
‘Energy will be available practically for free in 20 or 30 years’
The bi-annual AgroEnergy symposium was held at the Rotterdam STC Building’s Lloyd Hall on 21 January 2016. The key topic of the symposium was:

Room for 324 MW geothermal heat in the Westland and Oostland regions
On 21 January 2016 a seminar was held at Priva in De Lier with the title ‘Geothermal energy, how difficult can this be?!’ Geology

Taking natural crop protection against aphids to a higher level
Aphiscout, Koppert Biological Systems’ new parasitic wasp mix, is taking natural crop protection against aphids to a higher level. Koppert Biological Systems introduced Aphiscout at

Wageningen University tests water conservation technology in the Middle East
The greenhouse horticulture division of Wageningen University Research Centre is involved in setting up research centres in the field of water conservation in the

‘Production results are satisfactory but we need to raise the bar each year.’
Although their revolutionary greenhouse has had a superb first year, the brothers Duijvestijn see room for improvement. Technically there are still gains to be

Hydroponically grown chrysanthemum trial successful for fourth time in a row
This is the fourth time in a row that trial station Proeftuin Zwaagdijk successfully concluded a trial investigating the hydroponic culture of chrysanthemums. No

Iron is essential for photosynthesis and respiration
Iron plays a major role in photosynthesis. That’s why a shortage directly affects the production capacity of the plant. The application of chelates has

Use compost to increase resistance to plant diseases
In biological cultivation every opportunity to control soil-borne diseases is a bonus. The idea of providing compost components that can make the soil more

Chrysanthemum nursery ends up being guinea pig for diffuse glass
Linflowers is the first chrysanthemum nursery in the Netherlands to have diffuse glass. It was a difficult choice because apart from a lack of

Regular control and maintenance of doors necessary
All sorts of doors are fitted within horticultural companies. These can be automatic doors such as overhead, high speed and sliding doors, but also

Bees and bumblebees useful for crop protection as well as pollinating
Bees and bumblebees are, thanks to their build and behaviour, good pollinators. But they have additional potential. They are also useful for disease control

‘With good bacteria and fungi you can win the war in the slab’
Plants are just like people. The fitter they are, the more resistant they are to diseases. But how do you create such a fit

‘Carefully compile a wish list and measure objectively’
Growers know that a diffuse roof – with or without an anti-reflective coating – offers added value compared with traditional greenhouse glass. However, it

Understanding photosynthesis important for CO2 dosing and lighting
It used to be rare to come across plants that bind CO2 mainly at night: CAM plants. But it’s no longer an exception in

Plugs and trays replace containers and lead to more uniform plants
After a run-up of several years breeders and propagators of phalaenopsis are switching over to propagation in plugs. Meanwhile three Dutch suppliers of plugs

A stable pH in the pot requires knowledge and craftsmanship
Organic substrate mixtures are prepared according to customer specifications to contain the nutrients and acidity (pH) required. During cultivation the pH in the root

Australian marketing success supported by Dutch cultivation know-how
Greenhouse horticulture in Australia is growing considerably. Flavorite was one of its pioneers and continues to lead the way. The company emerged from the

Steering with high EC improves taste and quality of fruits
With a little more effort you can improve even more. This is the approach behind new trials aimed at optimizing water and fertiliser use

Trial aims to show how LEDs can be used to steer commercial crop
The application of LED lighting in greenhouse horticulture is still in its infancy. A few nurseries are already using LEDs, mostly red and blue.

Contributing to the region’s self-sufficiency in vegetable production
Agro-Invest’s new 20 ha greenhouse, located in the Kaluga region of Russia, has successfully completed its first growing season. This is the first stage