Last week , plant stock breeder and speakers see the bright side of things at the beach in the Netherlands . Yes , there are plenitude of problems and challenges these twenty-four hours , but perhaps because of this , opportunities abound too . About 50 plant stock breeder heard about these during the 7th variation of the Grodan Plant Breeders Day .
It was held at the Zomertijd Strand Pavilion . After the theoretical part , it was time for some action . A tradition during the plant breeders ' day , which has include some ' severe ' driving on a racing circuit . This time the participating ' I. F. Stone woolers ' could let off steam by doing a spot of archery , playing some beach soccer in inflatable globe , and trying their hired hand at kite - flight . Thesephotoswill give readers an approximation of the natural action .
OpportunitiesBut , before the fun could start , the breeders listened to presentations by Joyce Rasquin , Thomas Peters , Ben Nikaj , and Joost Haenen on behalf of Grodan . Professor Leo Marcelis of Wageningen University & Research spoke about vertical agriculture , and Mario Helderman gave the opening oral communication .
He explained that the pandemic had embarrass the planning of this latest edition of the Plant Breeders ' Day . Mario added that he did not want to dwell on that . All the vim and computer virus problem confront the stock breeder were to be put on the backburner for a moment .
Grodan wanted to focus on highlighting the opportunities , include new crop . Business Development Manager , Joyce Rasquin , explained how the endocarp wool caller intends to keep challenging itself by trying to improve existing crop such as tomato , but also by looking for Modern breeding opportunities . A list of crops from the United Nations ' Food and Agriculture Organization was used as a basis .
Joyce Rasquin
focalise on lettuce and strawberriesJoyce , sheepishly , admitted that the list included craw she and her colleagues did not recognize . A quick google search then provided the answer , and sight of the crop could be click off quickly . But , just as many rest . For those , Grodan asked itself several doubtfulness . Is the craw valuable and large enough worldwide ? What use do high - technical school greenhouse play in it ? And what is the crop ’s current substrate situation ?
This selection mental process led to a direction on lettuce and strawberries as young crops , where Grodan sees chance for stone fleece multiplication . Despite both crops ' polish being quite complex , Thomas explained a little later . Lettuce , for example , has many different growing systems . And strawberry cultivation has a whole range of unlike cultivation strategy .
Bizarrely complexFellow stage business developer , Thomas , suppose he has been working full steam ahead on young crops for the last two years . He sky-high shared that lettuce and strawberry are both " bizarrely complex . " Thomas says he could " talk about it for hours , " so he explicate about strawberries first and then a short about lettuce cultivation .
As cite , grower use many different cultivation systems . Grodan limits itself to horizontal hydroponic farming , which is also done in many unlike means . Such organisation differences are challenging for the rock wool producer , as are the various raise and irrigation methods and all form of lettuce sort .
" Were I a flora breeder , I ’d be well aware of everything , " say Thomas as he begins talk about strawberry . He introduced the audience , made up mainly of vegetable fruit and decorative plant agriculturalist , to the ' moon-curser ' concept ( simply put , a strawberry plant that becomes a cuttings - producing plant after harvesting ) .
He told them that today ’s strawberry agriculturalist direct their vegetable fruit counterparts in at least one respect : heyday research . All strawberry plant growers have such subject done on batches they supply . These severally plant what a plant can bring about , keep discussion later .
Thomas Peters
Not needed anymore?Thomas ' presentation and that of Leo ’s made some guest question whether lettuce and who knows what other harvest ' propagation on Harlan Fiske Stone woolen might negate the want for specialised raiser . After all , more and more cultivator are setting up ( multilayer ) cultivation . Thomas and Leo both answered that .
Thomas expects the larger multilayer growers to , indeed , take gelt growing into their own hired hand sooner or later . But , that is still difficult for small company that still struggle with plant timber . Therein lie an opportunity for the specialists present , Leo indicated . " Ensure that , as a nursery , you outdo them . You would n’t provide yourselves to become redundant , would you ? "
Leo ’s presentation showed how plant stock breeder could signalise themselves . He told a story about vertical farming , which led to him talking about lighting . He mention the condition far - red and puritanical light . By playing with Christ Within , plant propagator can head their culture . " Are vertical farm product always practiced timbre ? " asked an interview phallus . " No , " answers Leo , " not of necessity . Growers in vertical farm , too , always have to choose : volume or quality . It ’s lawful , however , that if grower illume a craw more , they can achieve both . "
Leo Marcelis
Ben Nikaj , a senior consultant for Hi - Tech Indoor Greenhouses , discourse medicinal plants . This is another new craw that offers opportunity for nurseries , he says . endocarp fleece gives these plants a clean foundation because of factors , including the intersection ’s inert property . Currently , this crop is often propagate through cloning or tissue paper culture .
Ben guess that , within the next ten year , there will be enough expert seed on the market , which will also do good propagation company . The market for medicinal plants is going to professionalise even more . That should lead to further separation between growers and nurseries .
Ben Nikaj
NoveltiesJoost had the last word during the presentations . He demo the young adaptation of the root zona sensor Grodan GroSens . He also talked about the challenge stone wool must overcome to uprise pesticide - free crop by 2030 and the Funnelplug . Grodan sees opportunity for this spark plug now that vermiculite , according to Joost , is concentrated to arrive by . It has some disadvantages in culture too . With the plug , the plant propagator can do by with scarce raw materials .
An chance , but with challenge too . For model , seeds must be localize right at the bottom of the recondite , narrower spark plug to germinate properly . Grodan continues to search this . Joost , therefore , advised the interview to certainly use this raw plug but not to shift over entirely at once . The same apply to the GroSens . " Without a sensor , you ’re blind , " Mario adds . " Then you ’re bank on non - structural measurements from your rock wool block . "
Joost Haenen
During Ben ’s presentation already , there was a abbreviated off - topic discussion about beer - medicative plants show similarity to hops , which are used in beer . But , by 4 pm , it was , indeed , time for a real beer or another beverage . Only one , at first , because there was still some beach playfulness to be had .
After that , another deglutition , and the barbeque was lit . Time for networking : another of the Plant Breeders ' event ’s goals . Just like the International Propagation Seminar , the next case meeting for plant life breeders Grodan is organizing for plant stock breeder on September 21 and 22 , 2022 .
See all the action picture here .
For more information : GrodanEmail:[email protected]Website : www.grodan.nl
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