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THECOMMERCIAL GREENHOUSEGROWER • MAY 2018
• NEWS
Project has designs
on robot to control mildew
Stockbridge TechnologyCentre is one of the research
partners involved in a newproject that looks to tackle
control ofmildewof protected cropswith a new tool
–UV-C light. Scientists have already shown how the
incidence ofmildew canbe reducedby targeted exposure
toUV light, which is believed to induceplant defences
against thedisease, but thebarrier to its commercial
use, particularly in edible crops, is how to apply it safely
and effectively in the glasshouse. This newwork aims
todevelop autonomous robots for three crop systems:
vertically trained, such as tomato and cucumber; leafy
crops on the horizontal, such as lettuce andbasil;
and strawberries. Theproject is fundedby theEU
under its InterregNorth-West Europeprogramme and
ledby theBelgianhorticultural researchorganisation
ProefcentrumHoogstraten. It also involves theBelgian
companyOctinion, whichwill adapt its autonomous
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Cambridgeshire, whichwill use its expertise in sensors
that canmeasure the compounds emittedby plantswhen
they are under attackby diseases. It will alsodevelop a
device that can capture air samples from around the crop
for analysis. The robotswill be tested in a greenhouse
growing strawberries at NIABEMR and in tomato and
cucumber greenhouses at two experimental research
sites inFrance.
Jail for theft from
horticultural distributor
A former employee of irrigation specialist andhorticultural
distributor LSSystems has been jailed for theft from
the Lancashire company over aperiodof several years,
following a trial at PrestonCrownCourt. DavidScott, who
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managingdirector, was arrested after policewere alerted
to ‘suspicious activity’ in the company’s accounts in 2014.
The theft includedmore than£700,000 that hadbeen
withdrawn and transferred to accounts controlledbyMr
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arising from the sale of wellingtonboots bought with the
company’smoney and sold through its online auction
account. Twoothermenpleadedguilty to conspiring to
steal and removingproperty. LancashirePolicedescribed
the investigation as ‘lengthy and complex’.
Fargropartnerswith30MHz
tobring smart technology
Fargro Ltd, a leadingwholesaler and supplier of
commercial horticultural products today announced a
partnershipwithDutch company 30MHzB.V. tooffer
modular, scalable anduser-friendly smart sensing
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The innovative 30MHz technology comprises a network
of wireless sensors and an analytical platformwhich
will give growers real-time insights on their crops and
environment. Having this technology inplacewill help
horticultural businesses to identify opportunitieswhere
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and increase yield.ManagingDirector of Fargro,
RichardHopkins comments “We aredelighted to
announce this partnershipwhich combines themarket
leading technology of 30MHzwithFargro’s expertise
inhorticulture.We knowgrowers in theUK are always
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the face of growing environmental and climate change
challenges. At Fargro, wewant tomake cutting-edge
technologieswidely accessible toUKgrowers of all sizes.
