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[Going Green 1] Introducing Healthy Vertical Farming
April 23, 2019
Agricultural innovations are essential for feeding our ever-growing global population. Especially these days, as industrialization and global warming continue to negatively affect soil fertility and reduce the amount of arable land.
According to the United Nations, the world’s population is set to reach 9.8 billion by 2050. Such a large population would require approximately 1.7 times more food than is available now.
One potential solution for addressing the world’s need for more healthy and abundant food production is vertical farming – a process that’s growing increasingly popular in places like Europe, the U.S. and Japan, and involves food being grown indoors in vertically stacked layers.
Stable Food Production
What makes vertical farming such an efficient and viable means to produce food are the facts that it (1) saves space, and (2) allows farmers to grow crops all year round, regardless of climate or season.
Interest in vertical farming has been rapidly growing in recent years. Market research firm MarketsandMarkets predicts that the global market for vertical farming will be worth $18.4 billion by 2022, which is twice as much as the market was valued in 2016 ($9 billion).
Innovating for a Greener Future
The movement for healthy, sustainable food production is spreading across the world, and Samsung is committed to driving innovation in this area.
Last spring, Samsung announced the launch of a wide range of horticulture LED offerings that produce a broad spectrum of light to support healthy plant growth. On April 23, Samsung introduced an update to the LM301H, which features the highest photon efficacy among today’s mid-power white LED packages. The company has also revealed a number of exciting innovations designed to make it easy for consumers to grow and enjoy fresh, healthy vegetables from the comfort of their home.
Samsung also made waves at this year’s Kitchen & Bath Industry Show in Las Vegas with its all-new Chef Garden technology, which offers a simple, environmentally friendly way to grow food at home. Chef Garden integrates seamlessly with Samsung’s next-generation Family Hub refrigerator, and automatically regulates light wavelengths to enable users to grow and enjoy fresh, pesticide-free fruit and vegetables all year round.
“There is a growing interest in healthy food,” said Chohui Kim of Samsung Electronics’ LED Technology Center. “Horticulture LED is playing a key role in vertical farming and indoor crop cultivation, and we are looking to expand its applications in various fields.”
The second part of Samsung Electronics’ “Going Green” series will highlight technology trends and the company’s efforts regarding eco-friendly crop cultivation in detail.
Chef Garden Going Green horticulture LEDLM301H PLANTBOX vertical farming
Products > Home Appliances
Products > Semiconductors
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Aphria Shows Automation in New Video
Automated seeding, cloning, multi-layer propagation, processing in a highly automated machine line. In a new video, Aphria shows what they believe to be the future of this industry. "Innovation: the sky's the limit."
In the video, the team explains the importance of their horticultural background and their horticultural founders, who grew in greenhouses. Also their suppliers are well-known from the horticultural industry: Bosman Van Zaal, AgriNomix LLC, Indigo Logistics B.V. and Flier Systems took care of the automation of the farm.
In the video Aphria also show their global expansion plans, including South Africa, Lesotho, Colombia, Argentina, British Columbia, Ontario, Jamaica, Denmark, Germany, Italy & Malta.
Want to stay updated on the news on medicinal marijuana production? Sign up for our new publication MMJDaily.com.
For more information:
Bosman van Zaal
+31 297 344 344
info@bosmanvanzaal.com
www.bosmanvanzaal.com
"Labor Is The Number One Topic In All The Conversations We Are Currently Having"
“…Being a wholesaler and being constantly aware of the need to add value to our customers’ businesses, we are focused on finding the winning innovation of tomorrow”
As we begin 2019, the moment is here to take a general look at the industry, and who better to discuss today’s topics with than Chris Higgins? With Hort Americas continually competing to be one of the leading wholesalers in North America, and Chris being a complete horti-geek, he’s on top of the industry’s topics of today and tomorrow. And there’s much to cover at the moment. “For us, Hort Americas, the only constant thing we see is change. Being a wholesaler and being constantly aware of the need to add value to our customers’ businesses, we are focused on finding the winning innovation of tomorrow”, he explains.
Drew Demler (State Fair of Texas), Chris Higgins and Stephen Ritz (Green Bronx Machine) (photo Hort Americas)
Anniversary
It's been almost a decade since Hort Americas was founded. In April 2009, a group of young American entrepreneurs united with the Dutch suppliers of Horticoop and started bringing horticultural products to the quickly growing horticultural industry of the USA and Canada. Operating as a wholesaler, the company made many products accessible to bigger and smaller companies.
Within their client base you can find vegetable growers, ornamental growers as well as a wide variety of growers implementing a wide variety of innovative techniques used to produce an even wider variety of crops. However, there are various topics that unite them. “Labor is the number one topic in all the conversations we are currently having. It does not seem to matter if we are talking about commercial horticulture, field agriculture or vertical farming. This trend seems constant. In vegetable production as well as in ornamental horticultural production – the quality, availability and cost of labor is the number one topic in North America”, Chris explains. To the company, being on top of these trends and offering solutions to them is key.
“We have a fairly narrow focus on a niche market and we are in contact with our client base daily. This allows us to understand their needs intimately and find and deliver solutions that make our customers more profitable and more successful.” He continues, “This includes new emerging markets as well as established industries that are evolving to meet demand and stay relevant, like indoor farming of medicinal crops and the hydroponic production of soft fruits.”
On a side note he offers, “I do believe that out of these new or evolving grower populations, we are going to see some all stars: people that do things differently - apply new technology, or operate their business in a different way - and become the leaders. But, as common throughout history, it will only be a small percentage of the companies that change the industry. And it is not our desire nor our goal to pick winners. To us, the focus is the complete industry: seeing the similarities between the companies and the way trends and novelties impact their operation. Within these topics, we select products that are winners to us: that can add value to most growers' businesses. That’s how we’re serving the industry and how we are on the look-out for our own product range.”
Role as a wholesaler
The company's vision sounds clear - but there’s challenges in the market. In 2018 Horticoop, the Dutch partner of Hort Americas, announced it would resign their wholesale activities and focus on production only. Whilst this does not affect the Hort Americas business, it did urge the company to rethink their role as a wholesaler. Adding value is key, Chris explains. “Being a distributor is more than just selling or providing products. To us it is offering growers solutions to better their business in both the short and the long term.” To do so, HortAmericas puts a lot of effort in helping growers with their specific challenges and, if needed, educate them about the solutions. “Before, being a supplier meant supplying products. Now it’s about understanding what our growers need and value, then finding ways to fulfill those needs as a service: educating, improving the crop(s) quality, creating a better more efficient work environment, and eventually helping growers find ways to become more profitable.”
