MONTRÉAL, QUÉBEC, CANADA - It was only last week that we reported on Sollum’s strategic collaboration with Powerplus Group, and now more exciting updates are coming in from the solutions ace. Investissement Québec, as an agent of the Québec government, has granted Sollum Technologies $350,000 in funding for a technological showcase involving a novel strawberry research trial in partnership with SAVOURA.
"In showcasing this research, we'll provide an invaluable example to other industry players about the edge provided to growers through dynamic lighting when it comes to improving quality and yield and maximizing profits," says Vice President Kassim Tremblay, Business Development for Sollum Technologies. "Growing strawberries under supplemental lighting is no small task, and Sollum hopes to provide a model for strawberry cultivation using dynamic lights just as we have done for winter pepper production."
As explained in a press release, the goal of the project is to use Sollum Technologies' unique dynamic LED grow light solution to refine lighting strategies to increase the productivity and quality of greenhouse strawberries.
Investissement Québec administers MEIE’s Innovation program to encourage the collaboration between companies and research bodies to develop cutting-edge technological and economic initiatives, and Sollum® has previously been supported by the program to conduct research for a wide variety of fruits and herbs in order to expedite the commercial launch of its lighting solution.
Now, the company is harnessing dynamic lighting to bring advancements to the greenhouse strawberry space.
"We at SAVOURA are thrilled to take part in this technology showcase," notes Richard Dorval, Agr., President and Chief Operating Officer at SAVOURA Group. "This research project is exciting for us. It will allow us to test Sollum's LED fixtures' dynamic adaptation to different growth stages. We believe that this will be one of the key benefits to increasing SAVOURA strawberry production in Québec."
This is an extension of an already advantageous collaboration, as Sustainable Development Technology Canada granted Sollum $2.5 million in phase two funding to conduct greenhouse tomato research in collaboration with SAVOURA Group, PRISM Farms, and the Harrow Research and Development Centre earlier this year.
To read more about this funding and research, click here.
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