The Hub
Transforming the future of agriculture with innovative solutions in protected cropping
Our Purpose
Protected cropping (PC) involves cultivating horticultural crops within controlled environments to optimize growing conditions and shield produce from pests, diseases, and adverse weather.
PC produces more reliable and higher-quality produce with fewer inputs. Yet Australia’s PC industry is small: 14,000 ha (17% horticultural production) grown under PC in largely low-technology facilities.
Through cutting-edge research and innovation, the ARC Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Protected Cropping (PC Hub) aims to empower Australian growers and producers to:
- Enhance crop yield and quality
- Develop premium food products and plant-based medicines
- Implement sustainable farming practices
“Protected cropping has significant potential to enhance the yield and quality of both horticultural and medicinal crops, creating new market opportunities and contributing to food security.”
— Prof. Monika Doblin, Program leader – Medicinal agriculture
Our mission
The PC Hub will address current research and training gaps through an integrated strategy, driving industry-focused solutions.
Innovation and a skilled workforce in protected cropping are essential for the horticultural and medicinal agriculture industries to become more competitive, sustainable, and responsive to changing market demands and environmental challenges.
However, a broader adoption of protected cropping is hindered by a lack of specific knowledge.
Through a multi-university and industry collaboration, the PC Hub is addressing these gaps in five key areas:
Plant Health
Plant Breeding
Waste Valorisation
Digital Agriculture and Machine Learning
Plant Bioactive Extraction and Discovery
Read more about our research themes:
The PC Hub
Led by La Trobe University, the PC Hub operates within the La Trobe Institute for Sustainable Agriculture and Food (LISAF).
LISAF is dedicated to advancing sustainable agricultural practices to ensure the production of high-quality, nutritious food and plant-based medicines. By fostering innovation across the entire agri-food-health value chain, from “paddock to gut”, LISAF aims to address global food security challenges and enhance the resilience of Australia’s agricultural systems.