Researchers from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) in the Netherlands have reported that greenhouse strawberry production is possible almost year-round with a minimal use of fossil fuels and chemical plant protection products.
Their conclusions follow three years of research by WUR’s Greenhouse Horticulture and Flower Bulbs business unit in the Demokas 2030 demonstration greenhouse. The measures trialled included the introduction of LED lighting, dehumidification and insulating screens.
To test the possibility of growing strawberries almost fossil fuel-free and without emissions, WUR researchers changed the set-up usually used in ‘traditional’ production. This included triple screens to provide proper insulation, dehumidification with sensible and latent heat from the moist air recovered and LED lamps. Other changes included the introduction of movable gutters to improve the utilisation of sunlight and lamp light.
Importantly, the ever-bearing Favori variety was chosen because it is less sensitive to mildew and offers good taste. WUR reports that it was possible to harvest the same plants for almost a year, with production topping 25 kilograms per m2. During the three-year study, CO2 consumption was almost halved from 17.5 to 9 kilograms per m2 per year.
WUR adds: “In the past season, relatively few pesticides had to be used against mildew, and they were only residue-free agents. Aphids proved difficult to combat completely biologically: chemical interventions had to be taken a number of times.”
* The importance of growing indoors has been emphasised by Derek Stewart, director of the James Hutton Institute’s Advanced Plant Growth Centre in Scotland.
Writing in The Times newspaper, Professor Stewart points to the shocks which have hindered food supplies in the past year (Brexit, rising input costs, disruption because of the war in Ukraine, heatwave etc.), contributing to the rise in food costs. In addition, he says food security in the UK is at an all-time low.
He writes: “It is increasingly evident that we need significantly more productive systems for food production and that these systems need to be more sustainable and at the very least, environmentally safe. Climate change is not going away and we are simply not doing enough to decelerate its progression.
“In terms of food production though, for crops at least, there are some bright spots on the horizon. At the Advanced Plant Growth Centre (APGC), we have explored the science and are now realising the potential and impact of growing crops such as vegetables and fruit, indoors. This type of farming, known as total controlled environment agriculture (TCEA), offers up the chance to grow tasty food which could also be nutritionally enhanced all year round, thanks to specially controlled lighting and greatly reduced water and fertiliser requirements.
“If we adopt TCEA powered by renewable energy, best exemplified in vertical farming, we can increase the reliability of food supply with a significantly reduced greenhouse gas emission footprint compared [with] other like-for-like food production systems.”
He adds: “The adoption of new technology represents change and is not always universally welcomed: we hear and acknowledge this, but with the hard evidence being generated on the potential of vertical farming, we need to pull together the food and energy sectors, invest in this new type of farming and lead the way globally in terms of sustainable food production.”
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