Bart Vandecasteele;
Main research questionHow can we successfully reuse substrates derived from strawberry (mainly peat), vegetables (perlite), but also from ornamental crops (coir and peat substrates)? And how can we increase the adption in practice of these possible recycling loops? These are the main questions of the RE-PEAT project.
RE-PEAT – Reuse of growing media for a circular horticulture
Growing substrates with renewable resources match performance of classic, less sustainable relatives.
Tom Van Delm;Bart Vandecasteele;Greet Riebbels;
No more yield differences in tomato and strawberry when you remove environmentally damaging mineral wool and a large part of the peat in the cultivation substrate and replace it with renewable or less-energy-consuming products such as wood fiber, chitin, biochar and green compost, respectively.
Jane Debode;Hilde Muylle;Bart Vandecasteele;
Researchers now better understand the importance of soil and substrate biology for crop cultivation, including the role of beneficial micro-organisms. Peat does not seem be a good medium for harboring micro-organisms.
Inoculation of local lignocellulosic materials for the production of sustainable growing media
Growing Media 2021 Symposium
The conference will focus on sharing expertise on growing media, soilless cultivation and compost utilization in horticulture, with sessions on: Growing media and sustainable use of resourcesThe microbiome of growing media and integrated disease and pest controlSoilless cultivation: added value of innovations for water and nutrient use efficiencyBiochar
We warmly invite you to GrowingMedia2021, the 2nd International Symposium on Growing Media, Soilless Cultivation, and Compost Utilization in Horticulture (ISHS) to be held close to the historic University city of Ghent, Belgium, from 22 until 27 August 2021.
Healthier plants and healthier substrates from residual flows! Horti-BlueC
Bart Vandecasteele;
The Interreg 2 Seas project Horti-BlueC puts the puzzle of different usable organic waste streams into the puzzle of creating better and more sustainable growing substrates in greenhouses.
Lisa Joos;Nico Peiren;Caroline De Tender;Jarinda Viaene;Tom Eeckhaut;Sam De Campeneere;Jane Debode;Fien Amery;Bart Vandecasteele;
Main research questionBASTA envisages producing biochar from residual biomass resulting in an economically valuable and sustainable end product for applications in (1) manure and biomass processing; (2) growing media; and (3) open fields.
BASTA: Biochar’s Added value in Sustainable land use with Targeted Applications in processes, growing media & (future proof) open-field cultivation
Horti-BlueC: towards more sustainable and circular cultivation substrates for horticulture
Jane Debode;Nele Jacobs;Bart Vandecasteele;
Tuinbouw & sierteelt;Biologische landbouw;
Main research questionLocal cultivation and consumption of legumes? Not yet. There is still a gap between what is desirable for health and the planet, and what is actually happening. The recovery project Peulchain, which subscribes to the Flemish protein strategy, aims for more legumes on our Flemish fields and on our plates.
Levers and bottlenecks for growing, processing and consuming pulses (legumes) in Flanders
Colruyt Group and partners pioneer organic soy growing in Belgium
ILVO and partners have started an innovative production concept for locally-grown organic soy.
Akkerbouw;Biologische landbouw;