Can you say Canberries?
Local universities team up to revolutionize berry cultivation
In an ambitious effort to meet the increasing demand for raspberries year-round, researchers from Bishop’s University (BU) and Université de Sherbrooke (Udes) are pioneering a sustainable agricultural technique that could revolutionize berry cultivation in Canada. The project, titled “Canberries,” involves extending the natural growing season of raspberries to ensure availability irrespective of traditional seasonal limitations and climate conditions.
Leading this innovative endeavor are Dr. Mirella Aoun of the Department of Environment, Agriculture and Geography at BU, and Dr. Sébastien Poncet from the Faculté de Génie at Udes.
The project has received substantial backing, with a $1 million grant awarded through the Shepherd Phase of the Homegrown Innovation Challenge, funded by the Weston Family Foundation, according to an April 19 press release. Success in this initial phase could open the door to an additional $5 million in funding during the upcoming Scale Phase, aimed at expanding the project’s scope and impact.
Aoun’s approach focuses on the preconditioning of berry plants, leveraging various plant types and varieties to stagger production. The objective is to manipulate the biological triggers of the plants, coaxing them into producing fruit outside their typical growing window.
Meanwhile, Poncet is set to enhance these efforts by incorporating advanced agrivoltaic and air technologies into a specially designed solar passive greenhouse system. This system will manage essential factors like air, light, heat, and water treatment, compensating for Canada’s challenging growing conditions due to low light levels and cold temperatures.
The collaboration extends beyond these two researchers. Dr. Leyla Amiri, Assistant Professor in the Udes Mechanical Engineering Department, and Mr. Jean-françois Lerat, a Research and Development expert, are also integral to integrating innovative technology into the project.
This project not only aims to bolster Canada’s food security by reducing reliance on imported raspberries but also sets a precedent for sustainable agricultural practices in urban and remote settings across the country. If successful, the Canberries initiative could pave the way for similar advancements in the cultivation of other fruits and vegetables, transforming the landscape of Canadian agriculture.
The Canberries project is one of eleven teams funded by the Weston Family Foundation as part of the broader Homegrown Innovation Challenge. This six-year, $33 million initiative is dedicated to developing innovative solutions that enable Canadian farmers and producers to sustainably and competitively grow berries— and potentially other crops—out of season.
More from Dr. Aoun
“It’s a small fruit that’s indigenous to Canada,” said Aoun, explaining why raspberries were chosen for their research. She added Canada imports a lot of raspberries out of season. Much similar work has been done with strawberries, but not raspberries.
Raspberry plants are “more bushy” and take up more space than raspberries, she continued. Raspberries take longer to produce and are cultivated more like fruit trees. BU has already produced some raspberries this year inside their innovative new greenhouse.
BU’S greenhouse addresses various issues with producing raspberries out of season, like “growth media” and “energy consumption.” It uses renewable energy, natural light, and geothermal temperature controls. It also uses agrivoltaic technology, the dual use of “land” for solar energy production and agriculture.
Agrivoltaic curtains in the greenhouse, which are periodically pulled closed to give the plants shade, take solar energy and transform it into electricity. One metre below the greenhouse is a rock bed that is used to geothermally control the air temperature inside. Air passes through the rock bed, warming the air in the winter and cooling it in the summer.
“I don’t want to compete with in-season,” Aoun explained, noting the aim is specifically to grow berries out-of-season. Raspberries are normally harvested during the summer. She is aiming to cover those other nine months of the year to produce local, fresh raspberries. Their current crop grown in the greenhouse, planted in the end of January, will be harvested in May. They hope to harvest another crop, planted in the summer, between October and December.
Once harvested, the current crop will not be sold but have its quality compared to what is imported to Quebec. Researchers will also get an idea of how much the greenhouse yields. The purpose of the research is “not selling,” she insisted, but innovation and “proof of concept.”
Along with her research and industry partners, students from BU and Udes put in hours at the greenhouse for training purposes and as a part of their course-work. “They can contribute, they work as research assistants… they analyze and take data” she said, and benefit from being on the cutting edge of Canadian agricultural innovation.