The new 300 m² quarantine building offers a fully automated control system to ensure stable conditions in each growing room around the clock, all year round. “This will create ideal conditions for researchers to conduct pot experiments under controlled quarantine conditions,” explains Helena Lasner-Ivarola, Head of Plant Health and Microbiology at METK. "In addition to the scientists, the greenhouse is also ready to serve the agricultural sector and growers, both for national monitoring and self-monitoring," Lasner-Ivarola explained.
METK scientists plan to carry out a number of important projects in the quarantine greenhouse, focusing on plant health, soil microbiome and environmental protection. “The pot experiments will provide preliminary information on the mechanisms of action of the substances and microbes being studied, which will form the basis for large-scale field and production trials,” adds Elina Karron, a researcher in the unit of Agrotechnology Studies at METK.
The quarantine building was built by Norete Grupp OÜ on behalf of Riigi Kinnisvara AS and supervised by AS Infragate. The unique quarantine building, which cost more than €1.5 million, has been funded by the European Union through the Rural Development Programme (RDP)‘s. Investment support for research and development institutions to improve farmers’ performance’ programme.
The new quarantine building is part of the Rural Research and Knowledge Centre's state-of-the-art laboratory facilities, capable of carrying out most of the analyses needed in the agricultural sector.
The Saku laboratory building of the Rural Research and Knowledge is located at Teaduse 4, 75501, Saku, Harjumaa.
