ABOUT IATC
At the IATC, we support the integrated and controlled environment agriculture (ICEA) sectors. Our team specializes in a wide range of technologies and techniques related to ICEA, including greenhouse techniques and technologies, automation, biologic controls and integrated pest management, filtration and hydroponics.
We serve small and medium-sized enterprises by providing applied research and technical services to address real-world challenges. Additionally, we offer specialized training on the latest ICEA technologies.
Our 10,000 ft² commercial-scale applied research greenhouse, analytical lab, dirty/wet processing lab, bio-secure isolation facilities, water recirculation technologies, 385-acre irrigated research farm, and dedicated agriculture applied research labs provide a solid foundation for a variety of applied research projects and technical support services.
To submit an inquiry to work with our team, visit: lethpolyte.ch/CARIE-client-form
To sign up for our aquaponics micro-credentials courses, visit: bit.ly/aquaponics-micro
Bell pepper crop — year 2 of greenhouse supplemental lighting trial
Contact IATC
Alexis Buzzee
Applied Research Operations Officer
lethpolytech.ca/departments/centre-for-applied-research-and-innovation
TT2982, 3000 College Drive South, Lethbridge, AB T1K 1L6
Services offered in: English
Request Interactive Visit: http://interactivevisits.ca
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RESEARCH AND INNOVATION EXPERTISE
EXPERTISE
- Greenhouse techniques and technologies
- Growing media
- Hydroponics
- Aquaponics
- Aeroponics
- Vertical farming
- Mycology
- Integrated pest management
- Recirculation Aquaculture Systems (RAS) operations, ecosystem health, and water quality
- Water conservation
- Waste management
- Aerobic bioreactor technology
- Novel micro filtration systems (biochar)
- Agricultural engineering
- Crop production
- Drip irrigation
- Pivot irrigation
- Precision Irrigation
- Plant Stress Management
- Post-harvest management
Previous Research Projects:
Fields of projects:
- Integrated- and Controlled-Environment Agriculture (ICEA) industry
- Agri-business
- Ag-tech companies
- Primary producers
- Food processors
- Service providers
TECHNOLOGY SECTORS
- Agriculture
EQUIPMENT AND LABS
| Equipment | Function |
|---|---|
| -80°C Freezer | For storing samples at -80°C |
| Academic Stereo Microscope | Used to dissect and examine small objects like fish tissue samples and algae. |
| ATS Scientific 6875D Freezer/Mill | Used to cryiogenically process plant tissue, fish tissue, and other solid tissue samples and pulverzie any solid matter. Pulverized matter is then chemically digested. |
| Autofogger | Fogging crops with fungicides. |
| Échantillonneur automatique (Prepfast 4DX) | Used for ICP sample loading, and autodilutions. |
| Benchtop Meter Probes (NH3, NO2, NO3, pH) | Set of probes for use with ISE Benchtop meters (Orion Versastar). |
| Benchtop Meters (Orion Versastar Electrochemistry Meters) | |
| Binder ED56 Avantgarde Gravity Convection Oven | Used to thermically process samples for drying, dessication etc. |
| Biostat A (Sartorius Stedim) | |
| Cenco Instruments MU N.V. Centrifuge | Used to separate solids suspended in liquid samples. Used in analyzing juice, polluted water, etc. |
| Protein analyzer (LECO) | |
| Chiller (Thermoflex 2500) | Used for cooling the ICP |
| Compact needle seeder | Used for seeding full trays one row at a time with variable sized seeds |
| Compound Microscopes | Used for viewing small objects, organisms. |
| Compressor (Baldor Motors, Omega OL10 Pumps, Omega Dryer, Powerex storage tank | For supplying compressed air for tank mixing via airstones in greenhouse. |
| Corning Hotplate Stirrer | Used to mix solutions evenly, while heating them at the same time. |
| Costar Mini Centrifuge 11607 | Used to separate solids suspended in liquid samples. Used in analyzing juice, polluted water, etc. |
| Crown Biro Industrial Grinder | |
| Diamed Gel Surfer | |
| Digestion Block "Block Digest" | Used to digest samples in acid using elevated temperatures. Used break down plant tissue samples, sludge samples, fish feed samples, etc. before chemical analysis. |
| Easy Brix Refractometer | Measures sugar content in liquids. Used to measure sugar content in tomato and cucumber juice in the past. |
| ELGA Labwater Millipore system (Purelab Classic) | Scrub and filter RO water to < 0.3 µS for use with ICP. |
| EON Biotek Microplate Reader | Used to measure the chemical properties in liquid samples, such as facility water, acid digested samples, etc. Measures ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and other. |
