Category: Uncategorized

In
the
Dutch
horticulture
and
agriculture
sectors,
scaling
up
is
still
a
common
term
and
also
an
ambition.
It
would
be
a
necessity
in
the
light
of
future-oriented
business.
In
NRC
(a
Dutch
newspaper)
WUR
former
professor
Jan
Douwe
van
der
Ploeg
criticizes
that
idea.

“We
had
a
business
model.
It
was
about
ongoing
scaling-up,
intensification,
specialization
and
market
conquest.
Viewed
properly,
that
model
is
bankrupt
because
Dutch
agriculture
and
animal
husbandry
encounter
ecological,
legal
and
financial
limits.
Nevertheless,
the
agricultural
sector
does
not
want
to
get
rid
of
it
at
all.
Instead,
growers
keep
looking
to
the
government:
guarantee
us
a
revenue
model.
Farmers,
they
were
self-reliant
entrepreneurs,
right?
Or
are
they
employed
by
the
government?”

The
former
professor
is
critical
of
the
cabinet
plans,
which
do
not
specify
‘new
business
models’.
According
to
him,
the
cabinet
is
mainly
committed
to
less
regulation,
relaxing
environmental
standards,
technological
solutions
to
pollution,
no
forced
shrinkage
of
livestock.

In
the
newspaper,
Van
der
Ploeg
argues
for
a
return
to
the
small
growers
of
old,
and
more
diversity
in
agribusiness.
In
other
words,
not
just
bigger
and
bigger
farms.
“It
quickly
sounds
nostalgic,
but
the
fascinating
thing
is
that
the
earning
capacity
of
smaller,
ecological
farmers
can
exceed
that
of
more
industrialized
agriculture.
It
does
require
more
labor,
but
there
are
fewer
investments
and
costs,
and
less
money
goes
to
suppliers,
for
fertilizers,
for
example.
At
first,
yields
are
lower,
but
with
knowledge
and
skill,
incomes
can
become
very
decent.”

Source:

NRC
(€)

^{Photo
index:
ID
54126852
©
Dennis
Van
De
Water
|
Dreamstime.com}

With
its
white,
pink
and
red
shades,
the
cyclamen
may
still
be
known
as
a
window-sill
flower,
but
for
some
time
now,
Glastuinbouw
Nederland
has
been
promoting
the
cyclamen
as
an
outdoor
plant
as
well.
After
all,
this
colorful
plant
deserves
to
be
more
than
a
house
plant,
thinks
Peter
Rodenrijs.
He
was
present
at
Plantarium
|
Groen-Direkt,
surrounded
by
cyclamen
to
promote
it.

“On
behalf
of
44
growers,
I
am
here
to
promote
outdoor
cyclamen.
They
are
beautiful,
little
plants
that
are
suitable
for
both
indoor
and
outdoor
use.
I
have
them
myself
at
the
front
door
of
my
home,
they
certainly
brighten
up
the
place,”
he
says.

Cyclamen
as
an
outdoor
plant
“Actually,
many
people
don’t
know
that
the
cyclamen
can
also
be
used
as
an
outdoor
plant
in
autumn,”
Peter
explains.
“The
Garden
Cyclamen
is
specially
developed
for
outdoor
use
and
is
easy
to
maintain.
They
do
very
nicely
on
a
balcony
or
terrace,
and
as
mentioned
at
the
front
door.
Even
during
a
mild
winter
this
plant
can
survive,
but
when
night
frost
comes
in
the
Garden
Cyclamen
season
is
over.”

Collaboration
and
promotion
All
the
growers
involved
promote
the
cyclamen
as
an
outdoor
plant.
The
cooperation
allows
them,
for
example,
to
participate
in
fairs,
and
to
have
taken
care
the
photography
and
the
website.
Through
the
joint
efforts,
the
growers
hope
to
further
promote
the
versatility
of
the
cyclamen,
and
inspire
consumers
to
use
this
bright
plant
outdoors.

