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Tecnova Technology Centre represents a great opportunity for addressing the current challenges of intensive agriculture by means of development, evolution, knowledge generation and optimisation of greenhouse intensive farming techniques.

 

Its main office is located in PITA (Almeria Science and Technology Park). It has more than 3.500 m2 of facilities distributed in: two pilot plants (4th range products and agri-food robotics), growing chambers for pre- and post-harvest, and laboratories of plastic film, food and shelf-life analysis, biotechnology and molecular biology.

 

The experimental centre has a surface area of 12.000 m2 available to carry out experimental trials, as well as to design and validate new products for agriculture. It has different types of greenhouse structures, growing chambers, portable cages and greenhouses, high-productivity areas, results transfer, product classification and agriculture waste management.

Tecnova

Head office

Tecnova

Tecnova Technology Center has a head office located in Almeria Science and Technology Park (PITA). It has 3,600 m² dedicated to R&D&I, including:

 

2 pilot plants:

  • Robotics pilot plant
  • 4th range product pilot plant

 

6 laboratories:

  • Plastic
  • Sensory analysis
  • Microbiology and physico-chemical
  • Postharvest and food analysis
  • Growing chambers and entomology
  • Gastronomic innovation
  • Transfer and training rooms
Plastic laboratory

Tecnova has a plastic analysis laboratory for analysing and evaluating degradation, durability and resistance of plastic, its composition and transmissibility, among others.

 

It is the only plastic laboratory in Andalusia accredited by the Spanish Committee of plastics for agriculture – CEPLA, and is fully equipped to offer services for analysis of greenhouse covering plastic film and thermoplastic films for agriculture use according to UNE (Spanish Association for Standardisation) regulations. -EN 13206 and 13655 respectively.

Sensory analysis laboratory

It allows to determine the sensory and organoleptic properties of food product, varieties of fruits and vegetables… or to know the most appropriate formulation meeting consumers’ demand, so that the different products achieve success in the market.

 

Sensory analysis is a crucial integral part for determination of food quality.

 

  • Expert Panel.
  • Consumer panel.
  • Focus group of experts and non-experts.
  • Sensory profile (texture, flavour, etc.).
  • Advice to companies.
Microbiology and physical-chemical laboratory

Laboratory aimed at determination of altering microorganisms and pathogens in food (Salmonella, E. coli, Listeria, etc.), soil, water and fertilisers. The laboratory is conveniently equipped to be able to work using the classical microbiology techniques as well as the molecular analysis tools based on DNA analysis.

 

The physico-chemical laboratories provide our clients with the possibility of performing different types of soil, water and fruit analysis by using the most modern techniques such as gas chromatography, liquid chromatography and Plasma Spectroscopy (ICP-OES).

Post-harvest laboratory and food analysis

The laboratory is equipped to evaluate the post-harvest shelf-life of new fruit and vegetable varieties, as well as new techniques and preservation treatments.

 

In addition, it has a calorimeter to determine food energy value, and different equipment for analysing nutritional parameters of the labelling.

Laboratory of growing and entomology chambers

Growing chambers for performance of efficacy tests in Petri dishes and in pots.

 

Entomology laboratory for evaluation of new auxiliary insects under microcosm conditions, and their interaction with insect pests and with new products developed for agriculture use.

Gastronomic innovation laboratory
  • Nutritional optimisation.
  • Healthy food.
  • Gastronomic meetings and days.
  • Presentations of new products.
  • Show cooking.
  • Valorization of fruit and vegetable products.
  • 4th range product development.
Transfer and training rooms
  • Organisation of conferences, seminars and workshops with successful companies and gurus.
  • Training on agriculture technology, post-harvest and packaging at the international and national level.

Experimental centre

The Experimental Center for technology and agronomic trials is located just 10 minutes from the main headquarters, in the municipality of Viator.

 

This agronomic research center has 12 hectares of facilities among which: 14 different types of greenhouse infrastructures, an office building and training and transfer rooms, 3 reservoirs for irrigation and 6 irrigation booths.

 

It is one of the most advanced of its kind and was opened in 2014.

 

Located in the municipality of Viator (Almería), the Center offers to the business sector an area for research, development and validation of technology of the Agriculture Auxiliary Industry and Services.

 

This Center was created thanks to the collaboration of entrepreneurs and the support of the Viator Town Council and the Andalusian Regional Government, with the aim of becoming the technology showcase for companies and a benchmark in sustainable agricultural crops from the energy and environmental point of view.

 

It consists of 12 hectares of land, 6 of them being currently built and other 6 under construction.

Thanks to these facilities, the following services can be offered:

Agronomic services and trials

Development of new cultivation techniques.
Biological control efficiency tests on crops.
Efficacy evaluation of zero waste new products.
Development and evaluation of new substrates and sustainable growing media.
Development of new varieties and crops.
Alternative agriculture production: integrated, organic production…
Evaluation of side effects on auxiliary fauna (phytosanitary products, plant varieties, etc.).

Evaluation and study of new technology

Verification of greenhouse structures on cultivation.
Integration of renewable energy in intensive agriculture.
Agriculture waste recovery study.
Energy efficiency in greenhouses.
Analysis of greenhouse covering shelf-life.
The Center has the following infrastructures:

 

  • Office building, training areas and field laboratory.
  • “Raspa y Amagado” (Almeria style greenhouse with a gable roof) greenhouse of 1,600 m² with sanded soil.
  • “Raspa and amagado” greenhouse of 4,896 m² with sanded soil, calculated according to AENOR (Spanish Association of Normalisation and Certification) standards.
  • Inside the Greenhouse Raspa and amagado calculated according to AENOR regulations of 4,896 m² with sanded soil.
  • 4,860 m² Multitunnel Greenhouse with hydroponic soil.
  • 4,860 m² Multitunnel Greenhouse’s interior, with hydroponic soil.
  • 400 m² Gothic greenhouse with hydroponic soil.
  • 1,344 m² Gothic greenhouse loaned by the company Gogarsa with pure hydroponics – NGS System
  • 1,344 m² Gothic Greenhouse’s interior, donated by the Gogarsa company with pure hydroponics – NGS System
  • Tecnova’s multispan type own prototype, so-called SOLNOVA, of 2,415 m² (raised hydroponic with channels).
  • 2 TWIN Multitunnel Greenhouses, of 420 m² each, with sanded soil.
  • 2 TWIN Multitunnel Greenhouses, of 320 m² each, with sanded soil.
  • 2 TWIN “Raspa and amagado” Greenhouses, of 480 m² each, with sanded soil.
  • 380 m² Multitunnel Greenhouse with aquaponics system combined with NGS System
  • 2,016 m² Gothic Multitunnel Greenhouse Prototype, HUMIDEX project.
  • 6 irrigation booths and 3 reservoirs for irrigation, rainwater and drains.
  • 1,500 m² technology exhibition area.
  • Agriculture waste management and treatment area.