Phesnopex is a relatively young company with a German background. Founder Grégoire Hummel: "Originally we come from Aachen, but for a year now we've been based in the Netherlands, where the heart of modern horticulture is. Since our establishment in 2009, we have focused on the development of robust technology and user-friendly software to support growers and help them to solve the problems they run up against in their daily work.
One of these problems is the determination of actual plant growth. Today, many growers enter their greenhouse armed with a ruler in order to register crop growth. Then they enter it in an Excel file or a system; often a time-consuming job, which is not always accurately revealed. For these growers we developed PlantEye, a new tool for measuring precision plant growth. It allows growers to monitor their entire crop automatically."
Grégoire Hummel and Karsten Ferfers from Phenospex at last years Horti Fair
It works as follows: The PlantEye module can be installed under an existing sprayingboom or conveyor. By moving over the crop regularly on a short, low distance, the PlantEye camera scans the crop with 65 frames per second over a width of 1 meter. "This shows a picture of the crop with an accuracy of 1 millimeter," Grégoire adds. "The visual image is stored in the plant monitoring software called HortControl. HortControl transforms the visual measurement into data, and this can be analysed and compared to existing data, and in that way the crop growth can be observed precisely. The base of the system is completely open source and therefore the information can be easily exchanged with data from existing systems such as climate and process computers. This gives the grower a current and accurate analyse of the growth in his greenhouse. He can observe growth failure in certain departments and adjust growing strategies or compare the crop with previous crops turns to improve the growth.
PlantEye is well received in the established horticulture sector and since last year, the Dutch investor LIOF has put its trust in the business concept of Phenospex. "Currently there are several tests running to further optimize the system. Also, the first PlantEy- modules have been installed at leading European growers," adds Grégoire proudly. "Especially growers of ornamental crops and youngplant nurseries can benefit greatly from it , but in fact the system is suitable for any crop in which the plant itself is the product, such as leafy greens and herbs. "
Besides PlantEye and HortControl, Phenospex also developed a mobile application in which all analyses and data are available. Grégoire: "In the future, we’ll further expand this platform and look to other parties who wish to cooperate with us so that there can arise an absolute collaboration between any data that is generated in the growing process. It is still a speculation, but who knows, perhaps a computer will ultimately determine the climate strategy in response to all the sensors that are present out there in the greenhouse. You can hardly imagine, but the possibility of a computer with green fingers is coming closer.
For more information:Phenospex
Grégoire Hummel
Tel: +31 457111693
Email: g.hummel@phenospex.com
www.phenospex.com