By Katrina Hageman
A graduate student in sustainable agriculture and horticulture, has had great success studying vegetable crops at Iowa State University. So much that she was awarded a 2026 Graduate Program Research Excellence Award.
With her May 2026 graduation on the horizon, Chaudhary plans to continue working in horticultural science and specialty crop production. She wants to develop research-based management strategies that help growers improve crop performance while maintaining sustainable production systems.
Provide a general overview of your research - what you test, how you test it, variables, etc.
My research focuses on improving organic vegetable production systems by strengthening two key stages of crop production: transplant quality and pest management. At Iowa State, I have primarily worked with specialty crops such as eggplants, napa cabbage and peppers to develop practical, research-backed solutions to help growers improve yield and crop quality.
A major part of my work examines insect exclusion systems known as mesotunnels. These structures are made from nylon mesh netting that acts as a physical barrier to prevent insect pests from reaching the crop. In replicated field experiments at the ISU Horticulture Research Station, we compared mesotunnel systems with organic insecticide programs. Our objective was to monitor insect pest populations, feeding injury and marketable yield, while also tracking environmental conditions inside these mesotunnels.
Alongside field trials, I conducted greenhouse experiments evaluating organic fertilizers and media amendment strategies for growing organic vegetable transplants. These studies help identify ways growers can produce stronger and more uniform transplants, which are critical for successful establishment and yield in organic systems.
Beyond the research itself, I have helped develop extension materials and videos with Iowa State Extension and Outreach share practical recommendations with growers and home gardeners.
Source : iastate.edu