What can AntiReflect coating mean for your crop?

AntiReflect increases yield by 3.2% in a standard tomato crop. The amount of absorbed light is even higher but a part of the increased assimilates goes to the green parts of the plant.

Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture has calculated, using the ‘Intkam’ crop growth model, what the innovative AntiReflect coating can mean for a tomato grower. This model simulates the following plant processes in their context: photosynthesis, respiration, evaporation, development, crop and organ growth and the force with which all the growing parts that need assimilates uses the produced sugars to himself. The growth rate is additionally divided into vegetative (of the green parts) and generative growth (of the fruit).

More sugar produced
They have based their calculations on a planting date of December 17 and an end date of November 16, so a cultivation period of 11 months. The applied plant density is 2.5 plants per m2.

AntiReflect increases light levels in the greenhouse, but does the crop make good use of this increased light. It does indeed; under AntiReflect the crop absorbs 4.5% more light than under uncoated glass. As a result, the photosynthesis increases by 3.2% and significantly more sugars are being produced. The plant divides the sugars over the green parts and fruits. The researchers from Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture calculated that the leaf surface thereby grows by 0.9% and the plant weight increases by 3.1%. For the grower it is crucial if this ultimately results in more tomatoes picked. That turns out to be 3.2%.

AntiReflect thus provides clearly for additional revenue. Increased yield might mean some extra labor and marketing cost and possible increased CO2 dosage. In addition, there are the costs of the coating plus the application. But at the bottom line it will result in a definite plus.

Mardenkro will introduce AntiReflect at the international horticultural exhibition GreenTech, to be held on 14, 15 and 16 June in Amsterdam RAI. The product is nominated for the GreenTech Innovation Award 2016.

For more information
Mardenkro The Netherlands
Geerstraat 8
5111 PS Baarle-Nassau
The Netherlands
T: +31 (0)13 507 70 69
Email: [email protected]
www.antireflect.com