Fourth-year students are conducting horticultural research for various companies. The students from Inholland University of Applied Sciences Delft have created a video of their research and findings, including how pepper plants can be optimally cultivated in a multi-layered climate chamber using blue light and far-red light.
A grower from Montreahof in Berkel and Rodenrijs provided the guidelines for this research, says Horticulture & Agribusiness student John. He is the son of a radish grower from Westland, making him very familiar with the industry. Sjoerd van Marrewijk from Vertify guided the students in their research into the world of Vertical Farming.
Viewing plants in the greenhouse at Montreahof in February 2023
In addition to the pragmatically minded John, the group also included several Chinese students. John: "Finding the right balance between the more theoretically inclined Chinese students and the pragmatic approach of our Dutch team members was not a problem at all and actually made task distribution easier. The cultural differences and manners posed a bigger hurdle. However, due to the composition of my group, I learned more about the international context of the sector."
The outcome of this research shows that, from a cost perspective alone, it is not yet interesting for growers to switch to the climate chamber. Sjoerd van Vertify: "The strength of cultivation with Vertical Farming lies in the planning, reproducibility, and control mechanisms of the climate chambers. The traditional cultivation of various other crops also benefits from these findings."