The Voltz Vertical Farming range from Voltz Maraîchage has been extended to include 7 varieties of lettuce to complement the range of herbs, leafy vegetables, micro-pods and cosmetic flowers. These lettuce varieties have been selected in partnership with Gautier Semences because they are particularly well suited to vertical production thanks to their resistance, rapid growth cycles and high yield potential.
Voltz Vertical Farming and Gautier Semences have been working together for many years, so this partnership was "an obvious choice", according to Jean-Marie Rozec. "We did not have a breeding program for this species, so we looked for a partner capable of selecting cultivars that would be useful for vertical farming."
Lettuce, "an ideal species for automated cultivation"
Voltz Vertical Farming decided to add lettuce to its range because it is a "flagship species for vertical farming production worldwide," explains Jean-Marie Rozec, international product manager lettuces. "Fast-growing and compact, lettuces require little or no work during the growing cycle, making them ideal for automated cultivation. Lettuce is a good complement to our current range, which covers most other species with the same advantages." The new lettuce range comprises 4 green varieties and 3 red varieties, aimed at all professional vertical farming growers (growing exclusively under artificial light) producing mainly lettuce heads:
- Javelo: a light green Lollo lettuce with good volume and an open head. The blond curly leaves are well balanced. The variety is also resistant to tipburn and performs well in a variety of growing systems.
- Belanice: Belanice forms a well-structured plant with good core filling capacity. This blond oakleaf lettuce has a compact head with good tipburn resistance and a very attractive presentation.
- Florigo: A batavia type with incised and curled green leaves, Florigo gives a compact, strong plant with good tipburn resistance, making it suitable for high-density planting. The leaves are uniform in number and size.
- Verigo: a lettuce with full green leaves, strong, crisp and with curly edges. Renowned for its resistance to bolting and tipburn, good yield and good post-harvest shelf life, this variety is also ideal for sandwiches.
- Anselo: a triple red Lollo type with intense core colouring and medium-sized apples. Good resistance to bolting.
- Redigo 2: The red multi-leaf batavia in our range. This variety has incised leaves and a deep, even red colour all over the leaf. It is particularly suitable for the food sector.
- Rubygo 2: Another multi-leaf lettuce with curly-edged whole leaves in red and green. Its attractive presentation makes it ideal for sandwiches. With good post-harvest storage capacity, Rubigo 2 goes well with the Verigo.
From left to right: Javelo, Belanice, Florigo, Verigo, Anselo, Redigo 2 and Rubygo 2
Vertical farming: a fast-growing market
Faced with growing demand and convinced that "vertical farming is the way of the future," Voltz Maraichage has created Voltz Vertical Farming. "We have identified a growing need from our clients from 2020 onwards. More and more vertical farms were asking for our varieties, particularly for aromatic herbs. We therefore decided to establish a complete range of varieties meeting the specific needs of vertical farming (growing under LED light, high-density crops, often in hydroponics)."
Voltz Vertical Farming markets its range to vertical farms around the world
This is a growing method of cultivation, particularly in regions with "severe climatic constraints - winters that are too cold, long and/or lacking in light, as in the Nordic countries and Canada, for example, but also summers that are too hot and humid to allow cultivation in open fields or greenhouses." It is a system that can also be relevant in places where finding space is an issue, such as in megacities or in countries with severe restrictions on the use of space, such as in Japan." But according to Jean-Marie Rozec, the success of vertical farming is also due to "the entrepreneurial environment and financing capacity that can encourage the growth of vertical farming in certain countries, such as the United States and the Middle East, for example."
Building a more sustainable food system
The promise of vertical farming is to build a more sustainable food system with short supply chains, reduced water consumption and no pesticides. As Jean-Marie Rozec confirms, "there are several advantages, including the possibility to relocate production close to where it is consumed. Production in the northeastern United States, for example, could replace imports from California." Another advantage is yield. "Vertical farming means high density per unit of space, not to mention the possibility of better controlling production conditions to optimize cultivation, as well as controlling inputs, and therefore water consumption, which is a major issue these days."
Voltz Vertical Farming is currently working on expanding its range of edible flowers and cosmetic species. "If our clients have a specific need, we do our utmost to supply a suitable variety and seed," explains Jean-Marie Rozec.
For more information:
Graines Voltz
Phone: +33 6 78 95 96 26
1 Rue Edouard Branly,
68000 Colmar, France
[email protected]
voltz-vertical-farming.com