Controlling with lighting and water hygiene
On the innovation square of the Aardbeien Demodag in Egchel we saw some advanced novelties from companies active in grow lights and water hygiene.
Sales manager Patrick Casteleyn of MechaTronix has absolute faith in the new LED grow light
CoolGrow Linear for lit single- and multi-layer cultivation of strawberries.
LED grow light with heat transfer
With the CoolGrow Linear, LED grow light manufacturer MechaTronix (with its European headquarters in Breda) developed a new LED grow light with a fixture length of 1.20 meters for lit single- and multi-layer cultivation of strawberries, or even indoor cultivation in containers and vertical farming. It’s available in a 40- or 60-watt model, depending on whether you go for early/late cultivation or winter cultivation. The glass of the lamp is shaped in such a way that the light is distributed along a 120-degree wide angle. According to sales manager Patrick Casteleyn, if the lamp is hung at 30 cm above the top of the crop, 90% of the energy is radiated across a width of 90 cm. “What’s more, the distribution is such that the sides of the crop also get sufficient light. That’s essential in multi-layer cultivation. For early and late cultivation in a heated greenhouse, we advise a light level between 120 and 160 micromole/sec. For a real winter cultivation, it’s best to go for 180 to 230 micromole/sec for a good balance.” The lamp is also controllable between 0 and 100% of the light output. With a light yield of around 50%, half of the power (33 watts/1.20 meters) is converted to heat. The heat transfer from the LED light (45 °C) also causes extra activity in the crop and ideally suits the colder cultivation process of strawberries.
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