Grant: Applied Research Tools and Instruments Grants

Since 2018, Collège Boréal has supported agriculture and agri-food initiatives, with increasing demand for horticultural supports. As a result, in recent years, Collège Boréal has greatly expanded its initiatives, gaining recognition for its research contributions to the agriculture and agri-food sectors in Northeastern Ontario, developing expertise and applied research services related to controlled environment studies, phenotyping, seed germination trials, nutrient response experiments, pest management and hydroponic studies through it’s Innovation Greenhouse. These successes have served as a crucial launchpad for engaging with both industry and community partners to identify and meet needs in underserved areas of the agriculture and agri-food sectors in the region, a critical sector for economic development in the region. To continue to do so, Collège Boréal must continue to evolve to ensure that it continues to be able to address these needs in our community. Taking a holistic view of our Innovation Greenhouse, several key barriers and challenges of our existing infrastructure have been identified. As a result, the proposed greenhouse control system has been conceived to specifically address key aging equipment that is no longer fit for purpose, as well as identified gaps in our existing infrastructure. The proposed greenhouse control system will not only provide concrete resource, environmental and sustainability benefits, but also allow for more precise calibrations and data collection by allowing researchers to access and control every aspect integral to greenhouse operations easily and, if required, remotely. The system will address such items by adding lighting, moisture level adjustments through irrigation tables, shading curtains to regulate light and temperature, an air curtain for pest and humidity control, vent and heating regulation, as well as soil sensors to ensure consistent soil conditions for optimal and precise plant growth. Each equipment is key to form one homogenous high-quality greenhouse control system. We are committed to enhancing our research capacity and making a meaningful contribution to the agricultural innovation ecosystem within our communities and we believe this new system will allow us to continue our innovative research activities, providing essential support to promote economic growth in the agriculture and agri-food sectors of Northeastern Ontario.