, our integrated approach means we’re not just reacting to challenges; we’re leading the way in overcoming them, ensuring that our customers receive the highest-quality plants that are ready to get to work in their fields.”

About Nourse Farms

For over 90 years, Nourse Farms has been a trusted producer and supplier of premium quality small fruit plants. Dedicated to providing clean and highly productive plants to national and international commercial fruit growers, home gardeners, and resellers, Nourse Farms stays at the forefront of industry advancements by continuously identifying and testing new varieties and growing techniques. With locations in Massachusetts and Washington and a new site in North Carolina, Nourse Farms is committed to delivering high-quality products and is poised for a future of growth and innovation. What began as a local strawberry nursery has blossomed into an internationally recognized nursery specializing in strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry plants, along with a variety of other premium plants. To discover more about Nourse Farms’ commitment to quality, innovation, and the future of agriculture, visit NourseFarms.com or call 1-877-NFBERRY (632-3779).

Nourse Farms Continues to Lead the North American Berry Propagation Industry, Adopting New Tissue Culture Production Technology

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on February 10, 2024. Posted in Blog, Exhibitor News.

John Place, Nourse Farms CEO

For over 90 years, Nourse Farms (Indoor Ag-Con 2024 Booth 317) has remained steadfast in its commitment to providing growers with high-quality, virus-indexed, highly productive plants grown using the best possible practices. This commitment drives Nourse Farms to stay on the cutting edge of the latest developments in the industry.

To amplify Nourse Farms’ commitment to innovation, the North American berry plant propagator is embarking on an exciting journey in 2024. Later this year, Nourse Farms will open the 15-acre North Carolina greenhouse it acquired last year. Additionally, Nourse Farms expects to open a modern tissue culture lab and a seven-acre greenhouse for foundation material in Massachusetts.

Nourse Farms expects to open a modern tissue culture lab and a seven-acre greenhouse for foundation material in Massachusetts later this year.

Striving for a new era of excellence in tissue culture production, Nourse Farms’ modern tissue culture lab will include automated tissue culture planters developed and manufactured by Viscon, in close collaboration with ISO Group. The automated tissue culture planters are a tremendous breakthrough for growers, redefining and elevating production while operating in a sterile environment, resulting in increased quality products.

“Tissue culture has been the cornerstone of what we do for decades, so strategic investments in technology and advancements in this part of our operation are not only ideal but necessary,” said Nourse Farms CEO John Place. “With the exciting addition of Viscon’s automated tissue culture planters to our operation, we expect that we will see a significant increase in our production and efficiency.”

This innovative system meticulously transplants individual plants at a predetermined position and depth in the agar, ensuring higher explant quality and improved growth uniformity. The planter includes advanced gripper technology that prioritizes precision and certifies minimal physical plant damage. The automated planter features in-place tool sterilization and automatically sterilizes between transplant batches. Safeguarding sterility reduces the contamination risk seen in manual plant handling.

Nourse Farms’ modern tissue culture lab will include automated tissue culture planters developed and manufactured by Viscon, in close collaboration with ISO Group.

By adopting Viscon’s technology, Nourse Farms expects operational efficiency and control to strengthen due to enhanced traceability software that will capture data to help inform process decisions. The software uses barcoding technology that automatically tracks and traces plants in cups. This operation will allow Nourse Farms to monitor and accurately trace plants to the original plant material. By capturing this data, the growers can make informed plant production decisions based on production numbers, multiplication rates, material losses, and location status.

By utilizing this system, Nourse Farms’ skilled lab technicians can focus on preparing and cutting the plants for transplanting.

“This is a transformative time for growers and Nourse Farms is passionate about being at the forefront of implementing modern growing practices,” said Place. “We might be over 90 years old, but we’ve only just begun. We are proud to continue leading the North American berry propagation industry and look forward to what will come out of our new modern tissue culture lab.”

About Nourse Farms

For over 90 years, Nourse Farms has produced and sold premium quality small fruit plants to national and international commercial fruit growers, home gardeners, and resellers. Nourse Farms’ commitment to providing customers with virus-indexed, highly productive plants drives the organization to stay on the cutting edge of the latest developments in the industry. By identifying and testing new varieties and growing techniques, Nourse Farms stands behind its promise to deliver quality. What was once a strawberry nursery serving local growers has grown to be an internationally recognized soft fruit nursery selling strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, and blackberry plants. For more information about Nourse Farms, visit NourseFarms.com.

From Strawberry Roots To Berry Innovation: Nourse Farms CEO Shares Insights On Expansion, New Opportunities

Written by Indoor Ag-Con on October 16, 2023. Posted in Blog.

