A research scientist at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) received a scholarship of 540,000 US dollars to investigate how the innovative use of LED lighting could increase the production of Erdberer production.
“Due to climate change and extreme weather, the producers are increasingly looking for interior production,” said Dr. Li Ma, researcher at the KPU Institute for Sustainable Horticulture (ISH). “LED technology has made considerable progress in recent years, so that we can adapt the lighting spectrum and the intensity to the specific needs of plants during their growth cycle. This leads to healthier, fresher and high-quality fruits.”
The project, which is funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSerc) and the Mitacs, will enable the ISH to counter many challenges for the producers of the greenhouse, in particular the need for precise light management. As MA explained, each strawberry variant has a different reaction to light, and the control of the light spectrum can influence health, growth and resistance to the plant against pests.
“By using LED lighting systems that adapt to the needs of the system, we can optimize growth and production and at the same time minimize energy consumption,” said MA, adding that this new technology will reduce the maintenance costs by 75 percent and energy costs by 40 percent. “The goal is to make strawberry breeding more sustainable and less dependent on imported products – reduce CO2 emissions and improve our local nutritional safety.”
The three-year project includes cooperation with industry partners such as Sollum Technologies, a company based in Montreal that contributes financial and factual support with its most modern dynamic LED lighting systems. Another industry partner, Star Producs, gives experts insight into the generation of strawberry in the interior clearance in order to close the gap between academic research and greenhouse applications.
“This project is a common effort between science and industry,” said Ma. “We work together to ensure that the future of strawberry production in Canada is sustainable, efficient and environmentally friendly.”
A key component of this initiative is the focus on staff training and the participation of the students. Jean-Mornay du Plessis, a student in the diploma program for horticultural technology, carries out scouting for pests every week and checks the measurements of the drops and drains to ensure that the plants are properly hydrated.
“There are incredible facilities and equipment in the ISH,” said Du Plessis. “I am here to gain more experimental and practical research experiences because I plan to make a master's degree.”
Olivia Puszka, a KPU student in the fourth year in the Bachelor of Gärtner, with a main subject in plant health, has worked with floor micrororganisms and plants in various environments for two years.
“Since we have many strawberry variants, we can see which diseases and pests are more susceptible,” said Puszka. “I actually see topics that I have learned in my KPU classes that were applied to the variables of the plant myself. For me, this was the coolest part of this experience so far.”
MA said that the lighting recipes developed in this project can also be applied to the local innovation Challenge-a six-year competition of $ 33 million, which aims to extend the vegetation period of the berries in Canada, and possibly prepares the stage for a new era of the interior, which offers one year for one year near on site.
The Institute for Sustainable Horticulture, one of three research institutes at the KPU, improves the resilience of ecosystems by providing instruments and strategies for agriculture and landscapes through applied research, innovation, exchange of knowledge and partnerships. KPU, based in five locations in Richmond, Surrey and Langley, offers a comprehensive range of programs in business, art, design, health, science and horticulture, trade and technology as well as around 20,000 students every year.