Research institute
Greenhouse Horticulture & Flower Bulbs
The bu Greenhouse Horticulture & Flower Bulbs of WUR is dedicated to innovating for and with the sector. We work together with companies, government authorities and other knowledge institutes.
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Energy & Climate
The business unit Greenhouse Horticulture develops new sustainable concepts for crop production as well as innovative technologies for greenhouse construction, climate control, energysaving and efficient energy conversion.
Crop protection
The business unit Greenhouse Horticulture develops strategies and techniques for sustainable crop protection. Biological pest control; conscientious application of agents with the appropriate technique; and the utilisation of soil and crop resistance, the climate, and the environment are all examined individually and as a total system and then optimised.
Water & Nutrient use
Soil, water, and fertilisation have always been important topics in the horticulture sector. These topics are of current concern, and the business unit Greenhouse Horticulture is actively working on them together with growers and suppliers. Some of the aspects we are working on are emissions, more accurate nutrient supply, improvements to soil resistance, and the development of new hydroculture systems.
Cultivation and Production Systems
The business unit Greenhouse Horticulture is developing new complete concepts and integrated designs of production systems with, e.g., mobile cultivation systems, revolutionary greenhouse designs or systems for the early detection of plant diseases. We are also developing parts of production and selection systems, such as innovative sensors, vision systems and robots.
Quality & Production
The financial yields from a particular crop are largely dependent on timing and on the quality and quantity of the product. Optimum cultivation control ensures that good quality can be delivered at the right time. Wageningen University & Research applies knowledge of plant physiology to the practice of horticulture and develops crop growth models and plant monitoring processes to enable precise control of cultivation. In addition, Wageningen University & Research develops phenotyping methods in order to more efficiently breed new varieties.
International
Greenhouse horticulture, also called protected horticulture, is an excellent method for producing high-quality food efficiently. For this reason, protected horticulture is one of the fastest-growing sectors in Asia and Africa.
New business models
The business unit Greenhouse Horticulture develops new business models based on effective production of high value phytochemicals in The Greenhouse Pharmacy. We work on production of natural pharmaceuticals from plants, but also on natural colours, flavours and fragrances. Also, we explore the possibilities of new crops, such as black pepper and exptic fruits.
Flower bulbs
Bulb experts at Wageningen University & Research are working on new concepts and integrated designs for innovative, sustainable and vigorous production systems for flower bulbs. Important themes are a healthy soil, propagation and flowering, disease-free propagation material, precision agriculture and environmentally-friendly crop protection.
