On the first year of launch in France, the diffusing paint Optifuse that is being produced by the French manufacturer Sudlac, was applied at some innovative greenhouse companies. All users have obtained positive results and intend to use it again this season. The product optifuse was developed in 2012 and used all over the world, especially in the Netherlands, France, Japan and Canada.
Among them is Charles Vinet, head of the company “Les 3Moulins” and a leading grower of the Nantes area with 30 hectares of glass greenhouses. With its crop manager Christian Douillard, he made the choice of Optifuse applied by helicopter to some of its cucumber greenhouses.
Cucumber greenhouse
Compared to the plain glass without any paint, Christian Douillard noticed a higher plant activity. In hot weather, the plant remained active with the advantage of a better humidity control and in this very favorable climate, loss of leaves was reduced. The leaf surface increased as well as the photosynthetic activity. In the greenhouse without a coating, the maximum yield was 130 pieces/m², whereas in the greenhouse with the diffusing coating Optifuse 148.5 pieces/m² were cultivated. In addition to protection against head burns, it had the advantage of a higher plant activity in all weather.
Member of the Solaren group of growers in Rennes -Brittany, Ronan Collet also choose Optifuse to be applied per machine on his 2 hectares glasshouse with tomatoes.
Rennes operates an area of nearly two hectares of glass greenhouse in Bretagne
As Christian Douillard, Ronan Collet reported a higher plant activity, in comparison to the greenhouse without coating. On truss tomatoes, plants proved to be more able to create their climate. In hot weather, the air temperature was reduced by 1 to 2°C in the vegetation with the advantage of an increase in humidity by 5%. Drainage was superior and their need in irrigation lowered. Whatever the weather, the tomato grower noticed a superior vigor, which resulted in an increase in the surface of leaves and fruit size.
At the end of the season, both greenhouses were successfully cleaned with the remover Topclear.
For more information:
Sudlac – France
Jorien Plak-Schouten
T: +31 6 42 73 69 69