Optimizing crop health
The essence of Plant Empowerment is to optimize crop growth and crop health, by supporting the plant balances. “It is about keeping the plant active and in balance, that is the purpose of everything. In addition, you want to realize a high production and certainly not suffer more from diseases than before.”
When the sun suddenly emerges, the greenhouse temperature can rise quickly at once. The fruits of the plant heat up less quickly, causing the fruit temperature to lag behind the greenhouse temperature. At the same time crop evaporation starts, causing the absolute humidity of the greenhouse air to rise. This combination of factors can cause condensation on the fruits. Pests and diseases can develop rapidly in the wet areas of the fruits, which is why crop condensation should be avoided.
At Kwekerij Aarts they used to have problems with fungal diseases, like mycosphaerella and botrytis. Meanwhile, by applying the principles of Plant Empowerment Gerard is able to control the moisture management in the greenhouse in such a way that the tomato cultivation is completed without a single case of botrytis. Mycosphaerella outbreaks have also become a thing of the past in cucumber cultivation.
“That is because we always keep the plant active and at the same time have good humidity control.”