Moein Moosavi, a third-year doctoral student in horticultural science at NC State University and a member of the university's Controlled Environment Agriculture Coalition, is researching strawberry and hydroponic vegetable production within Controlled Environment Agriculture systems. His work contributes to advancements in both academic research and practical applications in the field.
The American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) recently named Moosavi the recipient of the 2025 ASHS Outstanding Graduate Horticulture Student Award in recognition of his academic performance, research efforts, leadership, and service.
© NC State UniversityMoein Moosavi is seen checking strawberry plants in an NC State University's controlled environment lab.
Strawberry precise indoor propagation impacts
Moosavi's impacts include his contributions to optimizing indoor strawberry propagation, which are part of a U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) – National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) sponsored Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI, Grant Nr: 2021-51181-35857) Strawberry PIP-CAP project, led by NC State University's Associate Professor Mark Hoffmann.
"Traditional open-field nursery production has many challenges with yields from 74-98 per square meter, so I'm working on developing high-efficiency indoor propagation systems," Moosavi said. "In my setup, mother plants grow vertically in gutter systems, with runners hanging below for daughter plant development. I study how photoperiod, light quality and light distribution between top and intracanopy lighting affect daughter plant yield and quality. One major challenge in the U.S. is low propagation efficiency in open-field nurseries. From our interviews with California growers, they typically produce 74 to 98 daughter plants per square meter. After several years of research, we've now achieved over 1,200 daughter plants per square meter in a compact indoor system with intracanopy lighting. Another challenge is disease management, which is much more controlled in indoor CEA systems."
© NC State UniversityMoein Moosavi is examining the impact of different light spectra on strawberry plants in the Phytotron-controlled environment facility at NC State University.
CEA inspirations and recognition
Moosavi grew up on a family farm in eastern Iran, where they had a garden filled with grapes and jujube (Ziziphus jujuba), along with pistachio, pomegranate and barberry (Berberis vulgaris) trees, where he developed a love of gardening. Experiencing the difficulties of traditional agriculture methods, such as flood irrigation in a drought-prone region, further inspired him to write a fourth-grade essay on wanting to improve modern agriculture as a profession.
"Years later, I studied horticulture for my undergraduate degree, where I became increasingly interested in hydroponics and greenhouse production," he said. "Over time, that curiosity grew into a commitment to improving food production systems, especially in the face of disruptive weather events and limited natural resources. This passion led me to focus on CEA during my master's."
Before attending NC State, Moosavi's master's thesis research on the impact of light quality on grafted watermelon healing and acclimatization is based on a paper by his doctoral advisor and CEA Coalition Director, Ricardo Hernandez. Published in Environmental and Experimental Botany, Physiological responses of cucumber seedlings under different blue and red photon flux ratios using LEDs, the findings addressed the light spectrum effects on cucumber.
Moosavi also completed an internship with the Delaware Indoor Agriculture Lab (DIAL) in the Summer of 2024, working on a project funded by NASA (award no. 80NSSC23K1427) where he helped reduce tip burn in hydroponic lettuce by using a calcium mobilizing biostimulant together with optimizing airflow and light quality.
Published in multiple peer-reviewed journals and presented at national conferences such as ASHS, Committee on Controlled Environment Technology and Use (NCERA-101), and Cultivate, he has received several honors, including awards from the Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium and the Tammy L. Ellington Horticultural Plant Breeding Graduate Award Endowment.
"Moein's work has had a far-reaching impact, bridging the gap between scientific research and real-world applications," said Ricardo Hernandez. "His research in CEA innovation, international collaboration, and sustainable production strategies has influenced industry practices and helped shape the future of global horticulture."
Leadership and outreach
Beyond the lab, Moosavi is committed to mentorship and outreach. He serves as a peer mentor for graduate students through NC State's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, helping students overcome challenges of graduate school, work-life balance and making sure they have a listening ear.
"Do thorough research on the lab environment before joining," he advises prospective graduate students. "A positive, mentally supportive environment with an encouraging advisor makes a huge difference, which I've been very fortunate to experience."
Moosavi regularly shares his findings with growers and stakeholders through field days and public talks. He has been interviewed by industry platforms such as CEAg World Insights and CEA expert Nadia Sabeh's "Dr. Greenhouse" series.
Looking ahead, he hopes to continue working at the intersection of research and real-world application. "My research has shown me the value of applying science to solve real-world agricultural problems," he said. "Whether through academic research or research and development in the private sector, I hope to keep innovating in CEA."
Source: North Carolina State University