The Centre of the Region Haná for Biotechnological and Agricultural Research (CRH) is one of the researchers of the European project called CLAIRO (CLean AIR in Ostrava), whose aim is to contribute to the improvement of air quality in the North Moravian county town by planting suitable greenery able to absorb pollution from various sources and reduce the effects of the heat island in the city. The results will be used not only in the city of Ostrava, but also throughout Europe.
Selected greenery will be planted under the supervision of Silesian University in Ostrava’s Radvanice and Bartovice districts. The Technical University of Ostrava will then be in charge of evaluating the measured pollution values. The task of CRH scientists will be to support the growth of greenery by biostimulants specially prepared for this purpose. Trees will have to face many environmental burdens, so these specially prepared substances will help them overcome these difficulties. Olomouc researchers have been engaged in the research and development of growth regulators derived from plant hormones for roughly two decades.
“Thanks to many years of experience, we can prepare tailor-made stimulants for specific plant species in specific conditions. These can thus face such stress factors as drought, salinity, or high concentrations of heavy metals,” said the head of the Department of Chemical Biology and Genetics at CRH, Karel Doležal. He and his colleagues, among others, are also developing special plant hormone derivatives that are helping to save endangered plant species in South Africa.
The budget of the CLAIRO project is approximately €2.5 million. Ostrava will receive a €2 million grant from European funds as the main partner responsible for project implementation. The project is implemented in cooperation with the project partners: the Moravian-Silesian Region, the Ministry of Regional Development of the Czech Republic, the Technical University of Ostrava, Silesian University in Opava, Palacký University Olomouc, SOBIC Smart & Open Base for Innovations in European Cities and Regions, and the Regional Association of Territorial Cooperation of Těšín Silesia. Urban Innovative Actions, the prestigious EU initiative, is providing resources to support the most innovative projects in Europe.
“Today, the use of state-of-the-art technologies and innovative methods is indispensable. If we have certain ambitions and goals, we cannot do without bold projects. The procedures that the CLAIRO project will use will certainly deliver results that everyone has been calling for for a long time. I am happy that we have strong partners with whom we will be able to take further steps to ensure that we all breathe better in the Moravian-Silesian Region,” said Ivo Vondrák, Governor of the Region.