Objectives

Substrates on the basis of peat are frequently used in horticulture, but its use is under high pressure because of the negative effects on the environment. In ornamental plant cultivation (pot plants), the substrate is sold together with the plant, but in the cultivation of cut flowers, strawberries and greenhouse vegetables, the substrates become available as a residual product after cultivation. This operational group aims at the reuse of these substrates in practice with the objective to drastically reduce the use of fresh peat and other non-renewable raw materials in cultivation substrates.

Activities

Activities:

- Making an inventory of the availability of usable residual substrate products from fruit, vegetables and ornamental horticulture;
- Research into the interventions that need to be taken during or after the cultivation in order to guarantee the quality of the substrate and to make reuse of it interesting;
- Evaluation of the usefulness of various substrate residual products in experiments in the cultivation of strawberry and various ornamental plants;
- Monitoring of crop development, rooting and nutrient uptake compared to a traditional reference substrate;
-  Identifying relevant legislation;
- Evaluating the economic picture for reuse and sanitation.