Demo Greenhouse
It’s not just a vision to Hort Americas. Besides being active continuously in educating growers and researching a lot, the company (which two years ago started their own demo greenhouse) is focused on creating positive change within their community while at the same time improving the knowledge of the Hort Americas team and their ability to communicate that knowledge with both their vendors and their grower partners.
“Thanks to our relationship with the State Fair of Texas (better known as Big Tex Urban Farms), who’ve continuously supported our business, we’ve been able to combine our efforts, energies and resources to create a demo greenhouse at the fairgrounds based in Dallas, Texas. As long as you have scheduled an appointment, it is open for both the community and growers year round. It is in production year round. It is in a constant state of learning and development. But most importantly it is contributing free, safe and healthy food to members of the south Dallas community in need.”
Night time before the start of the Texas State Fair, where more than 200 thousand people are estimated to visit the greenhouse each year. This pond uses Current, Powered by GE LED Top Lights and the Moleaer Nanobubble Generator. (photo Hort Americas)
Hot summer
When asked why Dallas, Texas, Higgins responds, “We are testing products and trying to prove their value. The hot Texas summers offer a tough and difficult environment to grow in. If we can make it work in Dallas, we are confident in the quality of these products and their abilities to perform in some of the most harsh circumstances.” From their commitment to have a positive social impact to their commitment to playing an important role in both the success of their vendors and their grower partners, Higgins is excited and enthusiastic about the future.Then there’s the social aspect: adding value to the local community.
Chilling the rootzone
In the demo greenhouse the Moleaer system is shown - one of Hort Americas' most talked about products at the moment. “We’ve focused on the limiting factors in producing the best possible crops 12 months of the year. One of the biggest issues in Dallas turned out to be controlling temperature of the root-zone. Chilling the rootzone is not cost-effective in most scenarios. Adding dissolved oxygen to it, turned out to do the trick.”
To Chris, the Moleaer product range offered a typical Hort Americas solution. “It can benefit many growers in an affordable, easy way and it is applicable in a wide area of the countries we service”, he explains. “With Hort Americas, we want to be there for a large group of growers. Products that are only accessible to a small part of the market are not a good fit to us. We are looking for the products that help the average grower in their business.”
Add value by specializing
He explains how the North American industry on one hand consists of big companies, in need of tailor-made solutions. “Then there is a large amount of smaller scale customers. These farming operations do not follow the same pattern of upscaling or monocropping. Instead they add value by specializing in specific groups of products, serving local communities with locally grown product or whatever business model proves them to be right. Whilst we are capable of supplying the large customers, we also want to bring suitable products and services to the farms and greenhouses of all shapes and sizes.”
The Sudlac product portfolio is another example of a product line that is effective for large and small greenhouse ranges as well as hydroponic vegetable production and ornamental horticulture. The demand for the various shading solutions has been on the rise. “Creating a better production climate is of course important to growers everywhere in the world. The added value at the moment is in innovative second generation shading products that not only reduce the amount of light in the greenhouse, but can manipulate and improve light in ways that can enhance crop quality.”
USDA Fresh Herbs Grant Planning Meeting held during the 2018 Texas State Fair. (photo Hort Americas)
Relationships with suppliers
The importance of a good and stable relationship isn’t a one way road. Relationships with suppliers are of high importance to Hort Americas. “Obviously the product itself is important in our selection, but it’s not just that... it cannot be just that. Trust between us and our valued suppliers has continued to evolve into a vital part of our business model. We look for specific relationships with suppliers. We look for companies that we can count on and trust, and vice versa. We ask ourselves, ‘Can the manufacturer add value to the chain? Can we help them market their products in the better ways? Do the manufacturers understand the needs of the market?’ Again we want to create partnerships. Partnerships lead to better business for everyone involved.”
A perfect example of this is Hort Americas' relationship with Current by GE (LED grow light solutions). Adding lighting to the crop is an important topic for many growers wanting to lengthen their season and increase their production. “This goes for vegetables, but for sure is not exclusive to vegetable crops. Managing light intensity, light quality and photoperiod is important in all crop production. LED lighting has helped everyone from tree nurseries (for example) becoming more efficient in growing maple trees to tissue culture facilities producing ornamental and medicinal crops.
"Investing in LED is all about effectiveness and efficiency - making it a perfect Hort Americas product catalog. And the engineering team at Current has helped us to develop a variety of fixtures perfect for many (not all) applications. We are working towards that.” Higgins’ excitement about the GE partnership carries over to other partners that are helping them produce innovative fertilizers and have provided them with opportunities to explore new technologies like 30MHZ (sensor products offering growers a better control and more insights on their crop).
Leafy Greens being grown under Current, Powered by GE LED Grow Lights (Arize Lynk LED Grow Lights) (photo Hort Americas)
Keeping up is a challenge
With the Hort Americas client base being super diverse, staying on top of the various needs in the industry is of vital importance. “Keeping up with all the issues along with the wide range of crops and topics indeed is a challenge”, Chris confirms. “On the other hand, trends are similar across the categories. Labor (again) is something affecting the complete industry: the quality, availability and cost of it is the number one topic in North America at the moment. The biggest difference between the various sub-segments within industries are access finance and the pace of developments and investments - depending on both the maturity of the sectors and what their opportunity for profits look like. But in the end the demand of growers is the same in all crops. It all comes down to the smart use of technology and how that technology lets the grower achieve a sound ROI. That’s the main question we are all trying to answer. This will always be the question we are trying to answer.”
For more information:
Hort Americas
Chris Higgins
chiggins@hortamericas.com
www.hortamericas.com
Publication date : 1/15/2019
Author: Arlette Sijmonsma
© HortiDaily.com
How Osram Is Investing in Horticulture Technology Partnerships
The deal was a key part of Osram’s mission of moving beyond its role as a lighting company, and becoming a leading provider of intelligent plant growth solutions.
