It started in 2012 with industrial LED line lighting, but since 2016 Luminaid has also been active in greenhouse horticulture. First with tests, soon to be followed, in November 2017, by a strawberry grower who had his 1 ha greenhouse fitted with a total of 10 kilometer assimilation lighting. A second strawberry grower will follow his example this autumn. Luminaid has also developed a special lighting concept for the cultivation of blackberries in the greenhouse, that will be installed in September.
As a newcomer to the lighting market for greenhouse horticulture, Luminaid focuses specifically on the cultivation of soft fruit. Chris Boomaars: "In the cultivation of strawberries, a pioneering industry, mainly conventional assimilation lighting (HPS / SonT) is used. LED solutions are applied sporadically, and we have noticed that often the same lighting concepts are used as applied in the cultivation of fruit vegetables. Actually this is a waste, why invest in lighting that hangs four meters above the crop, requiring a lot of energy and with a substantial loss of light?"
Close to the crop, without damage or loss of light
From their background in the industrial LED line lighting, an LED solution especially for strawberry cultivation was developed. Frank Dings, responsible for the development and technical implementation of Luminaid's lighting concepts: "In the cultivation of strawberries, line-light or controlled light provides a rapid growth boost to the strawberry plant to quickly awaken the plant, but after that also much light is needed to keep the photosynthesis and so the growth of the plant going for the rest of the day. This light, which is switched on 16 hours a day and with which, as it were, the day is extended, is what we give the plant in the Dutch winter months when there is little natural light."
Chris and Frank in front of one of their test devices in the showroom in Roosendaal. Luminaid develops and produces all the luminaires themselves. Chris: "Almost all components come from the Netherlands, and we do the assembly. So it's a real Dutch product, or actually an EU product, taking our international ambitions into account. Because there are several other countries that also would need extra light in winter for the cultivation of soft fruit."
Luminaid's lighting solution, Floralux.lt, has been designed in such a way that the luminaires hang closely above the crop. Frank: "Strawberry plants remain low, so our assimilation lighting is suspended about 30 centimeters above the plants." There is no risk of leaf damage, despite a 200 times higher light intensity. "The radiant heat is much lower than with regular HPS lamps."
Because the lamps can hang close to the crop, there is no loss of light. In any case, the lamps are energy-efficient. Frank: "The total lighting system in which the light level is measured on the foliage, uses 75% less power than an HPS lighting system and even 50% less compared to another LED configuration that gives the same amount of light on the foliage."
Playing with spectrum and lenses
All good figures, but in the end, for the grower it is of course about good cultivation results. A specially chosen spectrum, with 170 micromol PAR light and the addition of white light, contributes to this. At Kwekerij Hereijgers, after their first cultivation with the new light fixtures, they spoke of 'the best cultivation ever seen’, according to the men of Luminaid. The spectrum was tested by Test Center Hoogstraten and the first cultivation was supervised by Delphy. This is the reason for Jong Fruit from Dongen to also light a greenhouse this fall with Floralux.It.
With this robot the angle with which the lenses must be adjusted, can be measured precisely.
In the meantime Luminaid also has a special LED solution for the cultivation of blackberries. Chris: "Thanks to an optimized spectrum and the innovative use of lenses, the lighting does not have to hang in between the crop, as has been customary until now. The luminaires just hang above the crop, while the light, in relation to HPS, shines just as well everywhere on the leaves of the blackberry bush, also at the lower part."
Luminaid participates this year for the first time in the Strawberry Demo Day on Saturday 7 September.
For more information:
Luminaid
Belder 45
4704 RK Roosendaal
Netherlands