For
more
information:



Garden
Cyclamen
Tel:
+31(0)85
0036
400


[email protected]

www.cyclaam.eu

In
mid-2027,
the
EU
directive
(2000/60/EC)
will
come
into
force,
which
will
affect
the
products
that
are
used
on
greenhouse
roofs,
and
that
my
end
up
in
surface
water.
Years
ago,
Lumiforte
started
transitioning
their
portfolio
to
become
more
sustainable
and
prepared
for
the
stricter
environmental
standards.
Bart
Hergaarden
(Commercial
Manager),
and
Ruben
Lensing
(Sales
Manager
Benelux
&
UK)
share
more
on
these
developments.

Bart
Hergaarden
and
Ruben
Lensing,
Lumiforte

Lower
pH
It
means,
for
example,
the
development
of
a
new
generation
of
horticultural
coatings,
consisting
of
bio-based
and
biodegradable
ingredients.Yet,
cleaning
products
are
also
further
developed.
Bart
gives
the
example
of
ReduClean:
“Because
of
its
high
pH,
it
has
a
somewhat
corrosive
effect.
That
works
well
–
it
eventually
just
dissolves,
and
completely
breaks
down
in
the
water.”

Sustainability-wise,
it
was
time
to
rethink
this
product.
“We
developed
a
variant
of
Reduclean
that
meets
the
ECOCERT
standard,
making
ReduClean
ECO
less
corrosive.
So
it
enters
the
surface
water
or
basin
in
a
gentler
way.
There
are
also
fewer
restrictions
regarding
transport
and
storage,
which
also
contributes
to
sustainability.”

Environmental
standards
As
already
mentioned
in
the
introduction,
the
EU
directive
(2000/60/EC)
will
come
into
force
in
the
Netherlands
in
2027.
“We
obviously
want
to
meet
these
new
environmental
standards
well
in
time,”
Ruben
says.
“In
doing
so,
we
focus
on
unburdening
our
end
users,
the
horticultural
companies,
but
also
the
professional
network
of
contracting
companies,
and
companies
that
are
specialized
in
cleaning
greenhouse
roofs.
As
well
as
the
distributors
with
whom
we
cooperate
closely.
“

By
the
way,
in
Denmark,
the
sector
is
somewhat
ahead
of
the
Netherlands,
says
Bart.
“Since
this
year,
they
have
already
switched
100%
to
our
new
ReduClean
ECO
formula
cleaner
because
of
the
stricter
requirements.
That
has
to
do
with
stricter
municipal
legislation
there.”
Typically,
you
see
this
development
moving
from
north
to
south,
Ruben
adds.
“Usually
those
new
environmental
regulations
start
in
Scandinavia
and
then
that
slowly
sinks
down
into
Europe.”

Controlling
the
greenhouse
When
choosing
a
coating,
it’s
not
all
about
sustainability.
Controlling
the
greenhouse
climate
and
operations
is
also
an
important
consideration
for
growers.
Bart
explains
how
Lumiforte
responds
to
this
demand.
“Applied
ReduSystems
products
can
be
removed
or
cleaned
at
any
time.
There
are
also
coatings
that
wear
off
by
themselves.
However,
in
the
Netherlands,
growers
prefer
to
be
more
control.
They
say:
I
want
that
my
greenhouse
is
clean
in
this
week
to
have
all
the
light
back
in.”

This
is
because
in
the
Netherlands,
you
find
a
lot
of
automation,
sensors,
and
climate
computers.
“There
are
increasingly
accurate
measurements
which
inform
decision-making.”

Especially
vegetable
cultivation
is
strict
in
this
respect,
Ruben
observes.
“In
flower
cultivation,
there
is
a
bit
more
flexibility.
As
soon
as
the
days
start
getting
shorter,
some
vegetable
growers
are
already
inclined
to
take
the
coating
off.
We
keep
15
August
as
the
turning
point,
after
this
date
the
days
get
shorter
rapidly,
and
the
sun’s
position
gets
lower.
This
is
the
moment
when
growers
have
to
think
about
planning
the
removal
of
the
coating.
The
outdoor
climate
also
plays
a
role.
This
year,
we
had
a
wet
spring,
so
it
got
off
to
a
slower
start,
and
now
we
are
still
seeing
warm
days.”

