Veresi Paradicsom Kft.’s 1.2 billion forint innovation project has been completed

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As they wrote, the project, entitled “Application of special light sources for the production of special horticultural and aquaculture products”, which started in November 2021, was supported by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (NKFIH) with 731.5 million forints. The consortium – in which Bay Zoltán Applied Research Public Nonprofit Kft., Carbotech Hungary Kft. and the Hungarian University of Agricultural and Life Sciences (MATE) also participated – was formed with the aim of developing cultivation technologies for microgreens and other vegetable species combined with the cultivation of various fish species, i.e. aquaponics, in a fully or partially closed system with artificial, adjustable spectrum lighting. To achieve this, a water purification system was designed that is capable of purifying the thermal water already used in the greenhouse, and thus becomes suitable for partial irrigation of plants grown in greenhouses (hydroponics), for use as a coolant in the summer climate control of greenhouses, and for the cultivation of various fish species.

The development not only resulted in a new product, but also created jobs and expanded the company’s expertise in closed-system strawberry cultivation – the announcement states. Carbotech Hungary Ltd. is engaged in the development of equipment for the production of aquaponic and hydroponic systems, as well as the development of alternative inorganic additives and the testing of their effects – they wrote. Bay Zoltán Alkalmazott Kutatási Közhasznú Nonprofit Ltd. developed hydroponic systems controlled by a PLC (programmable logic controller) suitable for the testing of microorganisms. Its tasks included conducting laboratory experiments necessary to achieve the project goals, monitoring, optimizing and scaling up fermentation processes and the propagation of microorganisms at pilot and plant levels, in order to achieve the highest possible active ingredient content, as well as to increase productivity and make them more cost-effective.

MTI