The Toronto-based firm deployed its solutions at the undisclosed customer’s greenhouse back in December 2021 and trials are set to continue until the end of 2022.
Further to the production increase, CO2 GRO’s CO2 Delivery Solutions™ also treated rows of rose plants and helped reduce powdery mildew spread by 75%, compared to the control group.
Aaron Archibald, Vice-President of Sales and Strategic Initiatives at CO2 GRO, said, “The trial has proved that our value proposition goes beyond simply increasing plant yields. Our CO2 Delivery Solutions technology helped increase the percentage of high-grade, high-value roses also.”
“Our technology could benefit protected grower of other types of flowers, fruits, vegetables and other plants such as medicinal, to realise greater value for a higher percentage of high-quality plants grown – enabling higher gross margins.”
“We expect results from the second phase of this rose trial to improve with refined protocols. We also look forward to replicating these initial results at our second Colombian rose trial and a first Ecuador rose trial that we expect to commence soon.”
The Canadian firm hit the market with its CO2 Delivery Solutions™ in 2019, following in-depth scientific research which began in mid-2017.
Speaking to gasworld exclusively earlier this year, CO2 GRO explained how the technology works. “First, we completely dissolve CO2 gas into water, creating a solution that is saturated with CO2. The CO2 solution is then misted for a few seconds, two to three times an hour, onto the plant’s canopy,” Dil Vashi, Manager of Corporate Development at CO2GRO, said.
“The mist creates a thin microfilm on the plant surface, including the leaves. The CO2 molecules in the film diffuse into the leaf through the entire top of the leaf surface, bypassing the cuticle. The residual moisture then dries off in a few minutes.”
“More CO2 is delivered into the leaf, resulting in enhanced photosynthesis, plant growth and more production, while utilising 90% less CO2 gas compared to traditional atmospheric enrichment methods.”