Lethbridge Polytechnic is home to world-class researchers and cutting-edge facilities driving innovation in southern Alberta and beyond. In this new researcher profile series, the polytechnic will shine a spotlight on the talented individuals in the Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CARIE), their stories and the benefits of their work.
One of these researchers is Dr. Seyed Hashemi, research scientist, CARIE, who joined the polytechnic in October 2023 and is a self-proclaimed plant lover. Coming from a family of farmers in Azerbaijan, he knew he wanted to dedicate his work to understanding plants and the benefits they provide.
“I grew up on a farm so when I wasn’t in school, I was farming; it became a big part of my life,” says Hashemi. “Every morning, I wake up ready to be around plants. My first stop each morning is in our greenhouse to soak in the smell of extra fresh air and the aroma of when water hits soil. There’s nothing quite like it.”
Hashemi completed his master’s thesis on medicinal plants, analyzing plant stresses and researching ways to influence how they feel in different environments. He completed his PhD in plant breeding and genetics from the University of Guelph, where he analyzed different plant varieties and their interactions with different environments.
“Knowing how plants interact with different environments is helpful for producers in managing growth cycles, including planting times, watering and fertilizer schedules and crop rotations,” says Hashemi. “Farming is a business of balancing input costs and outputs. My goal is to better inform producers so they can grow the best plants possible for maximized returns.”
Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Integrated Agriculture Technology Centre (IATC) operates a 10,000-square-foot, industry-scale research greenhouse that drew Hashemi to southern Alberta, where he could apply his passion and skills as part of a public-facing applied research, consultation and problem-solving resource for agricultural producers in southern Alberta and beyond.
Now, Hashemi is part of a team researching light optimization for greenhouses, comparing industrial LEDs, horticultural LEDs and high-pressure sodium (HPS) lights. The project, which measures lighting on cucumbers, tomatoes and bell peppers, is on track to finish in late-2026, but preliminary results are showing some interesting findings.
“While it depends on the plant type, what surprised us was that the best-performing lights for plant health weren’t always the ones driving the highest growth,” says Hashemi. “HPS lights gave about 10 per cent more plant performance over industrial LEDs but used 40 per cent more energy. Older-spectrum LEDs showed lower energy use, longer lifespans and comparable plant benefit.”
To date, results for the cucumber trials have been published and peer reviewed, with four greenhouses already adopting their results.
“The team at the IATC is a remarkable, multidisciplinary group of plant pathologists, fish biologists, economists and environmentalists, all working together to explore big questions in food production,” says Hashemi. “We’re combining traditional practices with innovation, showing producers results they can trust and use when considering new tools."
Lethbridge Polytechnic’s Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CARIE) directly engages in applied research projects that tackle real-world challenges with immediate and practical impacts. In partnership with industry, community organizations, researchers and students, CARIE's mandate is to deliver results that solve today’s problems and drive tomorrow’s innovation.
To learn more about applied research activities and projects at Lethbridge Polytechnic, visit: lethpolytech.ca/CARIE.