Gerbera grower and lily grower reduce disease pressure with light and ionization

Gerbera grower and lily grower reduce disease pressure with light and ionization

COMBINATION OF LEDS AND IONIZATION PURIFIES THE AIR

The pot gerbera company wants to reduce the botrytis pressure in the dispatch hall. Plants are buffered there for a day to a week, depending on the speed of sale. In that situation they are more vulnerable than during growth in the greenhouse. The lily company is looking for a method to reduce virus pressure during cultivation and to lower the energy bill.

STABLE LIGHTS

Both companies approached Aad van der Starre and Age Bakker of Freshlight Hortis, because this company is achieving good results with barn lighting in combination with ionization. Bakker: "By means of ionization we can reduce the emission of ammonia and purify the air in chicken houses. The combination of light and ionization results in fewer losses and chickens become heavier. As a result, the use of antibiotics can be reduced."

BROAD SPECTRUM

It was only a matter of time before this technique would spread to other sectors. Bakker calls the first results at the greenhouse horticulture companies promising. At the lily company the LEDs replace a SON-T installation in the greenhouse, at the pot gerbera company they replace fluorescent light. "What is special is that we have lamps in our range that imitate almost the entire spectrum of sunlight. Moreover, the light is frequency-free. There are many differences between LED installations that are currently on the market. Sometimes those differences are difficult to explain. In this case, the LEDs deliver more lumens per watt, increasing the quality of the light."

If the plants subsequently grow better due to the good light quality, their resilience increases. It already appears that the lilies are firmer and more uniform, while the pot gerbera grower sees that his end product continues to grow under the lamps. That didn't happen before. In addition, there has not been a single outbreak of Botrytis.

IONISATIE

Koolstofborstels in de armaturen zuiveren de lucht van fijnstof, ziektekiemen en bacteriën. Dit effect wordt bereikt door ionisatie. Bij deze reactie raakt een atoom een elektron kwijt. Deze negatieve elektronen hechten zich vooral aan fijnstof, dat vervolgens door de zwaartekracht als residu op de grond valt.
Binnenkort brengt het bedrijf drie nieuwe lampen op de markt. Bakker: "Er is veel belangstelling voor ons product. We weten dat ze succesvol zijn in ziekenhuizen, kantoren en in de agrarische sector. In de tuinbouw moeten de lampen zich nog bewijzen, maar de eerste signalen zijn goed."

Text: Pieternel van Velden

Source: HortiNext