By Brian D. Sparks|December 3, 2018
Hällnäs Handelsträdgård in Northern Sweden is using Fluence’s VYPRx PLUS with PhysioSpec Greenhouse spectrum for full-cycle plant growth and development, along with Fluence’s VYPRx PLUS with AnthoSpec as a finishing spectrum to increase anthocyanin accumulation in lettuce. This has resulted in a deep-red color and higher antioxidant properties, which were previously impossible to produce under HPS or sunlight.
Photo courtesy of Osram
Earlier this year, Osram, a Munich, Germany-based tech company, acquired Fluence Bioengineering, which specializes in LED-based horticulture lighting systems. The deal was a key part of Osram’s mission of moving beyond its role as a lighting company, and becoming a leading provider of intelligent plant growth solutions.
Osram’s 110-year history in lighting is based on four pillars:
Mobility
Security and safety
Connectivity, particularly in smart buildings and cities
Health and well-being
Initially focused on the automotive and entertainment industries, the company became more engaged in horticulture when old traditional light sources were disrupted by the growth of LEDs.
“Our products changed over to LEDs for many of the same original applications, in addition to use in the medical and horticulture industries,” says Timo Bongartz, Senior Innovation Manager for Smart Farming at Osram. Now, Bongartz says, we are seeing the next industry disruptor: the Internet of Things.
“Light source alone is not enough anymore,” Bongartz says. “We saw a need to create more value around lighting, and that’s why we are shifting more from a lighting company to a technology company. We do not just want to provide components, but lighting solutions for all types of indoor production, from ornamental greenhouses to vertical farms to cannabis production facilities.”
This innovative mission was the basis behind Osram’s acquisition of Fluence, as well as its partnership with Motorleaf, a software service solutions provider.
“We want to allow growers to make more efficient use of their time, so we’re looking to provide tools for microclimate management and disease and yield prediction,” Bongartz says. “If growers know early how their yields will be, they can hopefully get higher prices.”
Bongartz says Osram also wants to stay in the loop on when a grower’s production system or crop mix may be changing, so it can place lights accordingly.
We see growers wanting to bring more intelligence and cloud-based control into their intelligent lighting systems,” he says. “On a light prediction level, we are making lights connectible and controllable through the cloud. This is how we are bringing more value to lighting solutions.”
Phytofy RL is an LED horticultural lighting system for research applications with real-time control and scheduling features for each individual channel. The calibrated system is capable of delivering light treatments with varying spectra (wavelength and intensity) for horticulture research, including far-red end-of-day treatment, brief UV light, night interruption lighting, etc.
Photo courtesy of Osram
Osram and Fluence Partner on New Lighting Systems
RAZR4 Array
From seed germination and cutting propagation to full-cycle microgreen and leafy green cultivation, RAZR4 is optimized to decrease consumption and increase production for vertical farm applications. At 2.3 µmol/J, RAZR4 is 169% more energy efficient than standard vertical farm lighting systems, while providing up to 350% more photosynthetic photon flux.VYPRx PLUS
With energy efficiency reaching 2.3 μmol/J and output surpassing 1,190 μmol/s, VYPRx PLUS is key to establishing a path to sustainability and productivity in a greenhouse. Whether extending the day or growing season for low daily light integral (DLI) crops, VYPR has the power, energy efficiency, and longevity to grow consistent crops year-round.SPYDR 2i
The SPYDR series is designed for controlled environment horticulture applications requiring efficient, precise, and uniform levels of photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD). The SPYDR 2i is streamlined to quickly deploy in multi-tier vertical farm applications for high-DLI crops and single-tier applications including growth chambers, adjacent aisle tables, and tents.
NASA is studying lighting combinations and recipes that it can then apply to crops grown in the International Space Station.
Photo courtesy of Osram
New Research Is Out of This World
While it is focused on offering growers new lighting systems and components, Osram is also doing its own research to help growers become more innovative by enabling them to develop their own light recipes. Using a tool called Phtyofy, growers can set up trials, changing light spectrums throughout the day based on how the plants are reacting.
This tool has also been developed through partnerships with Michigan State University (MSU) and even NASA. When MSU horticultural lighting expert Dr. Erik Runkle was planning a new controlled environment lighting lab, he reached out to Osram’s Semiconductors division. Partnering with Runkle gave Osram access to plant science from a horticulture perspective, while enabling MSU students to carry out lighting research on the wavelengths and light quality that may be optimal for certain crops.
The NASA partnership started through HortAmericas, whom NASA approached when it was looking for a lighting source. At Cultivate’18, one of the NASA researchers visited with the Osram team, who provided them with three lighting units for use in NASA’s advanced plant habitat lab. The objective of NASA’s research is to study lighting combinations and recipes that it could apply for crops grown in the International Space Station.
Valoya Has One Of the Largest Patent Portfolios of the Horticultural Lighting Industry
Since its founding in 2009 Valoya’s focus has been on research in plant biology and technology for the purpose of creating the best possible LED lighting solutions for growers worldwide. In this process Valoya has accumulated 86 patents making it one of the greatest patent holders in the horticultural lighting industry, globally.
‘None of our spectra are ‘off-the-shelf’ but rather results of years of research. Thus far we have tested more than 60 spectra variations before we commercialized the 6 that we offer at the moment. We believe that a finely balanced spectrum can make all the difference for growers and enable them to bring superior products to the market. This stands for the crop science field as well as the emerging markets such as vertical farming and cannabis’ says Nemanja Rodic, the Marketing Manager of Valoya.
Nowadays the number of LED lighting providers is growing rapidly creating confusion for growers when making their purchase decisions. Furthermore, as LED technology evolves, technical specifications among various manufacturers’ products are converging. One way for growers to identify superior lighting providers is to analyze the amount of research they have conducted and published in plant biology and technology fields as well as the number of patents the company holds. This ensures that claims made by that lighting manufacturer can be substantiated with data and are not just replicated industry standard figures e.g. a 50 000 hour life span of the luminaire, which few manufacturers could show actual light-decay-over-time data on.
Valoya’s research has partially been done in-house and partially in collaboration with various partners, companies and research institutes around the world. This commitment to research has earned it high profile clients including 8 out of 10 world’s largest agricultural companies in addition to countless other partners in the 51 countries Valoya has sold to thus far.
Next year the company will celebrate its 10th anniversary making it one of the most experienced horticultural LED lighting companies in the market. The commitment to research and development continues, especially nowadays in the time of Valoya’s rapid expansion.
