Horticulture Cropping Systems

Amanda Lay-Walters is an Assistant Professor and principal investigator of the Horticultural Cropping Systems (HCS) Laboratory at Virginia Tech’s Eastern Shore Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Lay-Walters has a 50% extension and 50% research appointment to serve stakeholders growing horticultural crops in the Commonwealth. The HCS lab focuses on cultural practices to improve the production and yield of various vegetable and fruit crops that are also economically and environmentally sustainable. Primary focuses of the lab include updating recommendation through variety and planting date trials, investigating viability of new crops for the region, and updating recommendations for cultural practices such as fertility management, crop succession, planting density, and investigating the implementation of new technologies in horticultural crop production.