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Cooperation with business entities
As part of cooperation with economic entities, the Institute of Horticulture – National Research Institute conducts a number of annual tests in line with the needs of the clients.
These include, among others, pre-registration tests of the effectiveness of plant protection products and the evaluation of new products or their functional forms (fungicides, zoocides, nematicides, bioregulators, herbicides, adjuvants, plant growth and development regulators) that may be approved for use in the production of fruits, vegetables and ornamental plants. Consortia of beneficial microorganisms that stimulate plant growth and yield are also being developed.
Moreover, as part of the research and development profile, the Institute carries out a number of expert opinions and commissioned works (approximately 2 per year).
Currently, IO-PIB is conducting pioneering research on the use of spectrometric techniques in visible and near infrared light (VIS/NIR) for non-destructive assessment of fruit ripeness and quality. The Institute is the only research center in Poland conducting research on the use of dynamically controlled atmosphere (DCA) in fruit and vegetable storage with ongoing monitoring of their ripeness state by measuring chlorophyll fluorescence (HarvestWatch).
Controlled atmosphere storage technologies are also being investigated, including those with extremely low oxygen concentrations.
Innovative food products, including cloudy juices and smoothies with high health benefits and fat-free snacks made from dried fruit and vegetables, which are an attractive alternative to potato chips, are also very popular with industry and consumers.
Thanks to the development of innovative combine harvesters for harvesting soft fruits and cultivation technologies adapted to mechanical harvesting, Poland is the world's second largest producer of blackcurrants.
The fertilizer industry is very interested in technologies for microbiological enrichment of multifunctional granular fertilizer formulations with an organic fraction, which enable rational fertilization and prevent soil degradation.
