Uttara Samarakoon Basnagala

Dr. Samarakoon's  research program focuses on developing sustainable crop production technology for specialty crops such as vegetables, ornamentals and medicinal plants within controlled environment agriculture (CEA). Current research emphasizes nutrient optimization in hydroponic systems, alternate substrate selection, diversification of crops for CEA, and the optimization and evaluation of hydroponic system performance.

As an experienced educator, Dr. Samarakoon has coordinated and taught undergraduate courses in greenhouse and nursery management. She also organized an annual workshop for K–12 teachers, providing hands-on training in greenhouse operations and promoting the integration of controlled environment agriculture (CEA) into school curricula. To support workforce development in CEA, Dr. Samarakoon developed an online module on rootzone management as part of CEA WORKS, a multistate collaborative project. In her extension role at UF, she will collaborate with faculty, growers, and other stakeholders to deliver science-based solutions to production challenges and offer targeted training in CEA practices.