IZC wanted to understand zeolite-based NEREA® substrate with respect to labour, economics and plant growth. They turned to Niagara College to compare the growth of basil with NEREA® as an amendment through a course-based project.
Success Stories
Evaluating a novel indoor compost product as an organic fertilizer to grow diverse crops in a greenhouse
The objective of Phase 1 of this project was to evaluate the potential of the product of VCycene’s intelligent composting device to be classified as a mature compost, as per the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment‘s (CCME) Guidelines for Compost Quality. Niagara College’s Horticultural & Environmental Sciences Innovation Centre (HESIC) team generated, and subsequently evaluated, product from alpha versions of VCycene’s composting device.
Boosting efficiency in plant growth through hydroponic media substitute
Challenge: Business needed to understand the extent to which nutrient levels may be reduced in leachate from NEREA® media blends Solution: Research trials conducted using blends of peat moss, NEREA® and raw zeolite and examined nutrient content in leachate for basil plants Impact: Data from research helps business make important…
Market research lays the foundation for promoting new vermichar and biochar products
To understand how Terra Optima Labs can best position themselves in the market, Niagara College’s Business & Commercialization Innovation Centre completed secondary research to uncover key insights of the horticulture and greenhouse industry.
Diverting liquid bio digestate from waste and turning it into a consumer product
The team members at Bayview are proud to grow plants using innovative and environmentally sustainable methods. They continuously develop business practices and utilize new technologies that help reduce/re-use waste while generating renewable energy. It’s for these reasons that they reached out to Vineland Research and Innovation Centre (Vineland) to discuss their latest innovation challenge.
New Pao Tau is growing research-backed orchids for the masses
While orchids are commonly grown in bark-based substrates, New Pao Tau is taking an innovative approach by using newer substrates with better water holding and release capacity than the typical bark-based substrates. Vineland Research and Innovation was able to take on this research project to help Michael and the New Pao Tau team identify the substrate best suited for the consumer market and find a solution that would result in increased customer satisfaction.
Greenhouse technologies support untapped local food source and crop improvements
Fiddleheads are a nutritious and delicious spring delicacy in Ontario, but they are only available for a few weeks each year. The young leaves of the ostrich fern (Matteuccia struthiopteris L. Todaro), fiddleheads are harvested from wild populations of ostrich ferns which limits availability, market growth, and research opportunities. Norcliff Farms Inc. turned to Controlled Environment Systems Research Facility (CESRF) to investigate.
New vermichar technology top performer when compared against soluble chemical fertilizer
Terra Optima Labs Inc. (Terra Optima) has created a circular system which can divert food wastes from landfills and process it into natural soil amendments, fertilizers, and food, using natural organisms. They turned to the Horticultural & Environmental Sciences Innovation (HESIC) team to help them run reliable growth trials.
A ‘FitBit’ for plants, EarthOne turned to BCIC to fill the gap in marketing
While many people love plants and spend good money on them, we may not all be plant experts. You might find yourself asking yourself, when did I water that plant last? Does it need more light? Should I add more soil? That’s why Sidhanth (Sid) Pereira, Founder & Head of Product at EarthOne, knew the market needed a product like this. While Sid was confident in his product, but knew, to be successful, they were going to need someone to help them with marketing. That’s where the Business & Commercialization Innovation Centre (BCIC) came in to help to give them the direction they needed.
Recycling used stonewool creates revenue for growers and lessens environmental impact
Grodan, a manufacturer of stone wool, also known as mineral wool used in commercial greenhouse production, recognized the need to expand current reuse opportunities for its products, and to make these recycling opportunities more readily available in North America.