Continual strawberry yields defy winter dormancy in ground-breaking trial by Grodan and Fluence at Wageningen University & Research

Grodan and Fluence announce the mid-term results of their ground-breaking trial at Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands. The trial started in August 2023 and aimed at transforming year-round, high-tech hydroponic ever bearing strawberry cultivation during winter. The innovative use of stone wool growing media and cutting-edge LED technology not only created exceptional plant development, yield, and quality in strawberries, but also kept the plants out of dormancy.

This partnership achieved an outstanding yield, producing more than 11 kg/m1 fresh produce (6 plants per linear meter) and 10.2 kg/m2 (5.2 plants/m2) from planting 22nd August 2023 to 28th of February 2024. These mid-term results highlight the added value for transitioning the way high-tech greenhouse strawberries are cultivated, maximizing the benefits of Controlled Environment Agriculture.

Moreover, it is a superb achievement that the strawberry plants maintained their active growth and stayed out of dormancy during the dark Dutch winter season. This significant milestone brings us one step closer to establishing a year-round high-tech strawberry cultivation method.