The starting signal for the IPM trade fair was given on Tuesday, January 24, in Essen, Germany, for the first time in three years. Anyone who attended the four-day fair cannot help but conclude that sustainability is high on the agenda for the more than 1.300 companies from the flower and plant sector present.
In view of the 2030 and 2040 objectives, sustainable production is playing an increasingly important role in horticulture. Not only in the Netherlands is the emphasis on responsible use of water, fertilizers, substrates and crop protection, but this is also the talk of the town in other European countries.
This can be seen at the IPM in Essen. “Whether it's reducing the footprint or recycling materials, everyone is trying to respond to something,” says Mikel Olierrook of Kratiste, which produces climbing sticks from potato peels and miscanthus.
Surrounded by solutions
In the Horticultural Technology Innovation Center and at the Young Innovative Companies stand, visitors are surrounded by solutions for current challenges. For example, a new CO2 storage method made from vegetable charcoal and biomass was presented, which stores water and releases nutrients. In the field of pots, particular attention was paid to recycled plastic and compostable materials.
For example, Neervenplant from Helenaveen in North Brabant presented a Cyperus-XS in a pot made of recycled material, with a label made of recycled material and a bamboo plug made of natural materials. In addition to sustainability, a lot of attention was paid at the IPM Essen to plants and flowers that can withstand drought, heat and/or heavy rainfall.
Pot plant 'Blazing Saddles' from floriculture company Gootjes Netherl. AllPlant from Heerhugowaard in North Holland even won the IPM Novelty Award for its climate resistance. 'This plant meets all the requirements for a climate-resistant plant. The plant is not only heat-resistant, but also tolerates intense sunlight and hardly needs water," said the jury.
Source: Nieuweoogst.nl