Growers
can
use
the
cleaners
as
a
tool
to
remove
the
coating
whenever
they
want,
and
thus
directly
influence
the
greenhouse
climate.

The
importance
of
cleaning
Bart
and
Ruben
also
elaborate
on
the
importance
of
cleaning:
“Cleaning
is
very
important
because
the
days
are
rapidly
getting
shorter
at
the
moment.
In
the
autumn,
growers
need
all
the
available
sunlight
to
get
the
most
out
of
their
crops.
Not
for
nothing
people
used
to
say
‘1%
light
costs
1%
production’.
This
obviously
applies
to
the
timely
removal
of
screening
agents,
but
certainly
also
to
greenhouses
with,
for
example,
green
deposits
or
other
organic
contamination.”

In
addition:
sunlight
is
free.
The
more
optimally
sunlight
is
used,
the
more
energy
is
saved
on
artificial
light.
“A
clean
greenhouse
roof
is
very
important
when
it
comes
to
the
preparation
of
the
application
of
other
products
such
as
Anti
Reflect
coatings
or
Redusol.
A
clean
greenhouse
roof
contributes
to
getting
even
more
light
into
the
greenhouse.
In
this
way,
a
horticultural
entrepreneur
stays
in
control
of
light
and
heat
all
year
round.”

A
full-fledged
concept
Lumiforte
recommends
combining
the
cleaning
process
with
a
screening
agent
and
a
cleaner
from
the
company.
“It
is
a
full-fledged
concept.
It
allows
growers
to
meet
the
existing
environmental
requirements
when
they
use
ReduSystems
or
Sudlac,”
Ruben
explains.
“That
is
important,
the
more
so
because
water
quality
is
increasingly
scrutinized.”

Bart
agrees,
saying:
“Everyone
knows
that
things
are
becoming
more
strict,
and
eventually
we
have
to
comply
with
the
directive.
That’s
why
we
started
preparing
for
the
new,
ecological
formula
four
years
ago
–
not
only
because
of
the
legislation,
but
also
because
we
want
to
become
more
sustainable.”
As
part
of
that
transition,
the
company
now
doubled
the
number
of
staff
in
their
R&D
department,
which
currently
consists
of
11
members.

New
technology
Lumiforte
is
also
working
on
technological
developments.
Bart:
“In
the
coming
years,
we
will
increasingly
see
drones
flying
over
greenhouses
to
apply
screening
agents
or
to
clean
the
greenhouse
roof.”

In
addition,
Lumiforte
also
wants
to
better
understand
which
factors
outside
the
greenhouse
affect
the
greenhouse
climate.
“We
want
to
include
that
in
the
analyses
of
the
climate
computer.
In
the
coming
years,
we
are
going
to
make
efforts
to
increasingly
include
the
impact
of
the
coating
in
these
models.”

For
more
information:
Bart
Hergaarden



Lumiforte
Tel:
+31
(0)13
507
53
99


[email protected]

www.lumiforte.com

Fernwood
announces
a
new
hire
to
the
garden’s
horticulture
team.
Jonathon
Hensley,
Director
of
Horticulture,
joined
the
staff
on
Tuesday,
August
20,
2024.

Hensley
is
from
Indianapolis,
Indiana,
and
has
an
undergraduate
degree
in
philosophy
from
Wabash
College,
where
he
was
assigned
the
opportunity
to
work
at
the
college’s
arboretum.
This
experience
determined
his
career
path.
Hensley
went
on
to
earn
his
Professional
Gardener’s
Training
Program
Diploma
in
Ornamental
Horticulture
from
Longwood
Gardens/Temple
University.
Following
this,
he
went
on
to
pursue
a
Master
of
Science
in
Horticultural
Science/Floriculture
from
the
University
of
Minnesota.
Among
other
areas,
Jonathan
studied
green
roof
technology
at
the
University
of
Minnesota.