To see the full list of Valoya’s patents, please go to: valoya.com/patents
About Valoya Oy
Valoya is a provider of high end, energy efficient LED grow lights for use in crop science, vertical farming and medicinal plants cultivation. Valoya LED grow lights have been developed using Valoya's proprietary LED technology and extensive plant photobiology research. Valoya's customer base includes numerous vertical farms, greenhouses and research institutions all over the world (including 8 out of 10 world’s largest agricultural companies).
Additional information:
Valoya Oy, Finland
Tel: +358 10 2350300
Email: sales@valoya.com
Web: www.valoya.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/valoyafi/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/valoya
How To Improve Plant Growth With Micro-organisms
For indoor growers, beneficial micro-organisms are one of the keys to unlocking a garden’s full potential.
Eric Hopper | 2018
Presented by Sponsor: BluePlanet Labs
Takeaway: The advantages of beneficial micro-organisms in the garden are multifaceted, and experts believe their use will continue to expand throughout the horticulture industry. For indoor growers, beneficial micro-organisms are one of the keys to unlocking a garden’s full potential. The most common types of beneficial micro-organisms used by indoor growers can be broken down into three categories: beneficial bacteria, trichoderma and mycorrhizae.
Soil is so much more than just dirt. It is packed full of biological activity, and many growers consider it to be a living thing. In the last 10 years, researchers have started to understand just how important the biological activity in soil really is. Long-term use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides has caused significant damage to the network of micro-organisms naturally found in soil.
We are starting to understand that without a healthy, living soil, sustainable horticulture is impossible, and as we continue to learn more about the intricate roles micro-organisms play in the soil, we see more methods, techniques and products aimed at maintaining the soil’s biological activity.
The reason indoor growers are getting so revved up about soil micro-organisms is because they help produce healthier growth and more abundant yields. To enjoy the benefits of beneficial microbes immediately, indoor growers can purchase soils or grow mediums inoculated with beneficial micro-organisms.
If the soil has not been inoculated, or if growers want to supercharge the biological activity of their soils, they can add beneficial micro-organisms either to the soil or to their feeding program. The types of beneficial micro-organisms commonly used by indoor growers can be broken down into three categories: beneficial bacteria, trichoderma and mycorrhizae.
Beneficial Bacteria in the Garden
There are many different types of beneficial bacteria indoor growers can use in the garden, the most common being soil-borne beneficial bacteria. There are many different strains of bacteria that live underground and provide benefits to plants. Depending on their strain, these bacteria help break down organic matter, add to soil composition, facilitate nutrient uptake and help protect plants and their roots from pathogens.
Adding beneficial bacteria to the soil or grow medium gives bacteria a chance to colonize and multiply quickly. A large population of colonizing beneficial bacteria equates to a faster breakdown of organic matter. This breakdown converts the organic matter into soluble compounds, which become readily available to plants. A healthy population of beneficial bacteria increases a plant’s ability to feed, which accelerates growth.
Aside from being inoculated into a medium, there are other ways beneficial bacteria are being put to use in an indoor garden. Many organic pesticides and fungicides contain strains of beneficial bacteria. Certain bacteria feed on pathogenic fungi, such as powdery mildew, and can be used as an effective treatment against such pathogens. Bacillus subtilis are a great example of beneficial bacteria used to treat powdery mildew. These bacteria are administered via foliar spray and are only effective where they make direct contact with the powdery mildew.
Beneficial bacteria have also made their mark as pesticides, especially for indoor plants. The bacterial species Saccharopolyspora spinosa is used as an effective, general-purpose insecticide due to its ability to affect the way an insect digests its food and the way it molts. Basically, the bacteria break the insect’s life cycle so it cannot continue to reproduce. Another bacterium commonly used as an insecticide is bacillus thuringiensis. Commonly referred to as BT, this beneficial bacterium is effective at controlling soft-bodied insect populations. In general, bacteria-based insecticides are much less toxic than their chemical counterparts.
(Special organic services for large scale agricultural grows are available from AquaClean)
Trichoderma in Horticulture
In an indoor garden, trichoderma are most commonly used as a preventative defense against pathogenic fungi. Trichoderma are specialized fungi that feed on other fungi, but it is actually the enzymes released by the trichoderma that give these microscopic, defensive all-stars their power.
Trichoderma release chitinase enzymes that break down chitin—the primary material that makes up the cell walls of pathogenic fungi. The chitinase enzymes released by trichoderma microbes eat away at the pathogenic fungi and, in turn, protect roots from being attacked.
Trichoderma have gained a reputation among indoor growers as being soil pathogen preventers. In fact, when a large population of pathogenic fungi exists in the soil, trichoderma increase chitinase production and feed almost exclusively on the pathogens.
Trichoderma also release another enzyme beneficial to indoor growers: cellulase. Cellulase are beneficial to the garden in two ways. First, cellulase aid in the breakdown of organic material in the soil, turning it into readily available nutrients for the plant. Second, cellulase can penetrate root cells. How can penetrating the cell walls of roots be beneficial?
It turns out that when the cellulase penetrate the root cells, they automatically trigger the plant’s natural defense system. The plant’s metabolism is stimulated, but no real harm is caused to the plant. In this regard, trichoderma has a synergistic relationship with plants. Trichoderma feed on sugars secreted by roots, while the plants develop a heightened resistance against pests and pathogens.
Mycorrhizae in Horticulture
The beneficial micro-organisms most commonly supplemented by indoor growers are mycorrhizae. Mycorrhizae are naturally occurring fungi that form symbiotic relationships with more than 90% of the world’s plant species, so their presence in the soil is imperative. Many soil companies are now incorporating mycorrhizae into their soils. You may even find that your favorite soil or medium is now being sold with added mycorrhizae, and even some lawn-care products now contain mycorrhizae.
There are a couple ways to supplement mycorrhizae in an indoor garden. Powder and liquid concentrates of mycorrhizae are available, which allow you to inoculate any type of medium or hydroponic system. The symbiotic relationship between mycorrhizae and roots may be the most important relationship in organic horticulture.
Essentially, mycorrhizal fungi become an extension of the root system and further their reach into the depths of the soil. This extension broadens the plant’s access to vital nutrients. As mentioned before, mycorrhizae have synergistic relationships with plant roots. The extending web of mycorrhizal fungi assimilate nutrients for the plant and the plant’s roots secrete sugars or carbon for the fungi to feed on.
