Students at HAS Green Academy are partnering with Agrolux to investigate how LED light spectra influence flower initiation and yield consistency in everbearing strawberries.
Learning and Innovating Together: New Strawberry Research at HAS Green Academy with Agrolux lighting
Oude Meer, 21 September 2026. A new research project by Gavita International and HAS Green Academy was recently launched. HAS Green Academy is a leading Dutch university of applied sciences and knowledge institution specializing in agriculture, food, horticulture and the living environment. The research focuses on the effects of different light spectra on flower initiation in everbearing strawberry varieties and is being conducted in the greenhouses at HAS Green Academy in Den Bosch, the Netherlands. Under the supervision of Gavita International cultivation specialist Charlotte Pijnenburg and lecturers from HAS Green Academy, students are investigating how lighting strategies affect plant architecture, microclimate and crop development.
In addition to collaborating with scientific research partners, Gavita International actively invests in long-term relationships with educational institutions. Connecting education, research, and practice enables a valuable exchange of knowledge and experience. In this way, Gavita International contributes both to innovation within the horticultural sector and to the development of the next generation of cultivation professionals.
The project addresses an important challenge in strawberry cultivation: achieving continuous flower initiation and consistent yields under LED lighting. The findings from this project, together with insights from scientific research, will help Gavita International further strengthen the advice it provides to strawberry growers.
“For our students, this is a valuable opportunity to experience how a research question emerges directly from industry practice. By collaborating with Agrolux, they gain not only insight into modern lighting technologies, but also a better understanding of the considerations and challenges that growers and suppliers face on a daily basis. It is precisely this connection between education, research, and practice that makes projects like these so valuable,” said Tim Minkhorst and Danielle Smits, supervisors from HAS Green Academy.
From left to right: Danielle, Emmy, Dario, Charlotte, Tim
“The technology behind LED lighting is evolving rapidly, but there is still much to learn about how crops respond to different light spectra. Research projects like this help us expand our understanding of the interaction between light, crop development, and yield. This enables us not only to provide growers with lighting fixtures, but also to support them in making the most effective use of light within their cultivation strategy,” said Charlotte Pijnenburg, Agronomist at Gavita International.
Third-year Bachelor of Applied Sciences students Emmy and Dario are conducting the research. The first results are expected in early 2027.