Growing the Future

When Dr. Rodolfo Valdez Barillas talks about plants, his enthusiasm is unmistakable. But beneath that excitement is a deeper mission—expanding opportunity, reshaping agricultural education, and building something lasting at Texas A&M University–San Antonio. 

That mission took shape when, in summer 2024, the University announced a collaboration with Texas A&M AgriLife Research in Uvalde. This joint venture centers on hydroponics, an innovative method of growing plants without soil. A key goal is to create pipelines for students to gain hands-on agricultural research experience. 

To launch the effort, Valdez Barillas, associate professor of biology, built a hydroponic research space inside a 12-by-24-foot on-campus greenhouse. There, he and his students grow crops in nutrient-rich circulating water systems rather than soil.  

“Hydroponic systems give you more control over what you give to your plants,” Valdez Barillas explained. 

The team began with a wide selection of nutrient-dense crops—tomatoes, beets, spinach, kale, collard greens, peppers and snap peas. While the peas and peppers struggled, the tomatoes, beets, and kale thrived. Valdez Barillas harvested enough cherry tomatoes to donate fresh produce to the campus cafeteria, sharing the rest with colleagues and students. 

“I only need a small amount for analysis,” he said. “When the plants give us more, why not share it?” 

Collard greens also flourished, though they generated less excitement. 
 
“I learned quickly that in San Antonio, not many people know what to do with collards,” he laughed. 

Phase two of the project shifts the focus to enhancing the nutritional value of food while keeping it accessible. The method, as Valdez Barillas describes it, involves “literally tanning the vegetables and fruits.” Just as human skin produces more pigment to protect against UV light, plants increase antioxidants when exposed to specific light or biostimulants. 

"Researching hydroponic agriculture feels like a step in the right direction toward minimizing the hardships endured by farmers and providing quality products to the consumer."

~ Anissa Avina

The challenge is finding the sweet spot: crops that grow robustly while remaining densely packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. If successful, their findings could reshape how hydroponic crops are produced—and how consumers get nutrition from the produce aisle. 

Currently, five undergraduate researchers support the project. Students help grow, maintain, harvest, and analyze crops; participate in trips to Uvalde; work alongside agricultural scientists; and conduct lab testing both on campus and at AgriLife facilities. 

Student Anissa Avina began her research journey in Uvalde during a Texas A&M AgriLife internship in 2024. 

“I learned about plant pathology and how plant diseases affect farmers across Texas,” she said. 

After the internship, Avina joined the University’s new hydroponics project, helping assemble hydroponic towers, mix fertilizers, test nutrient cycles, and care for crops. 
 
“Researching hydroponic agriculture feels like a step in the right direction toward minimizing the hardships endured by farmers and providing quality products to the consumer,” she said. 

Every new harvest is proof that the effort is paying off. 

The hydroponics initiative is driving student engagement, sparking innovative curriculum development, and laying the groundwork for community outreach and sustainability programs that could transform how A&M–San Antonio approaches food, science, and learning. 

“This isn’t just about growing plants,” Valdez Barillas said. “It’s about showing what’s possible on our campus, in our community, and even in someone’s home.”