Like with trichoderma, it is the enzymes produced by mycorrhizal fungi that make these microbes such an asset to plants. The enzymes released by mycorrhizae dissolve otherwise hard-to-capture nutrients such as organic nitrogen, phosphorus and iron. Although many mycorrhizal formulations contain both types of mycorrhizae and are sold as general mycorrhizal supplements, there are actually two types of mycorrhizal fungi commonly used by growers: endomycorrhiza and ectomycorrhiza.
Endomycorrhiza are mycorrhizal fungi whose hyphae (long, branching filamentous structures of the fungus) penetrate the plant cells. Instead of penetrating the interior of the cell, the hyphae manipulate the cell membrane, turning it inside out, which increases the contact surface area between the hyphae and the cytoplasm. This helps facilitate the transfer of nutrients between them while requiring less energy than would otherwise be needed by the plant to do so. This specialized relationship increases the efficiency of nutrient uptake.
Ectomycorrhiza are a group of fungi that have a structure surrounding the root tip. Ectomycorrhiza essentially surround the outer layer of the root mass. In nature, vast networks of ectomycorrhiza extend between plants, even if they are of different varieties, and allow plants to transfer nutrients to one another. The ectomycorrhiza act as a super highway for the transfer of nutrients.
When sourcing mycorrhizal products, you’ll notice that formulations contain both types of mycorrhizae. These two types can also be purchased individually. A closer look at the product label reveals the percentage of each type of mycorrhizae it contains. The label of any mycorrhizal product should also have an expiration date.
Although supplements in powdered form generally have a longer shelf life, micro-organisms are living creatures and their effectiveness dwindles as they age and die out. Liquid formulations tend to have a shorter shelf life, so you should plan on using these formulas more quickly.
As scientists learn more about the complex world of micro-organisms and how they affect horticulture, we get closer to creating the ultimate indoor growing environment. Organic growers are paying close attention to the development of beneficial micro-organism products.
Beneficial micro-organisms in the soil or grow medium boost nutrient uptake, aid in the breakdown of organic matter and increase a plant’s natural defense mechanisms. Whether they are used to treat powdery mildew or combat a pathogenic insect, certain micro-organisms get the job done without the environmental impact associated with harsh chemical treatments.
ASABE Announces The Publication Of A New Lighting Standard For Horticulture
November 1, 2018
ST JOSEPH, MICHIGAN— The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) has published the second in a three-part series of standards relating to LED radiation measurements for plant growth and development.
ANSI/ASABE S642, Recommended Methods for Measurement and Testing of LED Products for Plant Growth and Development, describes the methods used for measurement and testing of LED packages, arrays, and modules; LED lamps; and any other LED optical radiation devices.
This standard was preceded by the first document in the series, S640, Quantities and Units of Electromagnetic Radiation for Plants (Photosynthetic Organisms), which presented definitions and descriptions of metrics for plant growth and development. The final standard in the series will focus on performance criteria for LED systems used in horticulture.
ASABE members with standards access and those with site-license privileges can access the full-text of the standard by electronic download within the next few weeks. Location for the download is on the ASABE online Technical Library at: elibrary.asabe.org. Others can obtain a copy for a fee directly from the library or by contacting ASABE headquarters at OrderStandard@asabe.org.
ASABE is recognized worldwide as a standards developing organization for food, agricultural, and biological systems, with more than 260 standards currently in publication. Conformance to ASABE standards is voluntary, except where required by state, provincial, or other governmental requirements, and the documents are developed by consensus in accordance with procedures approved by the American National Standards Institute.
For information on this or any other ASABE standard, contact Scott Cedarquist at 269-932-7031, cedarq@asabe.org.
A current listing of all ASABE standards projects can be found on the ASABE web site at www.asabe.org/projects.
ASABE is an international scientific and educational organization dedicated to the advancement of engineering applicable to agricultural, food, and biological systems.
Further information on the Society can be obtained by contacting ASABE at (269) 429-0300, emailing hq@asabe.org or visiting www.asabe.org/.
Weird New Fruits Could Hit Aisles Soon Thanks to Gene-Editing
Supermarkets stocked with peach-flavoured strawberries and seedless tomatoes on horizon, scientists say
Supermarkets stocked with peach-flavored strawberries and seedless tomatoes are on the horizon, scientists say
20 July 2018
A red-fleshed apple of the Redlove hybrid variety. Unusual fruits such as this could soon become more common thanks to use of technologies such as Crispr. Photograph: Bailey-Cooper Photography/Alamy Stock Photo
Smooth or hairy, pungent or tasteless, deep-hued or bright: new versions of old fruits could be hitting the produce aisles as plant experts embrace cutting-edge technology, scientists say.
While researchers have previously produced plants with specific traits through traditional breeding techniques, experts say new technologies such as the gene-editing tool Crispr-Cas9 could be used to bring about changes far more rapidly and efficiently.
It could, they say, potentially open the door to a new range of fruits and vegetables that look, taste and feel very different to those we are used to.
Gene-editing is already being used by scientists to change the characteristics of food. One such endeavor used Crispr to make mushrooms that don’t brown, while a team in Spain has been using the approach to try to produce wheat that can be eaten by people with coeliac disease. Still, others are looking at using gene-editing to give crops resistance to particular environmental problems or pathogens.
Earlier this year, biotech firm Monsanto invested $125m in a new gene-editing company called Pairwise that reportedly has goals such as sweeter-tasting strawberries, while scientists in Japan have used the technique to produce seedless tomatoes. Another team have been using Crispr to change the architecture of tomato plant branches and the spacing of fruit.
nside a lab in Norwich where researchers from a startup called Tropic Biosciences are using Crispr to create a better banana. Photograph: Tatum Reid/Tropic Biosciences
Among the genes flagged in the new study in the journal Trends in Plant Science are those behind the production of a family of substances known as MYBs, which are among the proteins that control whether other genes are switched on or off.
“MYBs are great targets because they are central to several consumer traits or features like colour, flavour [and] texture,” said Andrew Allan, a co-author of the review from the University of Auckland whose own projects include working on red-fleshed apples and changing the colour of kiwi fruits. “Russet skin in apple and pear [is linked to MYBs]. Hairs on peaches but not nectarines – another type of MYB.”
