Lethbridge College is receiving over $350,000 for its greenhouse lighting research project, one of 39 research projects across the country selected to receive funding through the Agriculture Funding Consortium (AFC).
The funding is the first major project in the college’s research greenhouse, the Centre for Sustainable Food Production.
Director of Applied Research Operations with the Centre for Applied Research, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Lethbridge College, Megan Shapka, is pleased to see the project recognized with the grant funding, which will go towards a three-year industry-driven study that starts in the fall.
“We designed this facility to test technologies and growing techniques, and we focus on pre-commercial validation for commercial applications because producers rely on evidence-based research to de-risk their business decisions,” Shapka says.
“Adopting new lighting technology can be expensive, and producers want to ensure strong return on investment (ROI) for any product they install.”
The funding will help make excellent growing conditions, the southern Alberta natural sunlight is helpful, but help is needed during the winter months when lower amounts of sunlight post challenges.
The project will investigate how conventional High-Intensity Discharge (HID) lights, horticultural LEDs, and common lights perform. Researchers will hopefully be able to identify the best practices for supplemental lighting to grow three of the most popular greenhouse-grown crops in Canada— cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers.