Horst gets high-tech research site for soft fruit

Delphy, a knowledge institute for producers of flowers and food, has started the construction of a high-tech horticultural greenhouse on Aardbeienland in Horst. The new research location should become the hotspot of the international soft fruit sector. A location that acts as a breeding ground for knowledge and innovation in soft fruit and also wants to be the 'living room' of the sector.

Delphy invests in its own research locations in various sectors, including soft fruit. In Horst, Delphy is building a high-tech research location for all crops in the soft fruit sector on the site of the former Aardbeienland. At the location a high-tech greenhouse of 3.000m2, 1.000m2 tray field, 1.000m2 racks and 1.000m2 rain covers will be realized.

Ambition

In the greenhouse there will be several departments for conducting research. Knowledge development and dissemination of knowledge are uniquely brought together in one location. The high-tech horticultural greenhouse will operate on an international scale and there is a strong focus on cooperation with partners. There will also be knowledge days and other initiatives where research results will be explained and shared.

Central question

What do growers need to do (e.g., to their greenhouse) to ensure that they can get the most out of a particular strawberry plant, raspberry variety, blueberry or blackberry crop? This question will be at the heart of the new horticulture greenhouse. It is not about improving the crops, but about improving the cultivation. Sometimes growers will knock on Delphy's door with a research question, and sometimes the institute will get to work on an issue itself. An example is experimenting with alternatives to fossil fuels, in order to run a greenhouse with as few CO2 emissions as possible.

Horst

In an interview with De Limburger, Bart Jongenelen of Delphy explains why Horst was chosen. "In the whole of the Netherlands there are approximately nine hundred hectares of blueberries. Between five hundred and six hundred hectares of this can be found in Limburg. The Netherlands is a major player in the world of agriculture and horticulture. The entire world looks to our country when it comes to knowledge and innovation. That's why a knowledge and innovation center in Horst that serves as an 'international living room' for soft fruit is an excellent move."

Planning

In week 46, Traycon started leveling the site and constructing the basin. Meanwhile, the foundation of the greenhouse has been poured and Maurice Kassenbouw will have the steel construction upright by the end of this year. From 2021 Cogas Zuid and Meteor Systems will start working on the installation and cultivation support facilities. From mid-March 2021, the first plants will come on the outdoor setups. From May 2021, the greenhouse will be ready for use, after which the site will be fully operational by mid-2021.

Harvest

What will happen with the harvest that the research will produce? "Of course we will sell the fruit, although we generally produce smaller quantities of many different types of strawberries, blackberries, currants and raspberries. In all honesty, we have yet to see what we will do with our future harvests. Ideas are welcome."

Source: Delphy and De Limburger