Dr Richard Harrison, head of genetics, genomics and breeding at the horticultural organisation NIAB EMR, who was not involved in the article, said tweaking MYB genes or the way such genes are themselves controlled was a fruitful approach.
“For fruits,” he said, “MYB genes have long been known to be associated with expression of molecules such as anthocyanin, a red-coloured compound that gives strawberries or blood-red oranges their colour. “Increasingly, MYBs are being implicated in the production of other important compounds, hence the interest in this family of genes that are conserved between many plant species.”
Gene-editing of MYB genes and other genes could bring a host of benefits, Harrison said, adding: “There is a large opportunity to improve the nutritional profile of fruits and vegetables in the future using gene-editing technology, as well as other techniques.” Such techniques, he said, introduce the same sort of DNA changes as plant breeders have introduced by artificially selecting traits that cropped up through spontaneous DNA mutation – but much faster.
Hybrid purple raspberries of the Glen Coe variety. Crispr may make such specimens more common. Photograph: PR/Suttons
“Red-fleshed apples developed through conventional breeding have taken decades to even come close to market acceptability,” he said, “due to the multiple rounds of breeding and selection that have had to occur to take the naturally occurring red-fleshed gene variant from a wild species of apple and introduce it into a commercially acceptable variety.
“In our normal breeding work, we often see seedlings produced purely from conventional breeding with a range of colour and flavour profiles that simply never make it to the market, such as peach-flavoured strawberries [and] super-dark purpleish strawberries.”
The review is timely: next week the European Court of Justice will announce if or how plants that have been gene-edited using techniques such as Crispr will be regulated, and whether they will be treated like genetically modified plants. The US has already ruled against serious restrictions, provided the changes could have been produced through traditional plant-breeding techniques.
“We are interested in making produce more healthy, sustainable and convenient so that people will eat more produce,” Dr Haven Baker, Pairwise’s chief business officer, said, noting that gene-editing could be used to increase levels of anthocyanins, improve taste, increase shelf life, improve yields, boost disease resistance or even lengthen the season of availability.
Such approaches, said Baker, could not only boost consumers’ nutrient intake, but could also reduce food waste and produce adaptations needed to weather climate change: “We are trying to solve problems that matter to both consumers and the agricultural systems.”
What’s The Best Way To Compare Lighting Efficiency?
Posted on 04/26/2018
What’s The Best Way To Compare Lighting Efficiency?
Written by David Kuack
When choosing horticultural lighting, growers need to consider lighting efficiency and how the lighting will be used.
There is a big difference between lighting efficiency for horticulture and lighting efficiency for consumer use. The difference is in who is receiving the light.
“From a human perspective since the early 20th century there was a number of researchers who studied how sensitive the human eye is to the light wavelengths,” said Eden Dubuc, technology leader at Current, powered by GE. “It was discovered that there are receptors in the eyes that collect blue, red and green light. The human eye is most sensitive to yellowish-green light, around 550 nanometers (nm). The reason that humans are really sensitive to this light is because they need to identify good plants as a source of food.
“This color sensitivity of humans varies depending on gender, age and location on the Earth. In order to standardize light measurement, scientists developed a sensitivity curve called a photopic curve that is based on statistical distribution from the world population.”
Dubuc said that it has only been since the 1970s that research has determined plant sensitivity to color. Plants absorb mostly light energy in the range from 400-700 nm, which is defined as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR).
“If white light, which is broad spectrum, is directed at plants, they appear green,” he said. “Plants absorb most of the red and blue light to activate photosynthesis. If a grower wants to create biomass, then blue and red light are the most sensitive to the plants to convert energy in the plants. Even though the ultraviolet (less than 400 nm) and far red (greater than 700 nm) are less useful to the plants for creating biomass, there are some benefits to other aspects of the plants.”
Determining lighting efficiency
Dubuc said lighting efficiency is related to how much electricity goes into the lighting fixture or luminaire and the amount of energy that comes out.
“If 1 watt of electricity is put into a luminaire and 0.5 watt of light comes out, then there is 0.5 watt of heat generated by the luminaire,” he said. “In some luminaires the energy can also be mechanical energy if there are moving parts. If a luminaire doesn’t use active cooling, there aren’t other ways of losing energy. Active cooling is not used in GE luminaires so the watts energy release is divided by two, a portion goes into light and a portion goes into heat.”
For growers trying to determine which type of lamp to use depends on whether they want a broader spectrum and whether the light will be used to keep the plants in a reproductive or vegetative state. Photos courtesy of Farmbox Greens
Dubuc said the same thing happens to the electricity regardless of whether a grower is using a light emitting diode (LED) or high pressure sodium (HPS) luminaire.
“In a LED the light is mostly in the visible range,” he said. “With HPS there can be a lot of infrared radiation so there is heat radiation from the luminaire that has to be taken into account. Subtracting the amount of watts going into a luminaire from the amount of visible light coming out, everything else is heat, either radiation, convection or conduction.”
In regards to the lighting efficiency of luminaires, Dubuc said most growers are now talking about photon efficacy, which is micromoles per joule.
“Micromoles are the quantity of photons,” he said. “Micromoles per second divided by watts creates micromoles per joule, which is photon efficacy. This is an important value when growers are looking at luminaires. This is how growers can compare the efficiency of the luminaire including the ballast and reflector.
“If lighting manufacturers are talking about micromoles per joule, they are measuring the lighting efficiency the same way. If they are using the units, micromoles per joule, it is well defined.”
Dubuc said if growers are using fluorescent lamps, the efficiency is about 1 micromole per joule.
“For a 400-watt metal halide lamp the efficiency is around 1.3 micromoles per joule,” he said. “For a 400-watt HPS there are 1.65 micromoles per joule. For a 1,000-watt double-ended HPS lamp there are 1.85 micromoles per joule.”
Dubuc said for LEDs the efficiency can vary depending on the light color.
“Our GE pink lights have an average of 2.5 micromoles per joule and our purple can go up to 2.8 micromoles per joule,” he said. “Determining which lamp to use will depend on whether growers want a broader spectrum and if they want the light for the plants to be in a more reproductive or more vegetative state.”
Adjusting light spectrum to optimize growth
Dubuc said prior to the introduction of LEDs the only viable lighting options available to growers were HPS, metal halide and fluorescent luminaires.