From its beginnings as a local strawberry nursery in 1932, Nourse Farms has evolved into an internationally recognized soft fruit nursery. Indoor Ag-Con is pleased to have Nourse Farms as an exhibitor for our March 11-12, 2024 edition in Las Vegas. We had the opportunity to catch up with CEO John Place to learn more about the company’s rich history, exciting expansion plans, state-of-the-art tissue culture labs and greenhouses in this month’s CEA Q&A. Read on to learn how this industry leader is not only adapting to changing market dynamics but also shaping them, as Nourse Farms positions itself to meet the evolving needs of berry growers worldwide, especially in the controlled environment agriculture sector.

Nourse Farms has a rich history dating back over 90 years. Can you share some key milestones in the company’s journey and how these have shaped its commitment to innovation and quality?

Aerial Photo Nourse Farms Whately, MA location — Aerial photo of Nourse Farms Whatley, Massaschusetts location

With Nourse Farms being around for almost a century, we’re fortunate to have a number of milestones that emphasize our commitment to innovation and delivering quality. Some highlights include:

1932: The farm was established as a strawberry plant nursery
1978: Raspberry plants added to the product mix
1980: The first tissue culture lab built
1982: Customized cooling facility built, allowing for storage of dormant, bare root plants
2003: Blackberry plants added to the product mix
2019: The first commercial planting of tray plants (strawberries) and long canes (brambles)
2020-2022: The continued expansion of tray plants and long canes
Present: A major expansion of our lab, greenhouses, and growing facilities that is intended to not only increase our footprint, but also amplify our commitment to innovation, as we will be using cutting-edge technologies to help us grow the cleanest, highest quality plants possible.

The recent announcement about your expansion plans and partnership with an investment firm are exciting and significant developments for Nourse Farms. Could you elaborate on the strategic goals behind the expansion and how it positions the company to meet the evolving needs of berry growers worldwide, especially in the CEA sector?

Nourse Farms Mills River, North Carolina location

Nourse Farms has focused on delivering the highest quality plants and exceptional customer service to the berry industry for decades. We are sitting at a pivotal point in North American berry farming where consumer demand is growing alongside new production techniques that are game-changers to the industry. Our goal is to secure our position as the market leader in berry plant propagation in North America. With that in mind, we are making a significant investment in our growing facilities in multiple locations to grow the highest quality plants for our customers.

We will now be growing in three distinct climates (Massachusetts, Washington, and North Carolina) so that the variety selection and plant type we have for our customers is grown in the best climate for its purpose. The new tissue culture lab, greenhouses, tray fields, trellis fields, and cold storage are all a part of our process and are included in the upgrades we are making. We believe these strategic investments will position us to scale quickly and efficiently to meet the changing needs of the market.

With the upcoming modern tissue culture lab and greenhouses in Massachusetts and North Carolina, how do you envision these facilities enhancing Nourse Farms’ ability to innovate and provide top-quality plants to your customers? Are there specific technologies or practices you’re excited to incorporate?

Tissue culture and micropropagation have been a cornerstone of Nourse Farms since we built our first lab in 1980. We use these techniques to grow our clean foundation mother plants, from which we propagate. With our ability to do in-house virus indexing and eliminate thru heat treatment, we can ensure our mother plants are of the highest quality. This new lab is actually our fourth lab to be built and will give us not only significant production capacity beyond our current lab but will also incorporate automation throughout the facility to aid in producing consistent, efficient, predictable results.

You’ve mentioned that you believe the future of berry production will increasingly demand substrate-grown plants. Can you provide some insights into the advantages and innovations in your substrate production process that make this approach so promising?

Over the last several years, we have been growing tray plants (strawberries) and long canes (brambles). We have learned a lot regarding growing systems, proper fertigation, timing of planting, and other important details to produce a plant that is fit for purpose for our customers. With this experience, we are now positioned to strategically scale this part of our operation to meet the growing demands of the industry and ensure that our customers will receive the high-quality plants they expect from us.

Now that we are growing in multiple climates, various plant types and varieties can grow in the optimal conditions that they require.

Variety development also plays a key role in the innovations that we are preparing for the market. We have been working with berry breeders around the world for decades in an effort to identify, import, trial, and then scale the best genetics for our customers.

As Nourse Farms continues to expand and innovate, what do you see as the most significant trends or opportunities in the controlled environment agriculture industry, and how is the company positioned to take advantage of these trends?

Berry consumers are demanding not only more berries but also higher quality berries. The strategic steps Nourse Farms is taking are a direct result of our response to the fact that berry production is moving from traditional outdoor growing areas towards indoor facilities near population centers. High-tech glasshouses and indoor vertical growing facilities require a plant type grown specifically for these high-capacity facilities to generate the return on investment that is required.

This is where the opportunity is for upstream suppliers like us. Our plants are grown specifically to meet this demand and give our customers the returns they need for their investments. The more growing we do—both of our plants and of our business—the more success for our customers.

For more information on Nourse Farms, visit the company website.
And, be sure to visit them in booth 317 at Indoor Ag-Con from March 11-12, 2024 at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas!