Industry Engagement

We are here to work with your industry in addressing the challenges of protected crop production and the pathway to markets for food and floral logistics.

Engagement With Horticultural Industry

The major purpose of the Centre is to work in direct partnership with industry, local farmers, and research partners with a glasshouse system that is among the best and most advanced anywhere in the world. Our industry partners turn to us to address complex questions in protected cropping, requiring a level of control and precision that is not readily achieved anywhere else.

Importantly, our Centre designs tailored programs that draw on broader University and industry expertise to provide sound answers, factoring in the business problems faced by modern horticultural enterprises in the rapidly-shifting context of the urban food production system.

Richmond makes an ideal location to connect the Sydney region with Australian growers and domestic and export points in the Sydney markets, through Sydney Airport and the new Western Sydney Airport. Richmond is highly accessible via local motorway routes and rail lines, with good local accommodation available for hosting your next industry meeting or event.

Knowledge Transfer

Many local farmers and industry partners are realising the benefits available in engaging with the Centre and drawing on the expertise available in research and development from the initial idea or business problem through eventually to potential commercialisation.

The Centre builds research programs that analyse the suitability of seed varieties, the  effectiveness of growing media and nutrient combinations, opportunities in harnessing energy from sunlight for both plant growth and operations of glasshouse facilities to reduce costs and much more.

PCA conference 2022

The important and successful Research & Development taking place in the NVPCC has seen 7 WSU School of Science students (2 from the Emerging Leaders Program) present their work at the Protected Cropping Australia Conference 2022, held March 28th -31st in Coffs Harbour. Terry Lin was fortunate to win second place in the student R&D section for his presentation - ‘Photo-selective cover (smart glass) improves cooling energy and fertigation efficiency for glasshouse eggplant production’ (funding: CSIRO, CRC Future Food Systems, HIA, WSU). Big Congratulations Terry!

Presentations by our Protected Cropping students & researchers included –

• Growth analysis and challenges of cultivating sweet and bitter melons in high-technology greenhouse environments (funding: Hort Innovation, Western Sydney University) - Tom Gleeson (BSAFS student).
• Effect of a Photo-selective Cover (Smart Glass) on the Morphology and Physiology of Three Cultivars of Lettuce (funding: Hort Innovation, Western Sydney University) - Ziad Hamoui (MRes student).
• Nectar and Pollen Changes in Greenhouse Capsicums and Subsequent Attraction to Pollinators (funding: Hort Innovation, Western Sydney University) - Mandeesh Dhaliwal (MSc student)
• The Challenges and opportunities of continued supply of substrates in Protected Cropping in Australia (funding: Hort Innovation, Costa Group, Western Sydney University) - Elliott Olumuyiwa (MSc student).
• Photo-selective cover (smart glass) improves cooling energy and fertigation efficiency for glasshouse eggplant production (funding: CSIRO, CRC Future Food Systems, Hort Innovation, Western Sydney University) - Terry Lin (PhD student).
• Utilising waste biomass from protected cropping for medical and health supplement industries (funding: Western Sydney University, Hort Innovation) - Mursleen Yasin (PhD student).
• Radar as a sensing method for detecting plant physiology (funding: CRC Future Food Systems, Hort Innovation, UNSW) - Mark Cardamis (PhD student).
• Dr Michelle Mak - Opportunities - Training, Education and what's available in Australia to equip our sector for the future (funding: Hort Innovation, Western Sydney University).
• Dr Yi-Chen Lan, Dr David Tissue, Dr Zhonghua Chen Energy minimisation in a protected cropping facility using multi temperature acquisition points and control of ventilation settings (funding: Hort Innovation, CRC Future Food Systems, Western Sydney University).

Contribute To Our Better Protected Cropping Industry

We invite and welcome all interest from industry delegates and encourage you to contact us.

A better and more highly-skilled horticultural workforce opens up new opportunities for innovation and job growth. Protected cropping is rapidly becoming one of the visionary solutions for food production in peri-urban areas, with numerous benefits as a result.

By investing in the development of our horticultural and food industry, you are contributing to our more sustainable and liveable Sydney with benefits that will deliver jobs, food security, growth and innovation across Australia and worldwide.

Key Contact: Distinguished Prof David Tissue - Science Research Director