The Netherlands
December 4, 2023
Embarking on an exciting journey of innovation, the winter production of cucumbers is officially underway at our new Trial Centre High Tech. This is an excellent place to trial 45 distinct varieties and various fruit types within our expansive cucumber segment.
Our Trial Centre High Tech serves as the ideal platform for these trials, allowing us to delve into the traits of our cucumber varieties. This exploration includes understanding how factors such as light efficiency and growing conditions affect production numbers. Join us on this journey as we strive to valuable insights and share our discoveries with you.
The target is set on producing 10 or more pieces of long cucumber per square meter per week. Achieving this goal involves a strategic approach, with key parameters established from the outset. The journey began with the sowing of plants on September 25, followed by transplantation on October 18.
Equipped with 327 µmol PAR LED light and Airmix fans for humidity control, the trial department maintains a plant density of 2.65 plants per square meter. We stepwise will increase lighting, ultimately providing a full 18 hours of illumination after three weeks of planting.
Temperature management is guided by the RTR (Ratio Temperature Radiation) strategy, commencing at 18 degrees Celsius. A progressive approach sees an addition of 2.25 degrees Celsius for every 10 mol PAR light per square meter, resulting in a current 24-hour average temperature of 23 degrees Celsius.
This article offers a glimpse into the initial stages of our cucumber trial, and we pledge to keep you abreast of further developments. Should you have any queries, feel free to reach out to your local Rijk Zwaan Cucumber Specialist. It's important to note that this trial is just one facet of the broader experiments conducted at our Trial Centre High Tech.
Our High Tech Trial Centre stands at the forefront of modern growing techniques, enabling the comprehensive collection of crop data. Visitors gain valuable insights into how our vegetable varieties perform relative to their own production scenarios. Beyond cucumber trials, the facility also hosts experiments with tomatoes and sweet peppers, reaffirming our commitment to advancing agricultural practices.
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