PPS STERKE START: a flying start for young plants in open-field vegetable cultivation

Open-field vegetable seedlings are still heavily reliant on chemical plant protection products and artificial fertilisers. This places a strain on the environment and can be harmful to humans, animals and the ecosystem. in addition, there is growing pressure from legislation, regulations and the market to adopt more sustainable cultivation methods. The risk of resistant pathogens is also increasing with the prolonged use of pesticides.

The sector is therefore seeking sustainable alternatives, such as the use of organic fertilisers and strengthening the natural resilience of the plants and the soil. This requires a better understanding of the microbiome in the tray substrate (all the micro-organisms in – in this case – the potting compost mix) in which young plants grow in the greenhouse.

Through this project, the entire supply chain – from growers to researchers – aims to contribute to more sustainable vegetable production in our country. By making the most of soil life, we can produce stronger and healthier seedlings, whilst reducing our use of chemical inputs. In this way, we grow healthy vegetables for people, animals and the environment.

In the STERKE START project, we are investigating how the microbiome in tray substrates can contribute to stronger, healthier and more resilient vegetable seedlings. We are starting with various growers, where we are mapping the development of bacteria and fungi during the seedling stage. This will give us a better understanding of the factors that influence the microbiome and how we can use this knowledge.

Using these insights, we will then develop new tray substrates that promote healthy soil life, improve nutrient availability and offer natural protection against diseases. During these studies, we will monitor the development of the microbiome and establish links with plant growth, nutrient availability and the plants’ ability to resist diseases, nutrient availability and disease resistance.

The most promising substrate mixtures are then tested by growers in their greenhouses. We monitor how the seedlings develop and whether they are more resistant to stress (such as drought or disease) during the transition to outdoor cultivation. In this way, we assess how effective the various substrates are in practice.

An important part of the project is the sharing of knowledge. The results are relevant to many stakeholders, such as growers, growing medium suppliers, advisers, the education sector, policymakers and researchers. That is why we ensure an active exchange of knowledge throughout the project.

Through STERKE START, growers and researchers are working together towards more sustainable vegetable production, in which we utilize soil life to produce strong and healthy plants with less reliance on chemical inputs.