While the fruit usually grows in cooler temperatures of 5 to 15 degrees Celsius, Singrow strawberries can thrive at around 20 to 28 degrees Celsius, said [Singrow CEO and co-founder Bao Shengjie].
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“So right now, inside this farm, you can say we are growing our strawberries at room temperature,” he said.
Dr. Bao explained that Singrow can quickly develop new crop varieties because they know intimately the function of certain genes and how they affect plant growth, flowering and yield.
Singrow has also used its gene technology to ease pollination – which is vital for plump, well-formed strawberries. Aggregate fruit like strawberries have to be pollinated multiple times, and uneven pollination can lead to smaller or mis-shapened fruit.
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These plants developed through molecular cross-breeding are then monitored with technology that can sense any deviation in their condition, and their growing environment.
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It will also work with the farms to improve their farming techniques for existing crops, with plans to reduce their fertiliser use by 30 per cent and pesticide use by 70 per cent.
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They also grow faster – going from the nursery to harvest in about two months, or about 30 per cent faster than the norm, said Dr Bao.
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Besides strawberries, it is also developing 30 other crop varieties, including rice, palm oil, saffron, cherry tomatoes and some types of leafy vegetables.
