Niagara College\u2019s applied research breadth and depth in agricultural technology innovation has grown one research project into the potential for a long-standing global partnership, thanks to early results from the Agriculture & Environmental Technologies Innovation Centre (AETIC).<\/p>\n
International Zeolite Corporation (IZC), an international marketer and supplier of natural zeolite and zeolite-infused products, has been working with AETIC over the past year on growth trials related to an innovative substrate to efficiently supply nutrients for plant growth.<\/p>\n
Through a recently formed economic association with the University of Havana, Cuba, IZC has acquired permission to test a zeolite-based substrate, embedded with nutrients, developed at the University of Havana called NEREA\u00ae, with the goal of assessing potential market adoption by and corresponding benefit to the greenhouse sector of agriculture in Canada and the United States.<\/p>\n
Early research in some crops has shown environmental impact benefits by using fewer nutrient inputs during growth cycles, with a product that can be reused during that cycle, resulting in fast germination with good-sized crops. IZC came to Niagara College to conduct further growth trials to determine the efficacy of the product on certain crops, including\u00a0Lactuca sativa<\/em>, otherwise known as \u2018Buttercrunch\u2019 lettuce. The AETIC research team included research lead and faculty member Derek Schulz; researcher Christine George; technologist Branka Milunovic; and student research assistants.<\/p>\n \u201cThe level of collaboration between the research team and our company was outstanding,\u201d notes Mark Pearlman, IZC president and COO. \u201cIt felt like we were all working towards identifying breakthrough opportunities to improve agriculture.\u201d<\/p>\n So, what is NEREA\u00ae and how did it perform for the NC team? The NEREA\u00ae technology is based on charging zeolite, which can be periodically recharged with nutrients to promote and sustain plant growth for an entire growing season. It differs from conventional greenhouse hydroponic systems in that the plants access the nutrients as they are required and receive only water, rather than constantly supplying nutrients to the plants in solution. Conventional media for growing crops hydroponically in a greenhouse are rockwool, coir, or peat-based, all of which are single use, and the environmental impact of single use media is significant.<\/p>\n On the other hand, zeolite-based NEREA\u00ae has the potential to be reused and to enhance plant growth, due to a consistent nutrient supply, as a result of what is known as cation exchange capacity (CEC)-based pre-charge.<\/p>\n\n
\u201cThe level of collaboration between the research team and our company was outstanding. It felt like we were all working towards identifying breakthrough opportunities to improve agriculture.\u201d<\/em>
\n~ Mark Pearlman, IZC president and COO<\/h4>\n<\/blockquote>\n