Hensley
is
a
horticulture
professional,
with
twenty-three
years
of
horticulture,
greenhouse,
and
landscape
experience
with
crossover
and
supplemental
trade
skill
capacity.
He
has
thirteen
years
of
project
management
and
staff
supervisory
experience.

“We
are
so
excited
to
welcome
Jonathon
Hensley
to
Fernwood
in
this
important
leadership
role.
He
brings
a
broad
range
of
work
experience
to
the
position,
where
he
will
apply
his
knowledge
and
expertise
to
our
gardens,
natural
areas,
and
facilities.
Jonathon
will
follow
in
the
path
of
other
visionary
leaders
in
this
position
and
bring
great
energy
to
the
Fernwood
team,”
said
Carol
Line,
Fernwood
Executive
Director.

Source:

www.publicgardens.org

According
to
Selecta
one,
they
are
satisfied
with
the
first
season
of
its
new
LUCKY
LIPS®
carnation
series,
which
were
presented
at
the
IPM
in
January.

“Now
that
the
retail
sales
season
is
over,
we
are
pleased
to
report
that
the
concept
has
been
very
well
received
across
the
board.
The
qualities
of
the
Lucky
Lips
were
convincing,
the
sales
prices
in
the
shops
were
consistently
higher
than
those
of
Pink
Kisses
and
retailers
are
reporting
good
sales,’
says
Klaus
Gaumann,
Director
of
Marketing
&
PM
at
Selecta.

The
brand
building
of
Lucky
Lips
has
been
realized
on
social
media
channels.
The
marketing
campaign
centered
on
the
themes
of
happiness,
urban
life,
and
sociability
with
the
varieties
Lara,
Lena,
Lisa,
Lola,
and
Luna
hitting
the
target
group
right
in
the
heart.

“Demand
from
European
retailers
far
exceeded
the
naturally
limited
quantities
in
the
first
year,
meaning
that
not
all
requests
could
be
fulfilled.
Consumers
were
able
to
find
Lucky
Lips
in
many
garden
centers,
DIY
stores,
and
food
retailers
in
Germany,
Benelux,
the
UK,
Ireland,
Scandinavia,
and
Poland.
Availability
has
been
significantly
increased
for
the
next
season,
and
the
first
inquiries
and
orders
from
European
retailers
have
already
been
received.
“

The
concept
will
also
be
continued
and
expanded
for
the
2025
sales
season.
IJzelenberg
in
the
Netherlands
will
continue
to
exclusively
produce
10.5
cm
concept
pots
and,
for
the
first
time,
17
cm
pots.
In
addition,
a
limited
number
of
14
cm
pots
will
be
produced
in
Italy.
For
2026,
Selecta
will
decide
on
a
possible
expansion
on
the
producer
side
and
communicate
accordingly.

For
more
information:

Selecta
One

www.selecta-­one.com

Over
the
past
decade
the
invasive
Spotted
Lanternfly,
Lycorma
Delicatula,
has
made
its
way
into
17
states
and
now
several
sightings
have
been
reported
in
the
counties
around
Houston,
according
to
state
agencies.

According
to
the
U.S.
Department
of
Agriculture
(USDA),
the
Spotted
Lanternfly
is
an
invasive
planthopper
originally
from
Asia
that
feeds
on
grapevines,
hops,
stone
fruits,
hardwood
trees
and
70
other
known
plants.
The
insect
can
spread
quickly
and
excretes
a
sticky,
sugary
fluid
that
can
lead
to
further
damage
to
crops
and
plants.

Recently,
there
have
been
several
unverified
sightings
of
the
insect
but
the
USDA
said
in
a
statement
Friday
that
it
has
not
received
any
official
reports.
Texas
A&M
AgriLife
also
said
in
a
statement
that
there
are
no
verified
sightings
currently
in
Texas.

“Texas
Department
of
Agriculture
and
USDA’s
Animal
and
Plant
Health
Inspection
Service
work
together
to
investigate
reports
of
suspected
invasive
species
in
Texas,”
the
USDA
said
in
a
statement.
“At
this
time,
we
do
not
have
any
verified
reports
of
the
spotted
lanternfly
in
Texas.”

Read
more
at:

www.houstonpublicmedia.org

The
Ministry
of
Environment,
Water,
and
Agriculture
announced
on
Monday
the
launch
of
four
new
investment
opportunities
aimed
at
establishing
integrated
agricultural
cities
in
the
Makkah
region.
These
projects
include
vegetable
and
crop
production,
fruit
tree
cultivation,
and
the
creation
of
a
specialized
laboratory
for
growing
wild
seedlings.

This
move
aligns
with
the
ministry’s
goals,
plans,
and
strategies,
focusing
on
enhancing
food
security,
supporting
sustainable
development,
and
advancing
the
agricultural
sector.
This
aims
to
contribute
to
economic
diversification,
achieve
self-sufficiency
in
agricultural
products,
and
preserve
natural
resources
for
future
generations.

The
ministry
stated
that
the
first
investment
opportunity
involves
establishing
a
promising
agricultural
city
for
vegetable
and
crop
production
in
the
agricultural
city
of
Al-Kamil
in
the
region,
adjacent
to
the
Wadi
Al-Sabaan
Dam,
on
a
site
measuring
approximately
144,507
square
meters.

The
second
investment
opportunity
involves
establishing
a
promising
agricultural
city
for
vegetable
and
crop
production
in
the
agricultural
city
of
Al-Kamil,
near
the
Wadi
Al-Shawan
Dam,
on
a
site
measuring
approximately
287,082
square
meters.

Read
more
here:

spa.gov.sa

The
USDA
National
Institute
of
Food
and
Agriculture
has
awarded
a
$650,000
grant
to
a
UF/IFAS
researcher
to
study
a
plant
that
could
help
mitigate
the
opioid
epidemic,
a
national
health
crisis
responsible
for
more
than
130
deaths
each
day.

Mitragyna
speciosa,
or
kratom,
is
a
tree
belonging
to
the
coffee
family.
The
tree’s
leaves
produce
unique
compounds
called
monoterpene
indole
alkaloids,
which
are
known
for
various
beneficial
pharmaceutical
uses.
Mitragynine,
for
example,
has
shown
promise
for
treating
pain,
opioid
use
disorder,
and
opioid
withdrawal,
and
it
does
so
without
demonstrating
addiction
potential.
Spirooxindole
mitraphylline,
another
kratom
alkaloid,
is
known
for
promoting
anti-tumor
activity.

But
how
kratom
produces
these
alkaloids
is
unknown.
Satya
Swathi
Nadakuduti,
an
assistant
professor
of
plant
biotechnology
and
biochemistry
in
the
UF/IFAS
environmental
horticulture
department,
will
lead
a
team
of
interdisciplinary
researchers
seeking
to
identify
the
genes
involved
and
to
decipher
the
multi-step
process
through
which
the
plant
produces
the
alkaloids.
The
team
will
do
so
by
studying
the
kratom
plant’s
genome,
gene
expression,
and
metabolites.

Satya
Swathi
Nadakuduti
studying
her
plants
(Tyler
Jones,
UF/IFAS)

“Monoterpene
indole
alkaloids
serve
as
an
important
source
for
potential
drug
discovery,”
Nadakuduti
said.
“Understanding
their
biosynthesis
makes
it
possible
to
support
drug
development,
and
they
could
meet
emerging
and
future
markets
as
a
solution
to
the
opioid
crisis.”
Currently,
there
are
no
drug
products
containing
kratom
legally
sold
in
the
United
States,
and
the
Federal
Drug
Administration
warns
against
using
products
made
from
the
plant.

Some
“ostensible”
kratom
cultivars
marketed
in
the
country
have
altered
alkaloids,
and
the
biological
effects
of
their
consumption
depend
on
both
the
plant
and
the
leaf
development
stage
at
harvest,
Nadakuduti
said.
The
pharmaceutical
properties
of
these
plants
are
either
unknown
or
not
well
studied.
“Therefore,
reliance
on
kratom
products
of
unknown
alkaloid
content
and
questionable
quality,
in
addition
to
adulteration
with
other
psychoactive
substances,
has
become
a
concern
in
the
United
States,
confounding
adverse
effects
with
a
potential
for
abuse,”
she
said.

