Follow the ten-part online Plant Empowerment course “The power of integrated solutions”. The online course was held once a month in 2021-2022 and we recorded each session where we focused on the importance of integrated solutions.
Online ten-part course:
‘The power of integrated solutions’
Overcome daily challenges
Plant Empowerment’s online course ‘The power of integrated solutions’ addresses common issues faced by growers around the world on a daily basis, such as challenges relating to a homogeneous climate, cracked fruits or an active and healthy root system. Each session lasts approximately 60-90 minutes. The courses was given from May 2021 and ended in February 2022. We recorded the sessions, so you can still follow the courses.
Follow the course
The course is given by the three authors of the reference work called ‘Plant Empowerment, the basic principles’ in cooperation with the consultants of the six Plant Empowerment Implementation Partners. Each session is presented by two or three experts ont heir own specialty, to dive deeper in the theoretical and practical knowledge.
You can follow the first session for free, register here->
Or buy the package for all ten session for €99,95
The revenues for the online course are used for further development of the philosophy.
The individual courses
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1. How to create a homogeneous climate (free preview)
Data-driven growing starts with a greenhouse climate that is as homogeneous as possible. Within departments, large temperature differences can occur due to broken windows, cracked screens, screen gaps etc. This does not benefit the quality of the crop. Do you want to know more about creating a homogeneous climate? Join our first session, it’s for free!
Experts: Implementation Partners LetsGrow.com and Ludvig Svensson -
2. How to maintain stable crop development
In spring, the crop often has to cope with large transitions in light and temperature. In order to convert these transitions into constant growth for the crop, the use of a constant RTR (Ratio Temperature Radiation) is an important tool. The aim is to keep the crop in balance so that there is a regular distribution between vegetative and generative growth, settlement of new fruit and harvested fruit and root and above-ground growth. Wondering how you can do that? Join this online course!
Experts: Co-author Peter Geelen and Implementation Partner Hoogendoorn Growth Management -
3. How to deal with high outside temperatures
In many parts of the world, we are heading towards summer and the temperature outside is rising. How can you ensure that the crop remains stress-free? As the temperature rises, so does the level of radiation. Radiation is the driving force behind photosynthesis (i.e. assimilate production), when it is used optimally. To keep the plant in balance, it is important to keep the stomata open. Therefore, the relative humidity should not drop drastically. This can be achieved, for instance, by using a misting system. Shading screens and decrease the greenhouse temperature can also be a solution to keep your crop stress-free in hotter conditions. Curious how to do this effectively? The experts will tell you all about it in this online course.
Experts: co-author Jan Voogt, Implementation Partners Letsgrow.com and Hoogendoorn Growth Management -
4. How to keep the root system active & healthy
If the root zone is not active and healthy, this can have major consequences for the plant. Quality will suffer. The plant is more susceptible to diseases and pests and shelf life is shortened. How can you create an active and healthy root zone? By measuring and keeping the various factors such as temperature, oxygen, water content, etc. in balance. The experts tell you exactly how to do this.
Experts: Implementation Partners Saint-Gobain Cultilene and Koppert Biological Systems. -
5. How to grow crops under light abatement screens
More municipalities are introducing stricter regulations for horticulture companies that artificially light their crops out of necessity to extend their growing season. Light abatement screens not only provide these companies with the necessary solution to keep the light under control, but also to reduce their energy costs. But how do you deal with humidity and heat development in the greenhouse when you are forced to close the screens? Our experts will tell you all about that in this fifth course.
Experts: co-author Peter van Weel, Implementation Partners Hortilux and Ludvig Svensson. -
6. How to achieve successful pollination
Since the introduction of artificial light, we can also grow plants during the dark winter. This means that also the bumblebee continues his job during the winter months. During the webinar the interaction between HPS/LED light and the bumblebee are discussed. What rules to follow to make sure you will also have a successful pollination during the wintertime.
Experts: Implementation Partners Koppert Biological Systems and Hortilux Schréder -
7. How to cultivate crops in non-heated plastic tunnels
When you are growing in a non-heated plastic greenhouse, you are faced with different challenges. The weather conditions have a big influence on your production period, f.e. earliness and elongation of the season can be disrupted by cold and wet weather. Furthermore to maintain a good and constant crop quality throughout the growing period is also not always easy. In this webinar you will get tips & tricks to tackle these challenges is a way that even high tech greenhouse growers can benefit from it.
Experts: Co-author Peter van Weel, Implementation Partner Ludvig Svensson -
8. How to produce fewer cracked fruits
Many growers are busy preparing for the new harvest cycle that they often forget what happened in the previous harvest cycle and analyse where they can optimise. This is often a cause of cracked fruit. It is important to spend less time in the greenhouse and more time looking at your targets and learning from the previous cycles. Want to know more? The experts tell you all about this in this course.
Experts: Co-author Peter Geelen, Implementation Partners Saint-Gobain Cultilene and Letsgrow.com -
9. How to optimize light-use efficiency
Plants can produce a lot of sugars with a lot of light. However, it happens regularly that they produce more sugars than they need at that moment. The result is that the plant gets thicker stems, extra leaves or fruit because there is ‘abundance’. However, if times of scarcity of light come, then the plant experiences all this abundance as a burden because, once the leaves, flowers and fruit have been produced, they all require sugars and must be maintained. A correct temperature light ratio is essential. The experts tell you in this lesson how to do this best.
Experts: Consultants of the Implementation Partners Hoogendoorn Growth Management, Hortilux Schreder -
10. How to actively prevent pests
Healthy and resilient plants are less attractive to pests and diseases. The plants can defend themselves better against stress factors such as insects or extreme conditions. Healthy plants also often have a better shelf life. Good cooperation with bacteria and fungi and good coordination with minerals are essential in this respect. But how do you do this exactly? The experts will explain and give tips and tricks.
Experts: Mark van der Werf, plant health expert at Koppert Biological Systems and co-author Jan Voogt.