A natural alternative to pesticides may be hiding in a misunderstood plant compound — but it could come at an environmental cost. For years, scientists knew little about isoprene, a natural chemical produced by plants. New Michigan State University research 40 years in the making now sheds light on how…
“We’re seeing a strong pivot in 2025 where growers want more control with less exposure to risk. Substrate choice, irrigation style, and sanitation strategy are now a core focus in every high-yield operation.” HortGrow, with Product and Business Development Manager Chris Vaos, is focusing on substrate…
Fri-El from Ostellato (in the province of Ferrara) continues to make the eco-friendly choices that have always characterised it. In fact, the current 30 hectares of greenhouses were born precisely from the need to exploit the heat produced by the biogas plant. Marketing Manager Sandra Gostner speaks…
A dynamic weighing line has a lot of advantages when it comes to preventing losses and increasing efficiency when packing soft fruit, says Piotr Milewski, CEO of Milbor PMC: “Our semi-automatic line for delicate fruits and vegetables answer the needs reported by many companies aiming at higher efficiency…
When Malaia Martinez and Jaebin Yoo set out to build Malaia’s Microgreens, they had little more than determination, a $6,000 budget, and a backyard shed. What they lacked in resources, they made up in grit, a quality that has shaped every stage of their journey from pandemic side project to supplier for…
As more growers supply their products directly to retail, they are increasingly faced with new food safety requirements, with the United States being a prime example. Bas van der Elst of DL Plastics explains. “From seed to packaging, new requirements keep emerging. As a processor—and as a manufacturer of…
What started in 1999 with the rental of 500 m² and a single setup machine has grown over the past quarter century into a specialist for all your fruit packaging needs. LC Packaging St-Truiden celebrated its 25th anniversary in style on Friday, June 20, which also marked the official opening of its…
In 2023, the average balance sheet total for Dutch greenhouse businesses was €4.4 million per company, according to data from Agrimatie. Nearly a quarter of that value was tied up in land. Buildings and greenhouse structures accounted for just under €700,000. The largest item on the balance sheet was…
“With this investment, we’re putting our green thumb where our mouth is,” said Simon Walter, Head of Business Unit Vegetables at KWS, during the recent opening of a new R&D facility in Andijk. As the ‘new kid on the (vegetable) block’, the German family-owned company is making some serious inroads into…
British fruit growers could cut their costs, carbon emissions, and water use by switching to recycled coconut coir, developed in a project funded by Growing Kent & Medway. Coir, a byproduct of coconut processing, is widely used as a sustainable alternative to peat to grow strawberries and raspberries in…
The city government of Baguio is promoting smart urban farming through the construction of techno-demo and hydroponics sites. Dr. Silardo Bested, City Veterinary And Agriculture Office head, said they have already established six techno-demo sites particularly in barangays Kabayanihan, Outlook, Imelda…
Electricity prices can fluctuate considerably during the day due to the dependency of solar and wind energy and varying demands. Fluctuating lighting regimes might thus be economically attractive. However, only limited knowledge is available on how plants grow under fluctuating light conditions. The aims…