Nadakuduti’s
interdisciplinary
team
of
researchers
includes
Christopher
McCurdy,
a
medicinal
chemist
with
the
UF
College
of
Pharmacy;
Kelly
Balmant,
an
assistant
professor
of
bioinformatics
with
the
UF/IFAS
horticultural
sciences
department;
and
Thu-Thuy
Dang,
an
assistant
professor
of
biochemistry,
molecular
biology
and
chemistry
at
the
University
of
British
Columbia.

Source:

ifas.ufl.edu

Low
temperatures
disrupt
cellular
processes
and
require
metabolic
adaptation.
Cold-induced
lipid
remodeling
helps
maintain
membrane
permeability
and
prevents
phase
separations
that
can
lead
to
cellular
damage.
A
review
was
done
to
summarize
mechanisms
by
which
plants
remodel
their
membrane
lipids
to
adapt
to
low
temperatures
and
cold
stress.

They
focus
on
glycerolipids,
sphingolipids,
and
phytosterols.
Additionally,
they
examine
how
cold
stress
affects
membrane
composition
and
functionality
at
the
subcellular
level,
presenting
current
glycerolipidomic
data
from
Arabidopsis
thaliana,
maize,
and
sorghum.
This
data
highlights
the
consistency
as
well
as
the
variability
of
lipid
responses
across
species.

The
authors
delve
into
the
three
main
ways
of
lipid
alteration.
First
is
acyl
editing
and
headgroup
exchange,
where
plants
modify
their
membrane
lipids
to
maintain
membrane
integrity
and
function.
The
second
way
is
regulating
lipase
activity,
which
plays
a
crucial
role
in
lipid
remodeling
during
cold
stress.
The
third
is
changes
in
phytosterol
abundance,
where
altering
phytosterol
levels
helps
to
stabilize
membranes
under
cold
conditions.

The
review
points
out
recent
advances
and
accomplishments
in
the
field
with
an
informative
overview
of
observed
lipid
changes
and
highlights
gaps
in
current
knowledge
and
areas
needing
further
investigation
to
fully
understand
and
manipulate
plant
cold
tolerance.

Source:

plantae.org

Wageningen
University
&
Research
is
organizing
the
ReThink
Food
Challenge
in
2025.
The
aim
of
this
competition
is
to
develop
an
innovative
business
concept
to
grow
food
on
Earth
based
on
lessons
learned
from
growing
food
in
space.
The
WUR
Student
Challenges
team
focuses
on
organizing
competitions
for
students
in
the
field
of
life
sciences.
Marta
Eggers
of
WUR
Student
Challenges:
“Seven
years
ago,
we
started
organizing
Challenges
for
life
sciences
students.
Our
team
has
now
organized
more
than
20
different
Challenges.
The
Challenges
are
very
international
and
reach
many
students
all
over
the
world.”

ReThink
Food
Challenge

The
Challenges
deal
with
different
topics
such
as
the
protein
transition,
urban
food
production,
bio-based
economy,
and
food
system
innovation.
The
organization
found
space
farming
a
great
angle
for
the
ReThink
Food
Challenge.
It
also
has
many
applications
on
Earth.
When
going
to
space,
one
has
to
think
carefully
about
resources
and
about
circularity.
In
doing
so,
it
is
important
to
adequately
handle
waste.
Marta:
“We
also
want
to
do
this
on
Earth.
We
want
to
produce
more
sustainably.
This
challenge
encourages
people
to
think
out
of
the
box.”

Learning
journey
The
Challenge
lasts
four
months,
and
is
all
about
developing
innovative
ideas
into
elaborate
business
concepts.
With
this
Challenge,
the
WUR
aims
to
connect
people
that
are
interested
in
this
topic.
Marta:
“We
want
to
create
awareness
and
enthusiasm.
It
is
not
only
about
the
end
result,
but
also
about
the
road
towards
it.”
The
Challenge
is
meant
to
be
a
‘learning
journey’
where
students
can
gain
new
skills
such
as
entrepreneurial
mindset,
interdisciplinary
teamwork,
project
management,
networking,
leadership
and
problem-solving.

