From research to practice: Inagro advances the next phase of PEATLESS trials
The PEATLESS project is entering a new stage as research moves beyond laboratory screening and into practical validation. At the centre of this transition is Inagro, the Belgian research centre leading the project’s demonstration activities, where promising reduced-peat and peat-free substrate formulations are now being tested under conditions that closely resemble commercial horticultural production.
PEATLESS aims to support the transition towards more sustainable growing media by developing, testing and promoting locally sourced alternatives with reduced peat content for key horticultural systems, including mushroom cultivation, seedling production and ornamental horticulture.
From laboratory screening to practical validation
After the first phase of identifying and developing alternative substrate blends, the project is now focusing on understanding how these materials perform in practice. At Inagro’s research facilities, scientists are validating substrate formulations under controlled but realistic production conditions, helping bridge the gap between laboratory research and commercial application.
This phase represents an important milestone for PEATLESS, providing the evidence needed to assess whether alternative growing media can successfully support the transition towards reduced-peat cultivation while meeting growers’ expectations.
Testing innovative substrate blends
At Inagro’s mushroom research facilities, more than 25 alternative casing mixtures are currently being evaluated alongside conventional casing soil. Researchers are monitoring key cultivation parameters throughout the production cycle, including:
- Mycelial growth
- Pinning conditions
- Irrigation management
- Yield across different flushes
Several of the formulations have already delivered encouraging results compared with traditional casing soil, demonstrating the potential of alternative materials for future mushroom production.
Alongside mushroom cultivation, Inagro is also evaluating alternative substrates for seedling production. Different substrate mixtures have been tested for lettuce, cauliflower and celeriac using both pressed soil blocks and propagation trays.
During the first propagation trials, researchers observed uneven emergence and significant growth delays across the tested substrate formulations. Rather than considering this a setback, these findings provide valuable knowledge that will help optimise the mixtures before the next validation phase. Understanding why certain formulations behave differently is a fundamental part of developing robust, reliable growing media.
Preparing for semi-commercial trials
Following the first validation phase, PEATLESS is now preparing to move its best-performing substrate formulations into semi-commercial trials at Inagro.
These trials will evaluate the selected mixtures under production conditions that closely resemble commercial horticulture, generating practical evidence that is directly relevant for growers.
Throughout this phase, the sensor system developed by project partner CESENS will continuously monitor key substrate parameters, helping researchers better understand the behaviour of each formulation during cultivation.
Towards commercial demonstration
The next objective for PEATLESS is to bring the most promising substrate blends into commercial mushroom and seedling production sites.
Working directly with professional growers will provide valuable insights into how these materials perform under everyday production conditions. Combined with continuous monitoring, these demonstrations will help ensure that future growing media are not only environmentally responsible but also practical, reliable and scalable for the horticultural sector.
Supporting the transition to more sustainable horticulture
The work carried out by Inagro illustrates one of the central ambitions of PEATLESS: transforming scientific research into practical solutions that growers can confidently adopt.
By combining laboratory research, semi-commercial validation, digital monitoring and on-farm demonstrations, the project is building the evidence needed to support the wider uptake of locally sourced growing media with reduced peat content.
As PEATLESS progresses, these trials will continue to generate valuable knowledge for growers, researchers and stakeholders working together towards a more sustainable future for European horticulture.
