Articles
THE INTEGRATION OF MONITORING AND DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS IN DUTCH HORTICULTURE
Not only is cultivation in greenhouses very intensive, but crop handling (labour), product investments, and energy use are as well.
Westland Energie Services is a company providing greenhouse growers with energy, information of their energy consumption patterns, and advice to improve the efficiency of energy-use with respect to crop production.
The latter aspect requires accurate knowledge about the energy demands of the crop and greenhouse and how the growth and production rate is affected by environmental conditions such as radiation, temperature, humidity, and carbon dioxide level.
Background of the Project
Greenhouse cultivation of vegetables, cut flowers, and ornamentals is changing from a supply to a demand driven production.
Growers have to produce the right amount of product of a high and constant quality in a timely manner.
Furthermore, growers are faced with the increasing governmental and public demand to grow their crops using environmentally compatible methods.
This means that the use of fossil fuels for heating and chemicals for controlling pests and diseases needs to be reduced and optimised for plant growth and development.
These production aims can only be achieved by using accurate climate control devices and optimal control strategies.
Prediction of the short and long term effects of changes in the greenhouse and outside climate conditions and their effects on the production and development of the crop are, therefore, very important