The Belgian Trial Centre for Vegetable Cultivation PCG has invested in a new lighting installation for their greenhouse department with a mobile gutter system. The test center has already conducted a lot of research with mobile gutter systems and lit cultivation. "However, in view of recent developments with regard to this cultivation method in the greenhouse sector, it was decided to completely replace the SON-T lamps with LED lighting, whereby we finally opted for Philips LED Toplights."
This is part of the vision to pursue more sustainable, cost-effective crops of higher quality through further optimization of production technologies and techniques. In the future the research focus will be on leafy vegetables, but herbs will also be looked at.
The installation is being launched within the framework of the LA-trajectory ‘Lightman’ (VLAIO). Last year, trials were held to research the effect of the light spectrum on production and quality of some lettuces on the MGS. A comparison was conducted between SON-T lights and narrow and broad spectrum LED.
During the current lighting season the effect will be evaluated of an atypical, savings oriented light regime on the production and quality of some types of lettuce on the MGS, using the new LED installation.
