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Sustainable strawberry cultivation with renewable substrates and organic fertilisers
The strawberry sector is facing the challenge of reducing the use of crop protection products. In addition, the use of renewable substrates will have to increase and there is interest in the use of organic fertilisers. Combining these challenges offers opportunities. Wageningen University & Research, BU Greenhouse Horticulture is investigating how the cultivation and cultivation of strawberries can be made more resilient and sustainable. Researcher Tommaso Barbagli: “We are working on a clean future for strawberry cultivation.”
In this project, WUR is investigating which combination of renewable substrates and organic fertilisers leads to strong plants that produce well, but that is also resilient to diseases and pests. This research at WUR in Bleiswijk is carried out in phases: first the propagation is optimised, then the cultivation. Barbagli: “A good producing and resilient plant starts with a good propagation. If problems in the propagation can be prevented, this is better than having to improve things at a later stage.
Sustainable cultivation of strawberries
The research aims to find the ideal substrate mix to reduce the use of peat and coconut. Five alternative raw materials are being investigated: sapropel, bark, compost, wood fibre and acrotelm (peat moss). WUR is investigating which combination yields the best results.
As an alternative to traditional fertilisers, WUR is also investigating organic fertilisers. To start with, organic nitrogen was used. Because the root volume is limited during cultivation, the organic nitrogen was first mineralised separately into nitrate (NO3) and then administered to the plants. Many micro-organisms that live around the roots are stimulated by the addition of organic matter. We are investigating whether this has an effect on the development of diseases and pests.
Barbagli: “With this research, we are working on a resilient and more sustainable cultivation of strawberries in the greenhouse. In this way, the research also ties in with other national programmes, including in the field of reducing the use of peat, reducing chemical crop protection and promoting the use of organic fertilisers.”
The research into more sustainable cultivation and cultivation of strawberries is a PPS with the following partners: Top Sector Horticulture & Starting Materials, Stichting Aardbei Onderzoek, Koppert, Meteor Systems, Eurofins, TMRW impact, the Greenery, Sapropel, Viscon, Biobest and Biota Nutri.