Grant: CCI Applied Research and Development Grants

The Institute for Sustainable Horticulture (ISH) at Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU) will partner with Sollum Technologies Inc. and Star Produce Inc. to explore the optimum light recipes using dynamic LED lighting technology to manage pests and diseases and produce high-quality, locally-grown strawberries in greenhouses. Strawberry is the second most consumed fruit in Canada and consumption and imports of berries have constantly increased over the last 20 years. Besides their economic importance, strawberry also possesses multiple pharmaceutical properties, such as antioxidant, cardioprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities. Strawberry production in Canada mainly occurs between June and October but strawberry field acreage has decreased from 15,315 acres in 2000 to 10,125 acres in 2021 in response to the increasingly precarious climate. Imports have increased and there has been a significant move to greenhouse production. Greenhouse production however needs supplemental lighting in the fall and winter months, which escalates operational costs significantly. Sollum Technologies provides programmable, AI-powered smart LED lighting technology that can dynamically recreate and modulate light recipes adapted to the growth cycle of specific crops, regardless of the climate or location of the greenhouse. This new technology which takes into account ambient light, is reported to reduce maintenance and energy costs by 75% and 40%, respectively, compared to high pressure sodium (HPS) lights. This project will be conducted in the research greenhouse at KPU to determine the effects of different light recipes on the growth, yield, fruit quality, shelf life, disease (powdery mildew), two major pests (spider mites, aphids), and beneficial predators in greenhouse-grown strawberry. Sollum Technologies will benefit from access to experts in plant physiology, pathology, entomology, and horticulture at KPU and cooperation of a leading company in berry production, Star Produce to explore optimum lighting solutions for high yielding, high quality strawberries. KPU will benefit from expanding its ability to work with the agri-tech sector, increasing its capacity to manipulate light composition for greenhouse crops, and training staff, students and one Post Doc (PDF) in applied horticultural research.