| Fisherbrand Isotemp General Purpose Heating and Drying Oven | Used to thermically process samples for drying, dessication etc. Used when analysing lake sludge samples, fish tissue samples, plant samples. |
| Flashsmart Analyzer | For elemental analysis of CHNS/O. |
| Gallery™ Plus Discrete Analyzer | Used to photometrically analyze liquid samples. Used for water quality monitoring to track ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and etc. contents in facility water. Used to track nutrient content in bioreactor fertilizer. |
| Hemco Fumehood | Used to vent and prepare acids for ICP usage. |
| Holmes Eco Water Reverse Osmosis System | Used for removing contaminants from city water when reverse osmosis water is needed for experiments. |
| Hotsy Pressure Washer (Honda motor) | |
| Ica Topolino S1 Micro Stirrer | Used to provide continuous mixing for samples kept overt time. Used in biological oxygen analysis to prevent bioreactor fluid from settling. |
| ICP-MS (iCAP RQ) | Used for elemental analysis to the ppbillion scale. |
| Incubator VS-1203P3V | Used to maintain samples in required microclimate (temperature, light conditions, etc.). |
| Lamotte 2020 Turbidimeter | |
| Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyzer LS 13320 | Used in measuring particle size distribution in any type of liquid. |
| Leica Zoom 2000 Dissection Microscope | Used to dissect and examine small objects like fish tissue samples and algae. |
| LI-COR 6400 | |
| LI-COR 6800 | |
| LP-80 Ceptometer (LiCor) | |
| Mars 6 Microwave Digester | Used to digest samples in acid using microwave technology. Used to break down plant tissue samples, sludge samples, fish feed samples, etc. before chemical analysis. |
| Multi 3630 IDS water quality | |
| Multi Microplate Genie Digital Shaker | Used to mix and agitate microplate samples before analyzing them. |
| Multisizer 4e Analyzer | Used to measure particle size and provide particle count in any liquid samples. |
| Ohaus Courier 1000 | Feed scale. |
| Ohaus SD Series scale | P2 and P3 Weights |
| Olympus Microscope | Used to examine small objects like fish tissue samples and algae. |
| Porter-Cable Compressor 17gal 150psi | |
| Powered Backpack Sprayer | |
| Pressure Washer (Kohler Motor) | |
| Rail lift (orange) | For accessing plants trained upwards on tomahooks, maintenance, pruning, harvesting. |
| Rail Lift (Yellow) | For accessing plants trained upwards on tomahooks, maintenance, pruning, harvesting. |
| Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water Polisher | For removing a bulk of the dissolved ions for supplying the foggers and wetwalls with clean water. |
| Revolutionary Science Mini Centrifuge Rev Spin | Used to separate solids suspended in liquid samples. Used in analyzing juice, polluted water, etc. |
| Robotic Sprayer | For spraying crops with pesticides |
| Sartorius Entris Scale 224-1S | Used for measuring small volumes <0.001 mg. |
| Sartorius Entris Scale 623I-1S | Used to measure weight of samples and other materials. |
| Sartorius Entris Scale 822-1S | Used to measure weight of samples and other materials. P1 feed scale. |
| Scale CKT16 | |
| Scale GBK150AM | |
| Swamp Cooler | |
| Thermo Scientific™ Sorvall™ ST 16 Centrifuge Series | Used to separate solids suspended in liquid samples. Used in analyzing juice, polluted water, etc. |
| Thermolyne Cimarec 2 Stirrer | Used to mix solutions evenly, while heating them at the same time. |
| Thermolyne Incubator 142300 | |
| Thermolyne Maxi-MixII M37617 Vortex Mixer | Used to rapid mix samples. |
| Vacuum Pressure Station | Used in vacuum filtration of liquid samples, such as in total suspended solids analysis. |
| Vacuum Pump (SV40VI) | Used to produce the vacuum inside the ICP |
| Volute Amcon Dewatering Screw Press | |
| VWR / Sheldon Model 2005 Low Temperature Incubator | Used to maintain samples in required microclimate (temperature, light conditions, etc.). |
| Waltec Heatblock | |
| 919 Moisture Meter | |
| Autoclave | |
| Biosafety Cabinet | |
| Carter day dockage tester | |
| Deep Freezer (-40C) | |
| DSC 8000 | |
| Environment Chamber | |
| Eppendorf Centrifuge 5425R | |
| Falling number (Perten) | |
| Freeze dryer (Labconco) | |
| FTIR + TGA-IR (Thermo Sci) | |
| Glutomatic (PerkinElmer, GM 2000) | |
| High Performance Liquid Chromatography (LC3000) | |
| Incubators (02) | |
| Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometer (triple Quadrupole) Qsight 420 | |
| Muffle Furnace | |
| NIR benchtop analyser | |
| Perten Lab mill 3100 | |
| pH meter (Mettler Toledo) | |
| Polarimeter (ATAGO AP300) | |
| Protein analyzer (LECO) | |
| RVA | |
| Soxtec apparatus (Foss, ST 243) | |
| SWIR Hyperspectral Camera (Headwall) | |
| Texture analyzer (TA.XT.PlusC) | |
| Vis- NIR Camera | |
| Walk-in Coolers (Cantrol) |
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