Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi

Rhuanito Soranz Ferrarezi

Associate Professor; Emphasis: Controlled Environment Agriculture Crop Physiology and Production

UGA Athens Campus

Office location: Room 1317, 1111 Miller Plant Sciences Building

Laboratory location: Ferrarezi Lab / CEA Crop Physiology and Production Laboratory located at 106 Riverbend Road, Athens, GA 30602

About Me

Hi, I am Rhuanito Ferrarezi, an Associate Professor of Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Crop Physiology and Production at the Department of Horticulture at the University of Georgia.

I do research on crop physiology (plant growth and development) and production factors (precision irrigation, plant nutrition, lighting, substrates, biopharmaceuticals, biostimulants, and cropping systems) for indoor soilless cultivation in greenhouses and indoor or vertical farms. My group focuses on horticultural specialty crops, including edible, medicinal, and ornamental plants in greenhouses and vertical farms/plant factories. My program investigates plant responses to different production factors and develops methodologies to maximize plant growth rate, development, morphology, and physiology and improve crop yield, quality, and profitability of horticultural crops in indoor systems.

I also teach three courses, HORT 3200 “Hydroponics and Controlled Environment Horticulture” (4 credits, Spring odd years), HORT 4050/6050 “Greenhouse Management I” (4 credits, Fall), and HORT 8111 “Design, Analysis, and Interpretation of Horticultural Data” (2 credits, Spring even years), lead the UGA Hydroponics Club, direct a Maymester UGA CAES Mediterranean Study Abroad program to Valencia, Spain (4 credits, even years), and advise and mentor dozens of grad and undergraduate students at UGA and around the globe.

Interested in the Ferrarezi Lab of CEA Crop Physiology and Production? Feel free to contact me!

Education

• B.S. Agronomic Engineering, Santa Catarina State University (UDESC), Lages/SC, Brazil, 2002
• M.S. Horticulture, Agronomic Institute (IAC), Campinas/SP, Brazil, 2006
• Ph.D. Agricultural Engineering, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas/SP, Brazil, 2013
• Postdoc Horticulture, University of Georgia (UGA), Athens/GA, USA, 2015

Appointments

• 65% Research
• 30% Teaching
• 5% Service