Last week, the partners of the Leafy Hydroponic Consortium (LHC) gathered for the consortium’s first internal partner event at the Proefstation voor de Groenteteelt (PSKW) in Belgium. The afternoon brought together main partners, supporting partners, and project managers for a combination of networking, knowledge exchange, and technical discussions around the ongoing research activities within the consortium.
The event started with a shared lunch and informal networking session, providing partners with the opportunity to connect and discuss current developments in the rapidly evolving hydroponic leafy greens sector. This was followed by a guided tour through the research facilities at PSKW, where participants received insights into both the Leafy Hydroponic Consortium trials and the broader research activities taking place at the station.
The consortium itself was established to bring practical, commercially relevant research closer to the industry. By combining the expertise of breeders, technology suppliers, substrate manufacturers, lighting specialists, and cultivation experts, the consortium aims to generate independent insights that growers can directly apply in commercial hydroponic operations. Unlike theoretical research, the trials within the consortium are designed to reflect realistic growing conditions and operational challenges faced by commercial growers today.
© Cultivators
During the partner meeting, Cultivators and the project team shared updates on the first trials executed within the consortium, including discussions around crop performance, system optimization, and upcoming research activities planned for the coming months. The session also created room for technical feedback and open discussions between partners, further strengthening the collaborative nature of the project.
The consortium currently brings together a strong group of industry partners. Main partners include Hortiplan, Ellepot, Rijk Zwaan, Enza Zaden, Grodan, and Signify. Supporting partners include Ammerlaan Construction, Svensson, Roam Technology, JB Groep, LetsGrow, Delgeco, and Zayndu.
The afternoon highlighted the value of collaboration within the horticultural sector. Bringing together different areas of expertise allows research to move beyond individual technologies and focus instead on how complete production systems perform in practice. As hydroponic leafy greens production continues to expand globally, this type of collaborative and application-focused research becomes increasingly important for growers looking to improve efficiency, consistency, and long-term profitability.
More updates and research results from the LHC will be shared throughout the year. For those interested in learning more about the latest developments in hydroponic leafy greens production and the research activities within the consortium, on GreenTech, Cultivators will host, among others, the Panel “Growing the Future: Research Advances in Hydroponic Leafy Greens” and discuss the LHC then (9 June, 13:00 to 13:45 at the Crops/VF Stage (Green World)). Additional consortium insights and discussions will also be shared during the Leafy Hydroponics Summit later in June.
For more information:
Cultivators
[email protected]
cultivators.nl