“The only difference between HPS and metal halide is that there is a different gas in the tube or bulb,” he said. “When the gas mixture in the glass bulb is activated, then the HPS produces yellowish light. When more mercury methyl gas is introduced into a metal halide bulb, it produces a bluer light.
“There are a few companies that tried to tweak the chemical content in the bulbs to get optimized lighting for plants. But the variation is very limited. When researchers started working with LEDs and phosphor, they were able to create different colors and different mixtures. This is when people realized the potential of playing with the spectrum, with the color. LEDs have the full flexibility to optimize the growth of plants because growers have the ability to tweak the spectrum.”
Dubuc said changing the spectrum may change the photon efficacy.
“With white light the spectrum is broader and a broad spectrum means phosphor has been added,” he said. “When more phosphor is added then efficacy is lost. When only blue and red LEDs are used together there is no phosphor in the system. There are currently two efficient LED compounds on the market. InGaN (blue light with peak efficacy at 450 nm) and AllnGaP (red light at peak efficacy at 660 nm) are the most efficient wavelengths for LED technology.”
The ratio of red to blue light impacts the effect on plant growth.
“GE LEDs offer three ratios of red to blue light,” Dubuc said. “We call these reproductive (6:1), vegetative (1:1) and balanced (3:1). The 3:1 ratio has three times more red light energy than blue light energy. If a grower wants the plants to elongate, then more red light is used. Plants exposed to more red light will grow faster and bigger, but will be more fragile.
“Blue energy controls the structure of the plants. If a 1:1 ratio with as much blue as red is used, plants will be really strong, but short and compact. If growers alter the ratio of blue to red, they can control the structure or morphology of the plants.”
Depending on what a grower is trying to accomplish with the LEDs will determine the ratio of red to blue light.
By altering the ratio of blue to red light, growers can control the plant morphology. A 1:1 ratio of blue to red light will produce strong, compact plants.
“Usually light distributors like Hort Americas will guide growers on what type of light to choose,” he said. “GE creates the fixture based on what the growers and plant researchers are asking for. GE’s expertise is to make good luminaires and conduct the research with universities. Hort Americas staff can properly guide the growers as to what spectrum is best for their crops. These spectrums are based on the many experiments conducted by university researchers and commercial growers.
“Some growers prefer using a broader spectrum (white or pink) to purple light because white light is human-friendly. When choosing lights, it has to be taken into consideration whether there will be humans working in the environment. However, using a broader spectrum impacts the efficacy of generating biomass.”
David Kuack is a freelance technical writer in Fort Worth, Texas; dkuack@gmail.com.
Tagged
Artificial Lighting, GE, GE LEDs, Greenhouse LED, LED Grow Lights
Fertinnowa Develops Water Book
Fertinnowa Develops Water Book
The Fertigation Bible has been prepared to provide useful practical information to the horticultural sector of the diverse technologies available for all aspects of fertigation within the EU. The various stages of the “fertigation process” are shown in the schematic representation below. The Fertigation Bible contains descriptions of the technologies related to these stages.
Each technology is described in terms of:
- Purpose/aim of the technology
- Regions, crops and cropping systems where it is used
- Working principle of operation
- Operational conditions
- Cost data
- Benefits for the grower – advantages and disadvantages
- Technological, socio-economic and regulatory bottlenecks and limitations
- Techniques resulting from this technology
- Supporting systems required
- Development, i.e. if it is in a research or development stage, or has been commercialized
- Who provides the technology
A total of 125 such technology descriptions are provided.
Considerable effort was made to ensure that the Fertigation Bible is as comprehensive as possible. Various members of the FERTINNOWA project, from 23 organisations from 10 countries, have worked on this document to describe the most commonly-used and promising technologies that are commercially available or are expected to be so in the near future.
You can download the Fertigation Bible here.
Publication date: 3/26/2018
Official Opening of The World Horti Center
Official Opening of The World Horti Center
The World Horti Center will have its official Grand Opening on Wednesday, March 7, 2018, in The Netherlands. The World Horti Center will introduce everyone to the concepts, values and core competencies important to their success. Come learn how they plan to create entrepreneurship, research, and education that will allow this innovation center to lead the world of horticulture into the future.
There will be an official opening ceremony that will take place for partners and participants in the World Horti Center (invitation only). Afterwards, the Center will celebrate the World Horti Festival, where companies, industry professionals, and students are welcome.
Contact the World Horti Center for additional information on the Grand Opening.
https://www.worldhorticenter.nl/nl/evenementen/officiele-opening
Career Opportunities for LED Lighting Experts and Urban Agriculture Salespeople!
Career Opportunities for LED Lighting Experts and Urban Agriculture Salespeople!
New Market Manager: Horticultural LED Lighting
Mac & Fulton Talent Partners is looking for an ambitious sales and marketing manager to help launch an LED lighting brand in the horticultural marketplace. This is a well-established lighting company looking to put their resources behind the right sales team.
JOB OFFER:
Market Manager to spearhead the launch of a new brand of LED lights with horticultural applications. The position is located in Milwaukee, WI.
Responsibilities:
- Create overall sales and marketing plans for product lines
- Assess market segments and growth and act accordingly
- Advise senior management about the nuances of the agriculture industry
- Develop price points
- Create distribution channels
- Consistently meet sales goals
- Study industry competitors
- Remain up-to-speed on horticultural technology advancements
Qualifications:
- BA in Business or like subject—preferred
- Experience in horticultural lighting field—preferred
- Sales in horticulture/hydroponics industry—required
- Experience in modern agriculture—required
- Well versed in product development and new market entry—preferred
Please email kentg@mandfconsultants.com or contact me on my mobile 414-412-3729 for more details.
You can also check us out at www.mandfconsultants.com.
Mac & Fulton Talent Partners—A recruiting firm focused on modern gardening—is working with a number of LED lighting product manufacturers in the horticultural marketplace.
About Us
We consider Mac & Fulton Talent Partners the most knowledgeable and attentive recruiting agency in the hydroponics and horticultural markets.
The team at M&F Talent sees a very real societal value in the burgeoning Urban Indoor Farming movement and are most interested in networking with industry professionals.
If you would like to learn more about Mac & Fulton, or would simply like to strike up a synergistic dialogue, Please email kentg@mandfconsultants or contact me on my mobile 414-412-3729 for more details.
