Event Horti-BlueC Open Event (Interreg 2 Seas)

Can strawberries and tomatoes be cultivated without non-renewable feedstock materials such as peat and mineral wool? How can residual materials such as shrimp shells, CO₂ from flue gasses, spent growing media, green waste and plant fibers be upcycled and contribute to sustainable soilless horticulture?

The Interreg 2 Seas project Horti-BlueC aims at solving bottlenecks and proposing new solutions for more sustainable growing media in horticulture and for upcycling byproducts from current practices. The ambition is to facilitate the adoption of a new greenhouse concept, with a reduction in fossil fuel use and CO₂ emissions, a reduced application of chemical plant protection products and fertilizers and replacement of virgin CO₂.

During this event, the final results of the Horti-BlueC project will be disseminated.

Project researchers will present their findings on new solutions for sustainable growing media:

• Biochar and chitin amendments for tomato substrates in commercial production: Evaluation of the potential to enhance growing media sustainability - Ewan Gage
• Succesfully organic growing media cultivated in a commercial tomato growing system - Julie Moelants
• Extending the lifetime of coir substrate in strawberry production through coir reuse and amendment with biochar - Xiangming Xu
• Amending Butterhead Lettuce and Brioso Tomato with Recycled Shellfish Waste to Improve Yield and Antioxidant Activity - Edward Collins

Afterwards, representatives from observer partners VLACO, ECN, WUR and RHP will take part in a panel discussion on the adoption of sustainable growing media by the sector in the project area.

Finally, the Horti-BlueC immersive Virtual Reality experience will also be showcased.

As the Open Event is integrated into the GrowingMedia2021 Symposium, more detailed information on the presented research can be found on the Symposium website. Please note that registration for the Horti-BlueC Open Event is automatically included in the registration for the GrowingMedia2021 Symposium. However, the Horti-BlueC Open Event can also be attended seperately from the Symposium, but free registration is necessary through the link.

For more information about the Horti-BlueC project: horti-bluec.eu.