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Gerbera trial at Botany BV

The Gerbera crop group is to investigate the effect of cooling via a misting system on production and quality at the Botany test site in Horst, The Netherlands. The trial will take place with a blacked-out crop and is based on the Aircokas principle. To realise this, humidity (RH) and ventilation control in three sectors is to be taken over by a new Economic process computer with Aircomatic software.

LENGTH OF DAY – Last year, DLV Plant looked into the effect of shortening the length of the day for gerberas to 11.5 hours in the summer. They used Ludvig Svensson blackout screens for this. Depending on the species, they were able to increase production by between 8 and 28 per cent this way. In the summer period, the temperature in the trial greenhouse was rather high though, and the climate was poor. The trial will be repea-
ted this year, this time expanded by cooling
via a misting system following the Aircokas principle.

ACCURATE – Gerbera is rather prone to forming mould, such as Botrytis. It is therefore very important that the RH in the crop is not rising too high. On the Botany trial site, Hoogendoorn dealer Elektro Limburg will install a new Economic process computer which is able to realise a more accurate control of RH and lighting in the trial sections than before, with the help of the Aircomatic software.
The trial section control is to be based on information collected by different sensors in the greenhouse. There will be two plant temperature cameras and two PAR sensors by Growlab Instruments each installed per section. Two measuring masts with six aspirators register temperature, RH and CO2 concentration. In one section, Aircomatic is to control the misting system in a modulating manner. This should result in a greenhouse temperature and RH better adapted to the plant’s needs.

AT A DISTANCE – This trial is to be monitored remotely with LetsGrow Live, and gerbera growers using black-out screens can follow the trial on the Internet this way. It is expected that 22 hectares of gerbera will be grown using black-out screens this year.

The trial is conducted in co-operation with advisors from DLV Plant and Hoogendoorn Growth Management. Productschap Tuinbouw is the main financer of this trial.

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