“Personalized advice guarantees better performance”

Since the beginning of this year, Lumiforte, the new name of plaster manufacturers Sudlac SAS and Mardenkro, has two general advisers for growers, researchers and extension agents. In its own words, Lumiforte responds to the “need for a more rational use of coatings”.

The climate is changing all over the world and growers are wondering how best to deal with it. This means that the need for customized solutions is increasing. At the same time, it is also easier to provide customization, as the number of different coatings has increased significantly.

Jelle Hoogland and Paul van Gils

Jelle Hoogland and Paul van Gils advise horticultural companies on the best solution and are in close contact with the world of research to follow new developments closely. They also supply these institutes with practical knowledge.

“We have a lot of knowledge in-house and we want to make it more efficient. To growers, crop advisors, distributors, contractors, but also our own colleagues,” says Hoogland. It mainly focuses on Central and Eastern Europe, CIS, Australia and New Zealand. Colleague Van Gils on North West Europe. Together, they have more than fifty years of experience in cultivation advice.

An ever better overview
Over the past fifteen years, we have witnessed an enormous growth in knowledge in the field of light and climate. The advantages of diffused light have become evident. The effect of infrared radiation. The importance of balance in the plant. Nowadays, knowledge about the importance of the right light color is increasing by leaps and bounds.

Based on growing scientific knowledge, ReduSystems has continuously developed new coatings to control the greenhouse climate and crop growth in a targeted manner. Producers can make better use of this range of options and adapt it to their own situation. Hoogland: “It is our responsibility to inform our customers about this. Now that we have been appointed general consultants, everyone knows who to contact with questions.

coordinate measures
It’s not just about choosing the right coating anymore, says Van Gils. “We work on the basic principles of new culture and plant empowerment. This means that you coordinate all your tools – air conditioning, watering, coatings, mobile screens – to establish a healthy culture. It is often a work art, especially in warmer countries. The choices you make are increasingly important. This may be due to an adjustment in the use of the current coating by means of an alternative or the application of different coatings on top of each other throughout the year with the aim, for example, of heating less (IR) inside while retaining the light of growth (PAR).

Their advice is not intended to replace that of agricultural advisers. “We make producers aware of the possibilities of their specific situation. The development of cultivation measures should, as usual, be done with the cultivation adviser. We also share our knowledge with these crop advisors, so they are aware of the full range of control options.

Van Gils also explains: “Right now energy is a topic, on the one hand people would like to keep the heat inside so that less gas has to be used on dark days. On the other hand, there are growers who want less heat in the greenhouse to save electricity in the summer, for both issues we have ideas to discuss. »

lighting plan
“With ReduSystems, we can make a plan for the whole year. Such a plan indicates the best way to control light and heat throughout the year: slow it down or use it to your advantage.
Decisions on this can be justified on site by mobile measurements, for example of light, plant and fruit temperature. “It is often very informative to show how, for example, fruit temperature deviates from greenhouse temperature and what you can do to better control this,” says Van Gils.

Jelle Hoogland and Paul van Gils enjoy getting in touch with producers, researchers and informants.

For more information:
Lumiforte
[email protected]
www.lumiforte.com