"Stronger summer crops with diffuse light"

Tomato nursery T. W. van Noord is committed to energy-efficient and resilient produce. For two years now, the company has been gaining experience with a new strategy, saving over 10% on natural gas. "ReduFuse during the summer is indispensable," say Theo van Noord and Johan Vroedstijn. "Thanks to the diffuse light, the summer crops have been much more robust.”

"It is our aim to harvest a good product up to the Holidays. That means having a strong summer crop. This is what ReduFuse can bring us," says Theo van Noord, owner of the modern tomato company on the Dutch peninsula of Goeree-Overflakkee. The nursery cultivates 14 hectares: almost exclusively cocktail tomatoes, spread over 3 locations. One of those three sports assimilation lights.



Van Noord: "Energy is a major cost, and we're constantly on the lookout for opportunities to save energy in our existing greenhouses. Together with our advisor, we have developed a new growth strategy. We’ve been doing it this way for two years now, and I dare-say the strategy works extremely well for our type oftomatoes.”

Minimum of energy in the summer

The starting point in Nursery T. W. van Noord is to enter the summer with a strong generative crop, and then revert to a calm cultivation strategy until September. Cultivation manager Johan Vroedsteijn: "From the start in January, we do everything we can to get the crop in balance. We start out with relatively large plants, keeping up a robust pace during the first weeks. If things go according to plan, we have a strong crop with lots of fruit by late April. In early May, we apply ReduFuse on the greenhouse roof. From week 25 to week 35, we spend a minimum of energy and CO2 in the greenhouse. Then we can harvest without problems until the end of December."

In 2012, this strategy combined with ReduFuse was tested on the location in Tinte. Van Noord: "We had the main part of the greenhouse treated with ReduFuse. By way of comparison, a 0.4 ha patch remained untreated. Together with DLV and Mardenkro, we took measurements in regard to temperature distribution, photosynthesis and the amount of PAR light in the crop. Across the board, we found that under a diffuse cover the plant temperature was more even, the lower leaves showed more assimilation and the light deeply penetrated into the crop."

Indispensable

"Without ReduFuse, this way of cultivation is simply not possible,” says Van Noord. "I'm very happy with the product, even more so because next season an improved formulation of ReduFuse will reach markets, which I hear is easier to remove. As far as I’m concerned, it’s indispensable.”


More information:
Mardenkro B.V.
Geerstraat 8
P.O. Box 280
5110 AG Baarle-Nassau
The Netherlands
info@mardenkro.com
www.mardenkro.com