Toronto based CO2 GRO shared positive value results from two pepper grow trials using its dissolving CO2 Foliar Spray technology. The first pepper trial was performed at a commercial Michigan aeroponics facility using dissolved CO2 Foliar Spray technology versus no CO2 gassing on a limited number of pepper plants. The second trial at St. Cloud State University was overseen by Dr. Matt Julius. He used dissolved CO2 foliar spray versus both a pepper plant control group that received CO2 gassing at 800 PPM (typical greenhouse level) and a no CO2 gassing pepper plant control group.
Michigan aeroponics facility commercial pepper trial
This commercial pepper trial was conducted by David Marshall of Morningstar Grower Services. David also oversaw GROW’s first commercial flower trials previously announced on October 24, 2018.
This trial replicated the St. Cloud State pepper trial design other than dissolved CO2 foliar spray was manual. Additionally, leaf foliar spraying frequency was every 30 minutes to match the aeroponics company’s water and dissolved nutrient application frequency on exposed pepper plant roots.
Results were consistent with St. Cloud State University’s scientific pepper data with increased pepper yields and accelerated fruit ripening.
St. Cloud State University scientific pepper trials
These pepper trials were automated and started from seeds. Controlled growth chambers used foliar spray at twenty-minute intervals with CO2 infused water dissolved at 1000 PPM. CO2 foliar sprayed plants showed a 10% fruit yield increase over CO2 gassed plants and 30% fruit yield increase over plants that were not gassed. Additionally, 10% to 20% faster fruit ripening was shown versus the two control plant groups.
Also, the CO2 foliar spray which displayed distinctly superior results, used 50% less CO2 gas versus CO2 gassing at 800 PPM.
John Archibald, CEO of GROW stated "Until legal cannabis, the top two greenhouse crops in Canada were tomatoes at 38% and peppers at 33% of a 2015 estimated $1.3B vegetable greenhouse market. (Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada). Our pepper results show the value superiority of our dissolved CO2 Foliar Spray technology over CO2 gassing and dramatic value superiority over no CO2 gassing of plants. We can add plant yield and speed to maturity value to any greenhouse or indoor grow facility that does not use CO2 gas, that does use CO2 gas or to the 95% of the world’s plant food grown outdoors, where it has been impossible to add CO2. until now.”