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THECOMMERCIAL GREENHOUSEGROWER • APRIL 2018
• NEWS
Plastic pot recycling
Plasticsmanufacturer Aeroplas has introduced a new
‘eco-pot’ range of polypropylenepots suitable for local
authority ‘kerbside recycling’ collections because they
don’t contain the industry standard carbon-black pigment.
The range has already been trialledby a number of the
company’s customers, includingpot plant specialist
DoubleHNurseries. “We have longbelieved that plant
pots shouldbe includedwith kerbside collections,” said
AeroplasUK salesmanager AlexEverett. The company
has beenworkingwithplastics industry recycling
organisationRecoup to look at alternatives to carbon-
black formanufacturingbothblack andother colours.
Thepresence of carbon-blackprevents the near-infra-red
scanningdevices usedby plastics recycling factories from
recognisingwhich type of polymer amaterial ismade
from,meaning it can’t be sent into the correct recycling
process. It’s the reasonwhy black plastics inparticular
have so far not been effectively recycledwhen they are
present inbatches ofmixedplastics. HTAornamentals
committee chairmanGeoff Caesar pointedout thatmost
growers already recycleplasticwaste generatedon
nurseries so anymove that helps consumers todo the
same is “a great step in the right direction”.
FOR MORE INFORMATION, GO TO
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Controlled deficit
irrigation for tomatoes
A three year study has been carriedout at theUniversity
of Seville to reduce the amount of water in cherry tomato
crops bymore than50per cent. The cropsmaintained
their quality (commercial, nutritional and functional) but
therewas even an increase in the content of carotenoids.
The study focussedon two varieties of cherry tomatoes
aswell as nine other types - inboth autumn and spring
cycles - reducing irrigation asmuch as possibleduring
the crops’most resistant stage and then increasing the
water supply as theplants becomemore sensitive to
stress.MireiaCorell, professor of AgroforestrySciences
inSeville, said: “It’s not about usinghalf the amount of
water just like that! Youneed to carry out a study on the
plant’s hydric condition and, whenwell aware of its needs,
you irrigate the crop in an appropriateway at the optimum
moment. Growerswill benefit from thismethodology
which is breakingnewground in the fieldof hydro-
sustainableproductswith a reduced consumptionof both
water and energy. It will alsobring added value to the
consumer withmore environmentally sustainableproduce
which has better nutritional qualities.”
