Irrigation based on plant’s needs for customized field solutions
Climate change threatens to reduce the reliability of water supplies for the Kenyan horticultural production, increase pest and diseases activity and increase greater crop damage due to heat stress. This all challenges Kenyan farmers to ensure food safety and security with a minimum use of water and fertilizers. Application of sustainable cultivation techniques, adaptable to Kenyan circumstances is thus essential. With user-friendly irrigation and climate control automation solutions, local service and know-how, Hoogendoorn Growth Management and Bosman Van Zaal help farmers to improve production, quality and food safety.
When only human assessment is used to determine the irrigation strategy, this requires a lot of expertise and experience. All relevant factors, such as solar radiation, crop evaporation and specific circumstances, need to be taken into consideration. This manner of estimation of the water requirement is mostly subjective and not based on exact information. It is obvious that too little water negatively affects the growth, production and quality of the crop. Also, over-irrigation needs to be prevented as well, because it results in a too moist soil that contains little oxygen and hinders root fixation and nutrients uptake. In addition, over-irrigation also causes unnecessary expenses for water and fertilizers and the wasting of valuable water.
By delivering user-friendly solutions applicable to Kenyan horticulture and providing local service, Hoogendoorn and Bosman Van Zaal stimulate farmers to produce high-quality crop according to sustainable and responsible production methods. The iSii compact controls irrigation in greenhouses and open field and manages greenhouse climate. The irrigation control saves water and fertilizer by tuning the water dosage to the plant’s needs. The climate control increases yields and reduces pest and diseases by optimizing the growing conditions. As a result Kenyan growers are given the certainty that water, fertilizers and energy are used optimally and that product quality is maintained.
Increasing yields and crop quality
The advantage of using computer systems and sensors for outside conditions, such as solar radiation, is that this allows the water requirements to be assessed and displayed in an objective number. This helps to make better decisions about the right moment to irrigate. Hoogendoorn provides an attractively priced system that controls irrigation in greenhouses or outdoor cultivation: the user-friendly iSii compact. The iSii compact is able to automatically regulate irrigation by taking into account the solar radiation sum. Thus, based on the crop evaporation and dehydration of the soil, the proper starting moment, frequency and duration of the irrigation cycle can be selected. The pH value and EC level (nutrients) can be set to compose the right recipe to grow a healthy crop. Irrigation according to the plant’s needs increases yields and crop quality at lower costs, because it saves water and energy.
Expandable with climate controls
To avoid plant stress, pests and diseases it is important for greenhouse growers to have a uniform greenhouse temperature with constant and balanced humidity. The advantage of the iSii compact is that thanks to its modular structure, the system can easily be expanded with climate controls, such as recirculation fans, screens, heating and Pad and Fan cooling. For these controls an aspirator box with sensors that measure greenhouse temperature and humidity is needed. Based on the difference between the measured temperature and the set desired temperature, e.g. roof vents can be opened or closed and circulation fans will be switched on or off.
The iSii compact can be controlled with any device with a web browser (PC, tablet and smart phone). This provides the possibility to view information about the current cultivation conditions at any desired moment. For example, growers can see how much water is being given and from which valves.
Experience in Africa
Bosman Van Zaal and Hoogendoorn have a wealth of experience in various African counties. With Hoogendoorn and Bosman Van Zaal as partners a long term investment and partnership is key, helping you as farmer to always be a step ahead and reaching the maximum out of your greenhouse or open field.
For more information, please contact us:
Flower Business Park – Panda
20117, Naivasha, Kenya
+254 707 000 309
office@bosmankenya.com
www.bosmanvanzaal.com
+31 10 460 80 80
info@hoogendoorn.nl
www.hoogendoorn.nl
Editorial note (not for publication)
For further information please contact Hoogendoorn Growth Management
Kim Melching, email: kml@ hoogendoorn.nl or tel. +31 (0)10 460 80 51
Website: www. hoogendoorn.nl