You can also check us out at www.mandfconsultants.com
Kent Gruetzmacher
Determining The Potential Benefits of LEDs on Plants
Determining The Potential Benefits of LEDs on Plants
NOVEMBER 20, 2017 | DAVID KUACK
Researchers at Wageningen University in the Netherlands are studying the effects of LED lights on the growth, flowering and fruiting of vegetable and ornamental plants in controlled environments.
Dutch growers who are building new greenhouses or adding new grow lights to their existing operations are comparing high-pressure sodium (HPS) and light emitting diodes (LEDs) when making their decision.
“At the moment there aren’t as many growers making the switch from HPS to LEDs,” said Leo Marcelis, head of the chair group horticulture and product physiology at Wageningen University in the Netherlands. “Most growers who have made the investment in HPS lamps, they’re not just going to replace HPS with LEDs. It’s growers who are starting with a new greenhouse or who are retrofitting an existing greenhouse without lamps who are looking to install LEDs.
“The other growers who are adding LEDs are the ones who already have installed HPS and want to increase the light intensity and are adding LED interlighting. They are combining HPS top lighting with LED interlighting. This is occurring especially with the tall greenhouse vegetable crops like tomatoes. The HPS lamps are installed over the top of the crop and the interlighting LEDs are installed within the canopy.”
Photos courtesy of Leo Marcelis, Wageningen University
Many unanswered questions
With the increased grower interest in LEDs, researchers at the university are focusing more of their studies on the effects of single and combined light wavebands on plant growth, flowering and fruiting.
“Most of the research we are doing on lighting is with LEDs,” Marcelis said. “High-pressure sodium lamps are still the standard for most growers so the lamps are still relevant. But for our research, there is not as much being done with HPS as with LEDs. We are focusing more on LEDs. The opportunities created by LEDs, there are so many questions still unanswered about using LEDs. As growers start to put in new lights they are making the switch to LEDs. We expect more of that to occur in the coming years.”
Focus on controlled environment crops
Marcelis said greenhouse tomatoes are the largest crop in the Netherlands, even bigger than cut flowers such as roses and potted ornamental crops such as orchids.
“Tomato is the most important crop in our research. In the Netherlands, there are about 1,700 hectares of tomatoes in glass houses. About 1/3 of that area is equipped with HPS lamps. There are about 1,200 hectares of sweet peppers in glass houses with only a few hectares equipped with HPS lights. The calculations are such that the economics are not that profitable for sweet pepper and cucumber. It is more economical and profitable to light tomatoes, not sweet peppers and cucumbers. There are more growers starting to grow strawberries in greenhouses who are using LEDs to control the day length. More growers are also using LEDs for assimilation lighting.”
Marcelis said lettuce is another crop that is being studied whether it’s grown in vertical farming setups in warehouse facilities or in greenhouse operations. Roses and phalaenopsis orchids are the most important ornamental crops being studied.
“We currently aren’t doing any projects with cucumbers or sweet peppers using LEDs,” he said. “Since there are not as many growers using lights on these two crops, we are not focusing our research on them, but this could easily change in the coming years.”
Focused on issues important to growers
Marcelis said most of the university’s lighting research projects are on greenhouse produce because that is the area of most economic activity in the Netherlands.
“Vertical farming is attracting a lot of attention,” he said. “We are also conducting research in climate chambers which can have application to vertical farming.
Breeding researchers at Wageningen University are working in cooperation with commercial breeding companies to screen different genotypes to determine any variation under LED lights.
“We are looking at different aspects of lighting, including light spectrum and energy savings. Energy savings is an important issue with the growers so we are doing a lot of research on that. If the light used is more efficient, then there can be energy savings. Talking to the growers, year-round production, fruit quality and energy savings are the issues they’re interested in. If growers can increase production with the same amount of light, then there is an energy savings.
“The majority of lights are used for assimilation. They are primarily used from September through April. The greenhouses are equipped with climate control and the growers are measuring outside radiation. If the outside radiation falls below a designated level, then the lamps are often turned on. The growers typically choose a time frame during the day. From September through April all of the lights are used. After April then the lights might be used during relatively dark days.”
Looking at plant processes
Marcelis said the researchers are doing a lot of studies on photosynthesis and the morphology or architecture of the plants.
“Affecting the morphology impacts the light absorption of plants and the light distribution,” he said. “We feel light distribution is a very important issue where improvements can be made. We also do work with three-dimensional assimilation models. From light absorption, it goes to total growth of the plant as a whole. Another area of research is the distribution of assimilates among the different plant organs.”
Most of Wageningen University’s lighting research is on greenhouse produce because that is the area of most economic activity in the Netherlands.
Marcelis said there is also some preliminary research that indicates plants can be made more resistant to diseases, particularly increasing the resistance of roses to powdery mildew.
“We have done experiments that have indicated that we can improve disease resistance. Flower induction is also very important. It can be done now with controlling photoperiod, but can it be done using different spectra?
“There is also some work being done on the quality of the plants. Is it possible to focus the light on the tomato fruit in order to increase the vitamin C content? Some of the same things can be done with lettuce. We are also starting to look at post-harvest qualities. So we are looking at not only what can be done during cultivation, but also can the post-harvest quality of the fruit be improved. This also includes lengthening the shelf life of lettuce and cut flowers.”
Marcelis said studies are also being conducted in cooperation with commercial breeding companies and breeding researchers at the university.
“One of the projects is screening 40 different genotypes, including commercial cultivars,” he said. “One study is looking at the variation between genotypes under LEDs. The breeders will look at the variation between genotypes and try to determine why the variation is occurring. What parts of the plant are affected? Can breeders predict if varieties will do well or not so well under certain wavebands?
“There are all of these different genotypes. Some do better under white light than a mixture of red and blue. Some genotypes are showing better results under the red and blue light. They all don’t respond similarly. For breeders, it means there is a lot of opportunity and room for improvement. Since the focus is on using LEDs with tomatoes that is where most of the breeding research is being done.”
For more: Leo Marcelis, Wageningen University, Horticulture and Product Physiology Group, Wageningen, The Netherlands; (31) 317-485-675;
leo.marcelis@wur.nl; http://www.hpp.wur.nl
David Kuack is a freelance technical writer in Fort Worth, Texas; dkuack@gmail.com.