A SOMERSET based agricultural technology provider is helping to find ways to grow onions in the UK all year round.

LettUs Grow, based in Bristol, are providing ultrasonic aeroponics (an irrigation technology that allows crops to be grown without soil) to a project focused on growing onions. 

Jonathan Bell from Stourgarden and professor Tracy Lawson alongside her team at the University of Essex are leading the project. 

According to LettUs Grow, there are three key challenges when growing onions: disease, seasonality and storage. They explained that onions can only be grown during spring and summer, so they you are limited to one crop per year. This means onions are imported or kept in cold stores. 

LettUs Grow explained that growing onions in a controlled indoor environment means that you could quadruple the number of crops each year in the UK. 

In trials conducted at the University of Essex, professor Lawson and the team are aiming to reduce the overall carbon footprint of growing, remove the need for storage, increase the speed of growth and grow a consistent quality product. 

Jonathan, operations manager at Stourgarden, said: "We have successfully grown onions to a stage where the first signs of bulbing can be seen. The aim of the project is to investigate how CEA can play a part in the supply of onions to UK consumers.

"To wholly replace traditional field production is not the aim, but there is a role for CEA to play in improving current growing and supply.”  

LettUs Grow explained that in an aeroponic system, onions are growing without soil. Instead, roots are suspended in air and nutrients are delivered through a mist that is generated using ultrasonic technology.

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This method boosts access to oxygen, which promotes root zone strength and growth, but crucially the lack of soil here reduces the risk of soil-borne disease in the early and vulnerable stages of growth. 

Nick Green, head of commercial at LettUs Grow, added: "It’s really exciting to see our innovative aeroponic technology support traditional growing methods.

"This is an excellent example of how partnerships across agricultural sectors can benefit sustainable food production in the UK and we’re so proud to be working with the industry and research experts at both Stourgarden and the University of Essex.”