Students
networking
during
the
ReThink
Wast
Challenge

Students
can
work
on
any
idea
that
fits
within
the
theme
of
the
Challenge.
By
the
end
of
the
Challenge,
the
idea
should
be
applicable
in
a
business
setting.
At
the
end
of
the
process,
12
finalists
will
compete
for
the
grand
prize
of
7,000
euros.
Often
the
teams
use
the
money
to
continue
their
idea
after
the
challenge.
There
have
also
been
teams
that
have
used
the
money
for
personal
purposes.
To
students
who
are
still
unsure
whether
to
join,
Marta
has
this
advice:
“Don’t
hesitate,
just
do
it.
If
you
don’t
try,
you
won’t
find
out
if
you
can
succeed.
It’s
not
only
about
the
end
result,
but
also
about
the
road
towards
it.”

The
winners
of
the
previous
challenge

Indoor
farming
track-inspiration
This
Challenge
has
two
different
tracks:
indoor
farming
and
alternative
proteins.
The
indoor
farming
track
allows
students
to
work
on
the
innovation
of
cultivation
techniques.
For
instance,
innovation
in
growing
techniques
(new
cultivation
methods,
innovations
related
to
vertical
farming,
hydroponics
and
aeroculture),
the
sustainable
use
of
resources
(technologies
and
methods
for
the
efficient
use
of
water
and
fertilizers),
crop
resistance
and
robustness
(plants
with
higher
yields
and
resilience
to
climate
change),
innovation
in
autonomous
cropping
systems
or
biodiversity,
and
genetic
improvement
(new
crop
varieties
better
adapted
to
different
environmental
conditions
on
earth).

Marta:
“We
hope
to
inspire
the
sector
with
this
challenge.
For
example,
with
the
answer
to
the
question:
how
to
grow
insects
and
plants
in
one
closed
system?
It
often
happens
that
new
techniques
are
discovered
in
space,
and
that
are
later
applied
on
Earth
(think
of
solar
panels).
During
the
Challenge,
many
students
and
professionals
come
together
and
discuss
new
ideas,
challenges
and
opportunities.
The
students
are
future
professionals.
It
is
a
good
opportunity
to
meet
and
educate
the
changemakers
of
the
future.”

The
Jury
during
one
of
the
previous
editions.

Collaboration
with
business
partners
The
Challenge
consists
of
three
rounds.
In
the
first
round,
students
have
to
come
up
with
a
good
idea
in
cooperation
with
the
participating
companies.
In
the
second
round,
the
idea
is
developed
and
validated
in
collaboration
with
the
partners.
In
the
third
round,
students
learn
to
sell
their
idea.
Among
others,
Bayer,
GEA
and
GreenTech
are
partners
of
this
Challenge.

The
Challenge
starts
on
17
January
with
a
kick-off
event.
During
this
event,
ESA
(European
Space
Agency)
engineer
Christel
Paille
will
present
the
MELiSSA
program.
The
aim
of
this
program
is
to
recycle
products
such
as
carbon
dioxide,
urine,
and
other
organic
substances
into
vital
resources
such
as
oxygen,
water,
and
food.
In
the
first
round,
students
have
a
month
and
a
half
to
work
on
the
report.
May
27
is
the
selection
moment.

Companies
interested
in
participating
in
the
Challenge
can
still
contact
Rio
Pals
([email protected]).
It
is
a
good
opportunity
to
recruit
new
talent.
Meanwhile,
more
than
30
universities
worldwide
that
offer
top
courses
for
future
controlled
environment
agriculture
specialists
have
expressed
interest
in
this
Challenge.
Companies
can
also
learn
from
the
Challenge.

A
WUR
mascot
during
one
of
the
previous
challenges.

Interested
parties
can
view
the
slides
of
the
ReThink
Food
Challenge

here.

For
more
information:
Marta
Eggers



WUR
Student
Challenges


[email protected]

www.wur.nl//student-challenge