KeyGene's new Crop Innovation Center was recently opened on Wageningen Campus. The new facility houses a research greenhouse, climate cells for vertical farming research, a refrigerated cell for researching the shelf life of fruits and vegetables, and several work and storage areas.
The climate cells are used to research the development of new fruit and vegetable varieties that can be used in vertical farming. The building received an investment of €2 million.
In the greenhouse, which spans more than 1,000 m2, researchers are simulating nineteen different climate conditions in individual rooms. Humidity, temperature, water and light are all controlled automatically. The greenhouse compartments, situated on either side of the central corridor, are equipped with a hygiene lock to protect crops against fungi, bacteria and viruses.
Source: Wageningen University & Research