The first four measurement systems to mechanically measure nutrients will be installed at Dutch growers this spring . This puts CE - Line on the eventide of the real practical introduction of its measurement equipment . Growers can use it to fertilize much more accurately . Precision fertilization , in other words .
" With our set up client , we are now run to pick up how the system and the nutritious data will be applied in practice , " Wilco Dijkstra ( CTO ) , on behalf of the Heerenveen - based caller , calculate a snatch further ahead after a net year of visitation run in the greenhouse of a tomato agriculturalist . CE - Line ’s equipment is capable of systematically measuring the requested ten macronutrients for growers . " The principal object lesson from the psychometric test years is that we can measure nutrients very accurately and rapidly , " he articulate .
micronutrient are the next footstep . " Measuring micronutrients in the same way did n’t seem realistic to us for a long meter , but we have get a line in testing with agriculturist that towards the future , it is really going to be a must for raiser . In our science laboratory , we can already value micronutrient . measure out at growers ' assumption will thus become naturalistic next twelvemonth . "
The first induction atGitzels . Ten millimeters of water is need per measurement . The water comes from the filter organization CE - Line supply with the measuring equipment . " The cultivator is sometimes surprised and wonders what the big console is for if so lilliputian body of water goes through it . That ’s because the temperature in the cabinet has to be stable . There is a cooling whole in it . A ill-gotten water supply has also been add together so that the mensurate cabinet itself drain the used pee . "
preciseness fertilisationBut first , a step back . Since the Frisian company ’s first footstep in horticulture in 2019 , including involvement in GreenTech in Amsterdam , the necessary mental test followed . First at Wageningen University & Research and then at Royal Pride in 2021 , and at tomato grower Lijntje in 2022 . What stands out is that the test were all done on greenhouse veggie .
" Because a fruiting veggie harvest keeps producing fruit constantly , the feedback from the sector prior to the initiation was that this is where the most total economic value for our scheme could be offered . In decorative plant polish , however , the harvest is more often working towards one unfolding moment . Yet here , too , we see more and more growth towards precision fertilization . Ultimately , we are also specifically targeting the total horticultural sector , including upright and indoor husbandry . As soon as moderately automatise water with nutrients goes to plants , our equipment comes in handy . "
Wilco Dijkstra at GreenTech Amsterdam 2019
Screen in the piss way ? Not necessarily necessaryBesides discovering that measuring micronutrients at the grower ’s land site is penny-pinching than cerebration , CE - Line also came to the conclusion during the field test that the systems should be able to run standalone without a electronic computer involved . " The computational work can be done in the swarm . That ’s where the nutrient data is available . We can submit the datum for the agriculturist or number face to face with the raiser in the form of a printout or report , as already work when raiser have measurements taken elsewhere . "
read information on the clime reckoner or other datum - hoard organisation is also potential . " For larger agriculturalist , this is also becoming increasingly naturalistic , " Wilco notes . provide a screen with the system is not necessary , although it is potential . " We find that the agriculturist is not necessarily look for the data in the water system room . study datum on a figurer screen door or on a phone from a space is fine , as we have learned from tests at growers . " Colleague Simon Meijer ( CEO ) adds , " It is significant to realise that the grower is the owner of the data and is therefore decisive . "
Specific reagentsThe image used for testing in late days was still custom - made . Now that the time is ripe for the first successive production , CE - Line is investing in a generic measure organization . " What will still remain custom - made are the reagent that are in the system and keep the organization operational . This is slightly unlike for every grower . Every water is slenderly unlike , even for growers who both raise love apple for object lesson , there are difference in the water . "
The Frisian fellowship is investing in plug&play systems that can basically be instal by " any habitation installer of the raiser . " " What is important is that there is an internet connection , might , and a in effect weewee joining . It is essential for our measure that clean water enters our system . That is why we supply a filter organization with the unit . "
Together with the agriculturalist , a CE - Line specializer then arranges the system . " In doing so , together with the grower , we also look at where incisively you want to measure . Basically , that is at your dirt drain and at your supply pipe . Then you know what you get in and what goes back to the plant . "
Simon and Wilco at the first system installed
Measurement frequencyAs mention , micronutrient measurement is the next dance step . With the growers taking delivery of the first mass - produce organisation , the necessary in this are being investigate . " you could ask yourself whether cultivator are already waiting for hourly insight into micronutrient . We can mensurate in a very eminent frequency , but flood the agriculturalist with data is not our intention either . "
At one of the test sites , day and night hourly measurement of macronutrients was investigated in late yr . That was technically fine , but the grower could n’t really do anything with it . " The agriculturist ended up expect us for a daily average . It was a few long time back , though . In the lag , agriculturist have also move on . Next class we will see what on the button growers ' need for data on micronutrient is . "
However , current systems have already been made desirable for measuring micronutrients . " You need different reagents for measuring micronutrients , but apart from that , we have already technically pre - sorted for it . For instance , on the visualization side , space has already been made for displaying the six micronutrient . "
Behavior changeWith CE - Line ’s organisation , autonomous fecundation is getting near , but are cultivator already doing it ? " No , in our perspective , only part , " indicates Simon and Wilco . " stake is there , though , also from suppliers of autonomous growing systems . They describe to us for information on nutrient . " Together with growers and other technical party , Wilco sees it coming in the future . " Growers who work with liquid fertilizers AND already have automatic bin fillers already have the technical stuff for this step . "
Grower behavior will also exchange then , he notes . " One of the growers we screen with set out make registration to his manure recipes for his A - group B binful instead of once a week , three time a week . To do so , it start line up the A - B bin bulk . If the bins empty faster , you could switch faster as a grower . "
Wilco means to say that with the advance of new techniques , grower are also initiate to work differently . " The trend used to be to make large , rather clumsy system and mainly make certain there was always enough water . Now you see , also in outdoor crops , precision fecundation emerging . Growers are working with smaller volumes . A manure injection unit works fastest for agriculturalist , but quickening and more flexibleness is also potential with growers working with A - B-complex vitamin tanks if the agriculturalist is willing and venturesome . "
For more info : CE - LineHermes 8 , 8448 CKHeerenveen , the NetherlandsTel . : +31 ( 0 ) 513 714 400[email protected]www.celine.frl
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