The seminars organized by fertilizer supplier Haifa, usually attracts a mixed group of specialists, consultants and stakeholders that are eager to learn more about fertilizers, nutrient solution and recipe's in greenhouse horticulture. "Because of the big number of registrants at the previous seminar, this time we decided to spread the seminars over two separate conference programs," said Ronald Valke from Haifa North West Europe at the opening of the program. Valke was pleased to welcome the attendees, mostly international greenhouse consultants that are active in today's upcoming markets of worldwide greenhouse horticulture.
After a brief introduction into sustainable and intensive greenhouse horticulture and its major crops in the Netherlands, Wim Voogt, horticultural specialist and Researcher Plant Nutrition, Soil, Water at Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture gave a presentation about the University's commitment to the development of sustainable, international greenhouse horticulture. Situated in the hearth of the Dutch glasshouse area, Wageningen UR has a large research campus that consist of 78 greenhouse compartments that are used to facilitate numerous research projects.
Because the majority of the seminar attendees are active in relatively new area's of intensive greenhouse horticulture, the topics during the presentations where on a low entry level. "Today we focus on people that are new in the field of substrate culture, so no rocket science," said Voogt, who continued his presentation by unfolding the basics of fertilizers, starting with the generic terms of mol/l.
Before getting more deeper into detail, Voogt gave a technical presentation on the linear relation between the uptake of fertilizers and the returning yield. Further on he explained the chemical terms and clarified the basics on the calculation of nutrient solutions. Even though all of this information was not rocket science, it definitely was well appreciated by the attendees. "It is good to refresh our memories, and on the other hand we get more familiar on how to explain such complicated material in English language towards growers and clients that are new in the industry," was one of their reactions.
Product manager Ronald Valke from Haifa gave a presentation about Haifa's new VitaphosK phosphate, their updated MyMultifeed ordering system and Haifast Calculation Software. Next week you will learn more on this at HortiDaily.com
During the day, there was organized multiple guided tours to give brief introductions at the trials currently held at Wageningen UR Bleiswijk.
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