Future-proof greenhouse horticulture
Future-proof greenhouse horticulture depends on circular, fossil- and emission-free production systems. Wageningen University & Research (WUR) supports the sector with practical research and concrete solutions aimed at sustainable innovation without compromising on yield or quality. These innovations enable the sector to maintain its leading international position.
The greenhouse horticulture sector is undergoing a major transition. Sustainable energy, efficient use of resources and circular cultivation methods are essential to comply with legislation and remain internationally competitive. At the same time, the market demands healthy food and high-quality ornamental products that are locally produced and affordable. This makes innovation, combining profitability with sustainability, crucial.
Wageningen University & Research supports the sector throughout this transition. Together we develop future-proof solutions such as energy-neutral greenhouse concepts, more efficient use of water and nutrients, alternatives to chemical fertilisers and substrates, and data-driven, autonomous cultivation using sensors and AI. Our strength lies in our integrated system knowledge and our ability to translate research outcomes into practice. Through close collaboration with growers, suppliers and policymakers, we ensure that innovations are not only technically sound but also economically and socially viable.
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Expertises
Resilient greenhouse horticulture and flower-bulb cultivation
Resilient and profitable cultivation systems that can withstand diseases, pests and other stress factors without crop-protection products are crucial for greenhouse horticulture and flower-bulb production. WUR provides practical and economically viable knowledge and solutions.
Resilient greenhouse horticulture and flower-bulb cultivation
Resilient and profitable cultivation systems that can withstand diseases, pests and other stress factors without crop-protection products are crucial for greenhouse horticulture and flower-bulb production. WUR provides practical and economically viable knowledge and solutions.
Circular greenhouse horticulture
Together with the horticultural sector, we are shaping a circular future for greenhouse production — closing resource loops, reusing materials and harnessing renewable inputs for efficient, waste-free and resilient cultivation systems.
Autonomous cultivation
A greenhouse that controls itself, day and night, anywhere in the world. That is the ambition behind autonomous cultivation. The result: stable yields, more efficient and sustainable production, and higher labour productivity through the use of sensors and artificial intelligence. Together with the horticultural sector, Wageningen University & Research is developing the greenhouse of the future.
Energy transition in greenhouse horticulture
WUR supports growers, technology companies and policymakers in the transition to energy-efficient, fossil-free greenhouses. Using data, simulation models and applied research, we develop feasible strategies for a climate-neutral greenhouse sector, while maintaining crop quality and economic performance.
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Why partner with WUR?
We offer:
- International top-level expertise
- Unique high-tech greenhouse facilities
- Multidisciplinary and integrated approach: from energy and water to crops and data
- Partner in public-private collaboration, policy and scaling-up
- Practice-oriented innovations with businesses
Contact us
Working towards circular and sustainable greenhouse horticulture together? Contact us to explore the opportunities for your company or supply chain.
Explore related focus areas
Climate-resilient, biodiverse and sustainable agriculture
Integrated, area-specific systems that balance productivity, ecology and climate resilience — creating robust, future-proof production for open-field cultivation.
Climate-resilient, biodiverse and sustainable agriculture
Integrated, area-specific systems that balance productivity, ecology and climate resilience — creating robust, future-proof production for open-field cultivation.
Plant breeding and biotechnology
Advanced breeding technologies that accelerate genetic innovation for high-yielding, nutritious and naturally resilient plant varieties.
Plant and crop health
Sustainable crop protection strategies that reduce chemical use through smart diagnostics, resilient varieties and biological solutions.
AI, robotics and smart cultivation technologies
Knowledge and technology that unlock the potential of plants to produce nutritional ingredients, bioactive compounds and renewable feedstocks for sustainable materials.
Plant-based compounds for a circular bioeconomy
Companies and policymakers are seeking sustainable alternatives to production processes based on fossil resources. With its broad expertise in plant science, Wageningen University & Research (WUR) enables the use of plants for this purpose — from breeding and cultivation optimisation to valorising crop residues and designing sustainable biotechnological production and valorisation processes in and from plants.
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