Since February this year, SenseNL has deployed its CARA MET sensors on MossWool mats at Tomatoworld. These mats, developed by the Finnish company Novarbo, consist of ecologically harvested peat moss and offer a sustainable alternative to the commonly used stone wool substrates. The residual material from these mats can simply be composted along with crop residues at the end of the cultivation period, thereby reducing waste. SenseNL now has the capability to measure this type of substrate for both mats and blocks.
At Tomatoworld, Novarbo's mats are displayed in different versions to compare cultivation performance. There are mats with a 50/50 ratio of wood fiber to peat moss and a 75/25 ratio of wood fiber to peat moss. These configurations are tested both with and without packaging, resulting in a total of four different setups. The use of substrate mats without packaging is still in the experimental phase, as substrate measurements over long periods have not previously been conducted. SenseNL was pleased to contribute to this effort to provide better insights.
After about four months, clear trends have already been observed. Kevin Oei of SenseNL explained, "It is very easy to see that the water content is generally higher with a mat in packaging compared to the same type of mat without packaging. This is especially evident in the beginning when a significant amount of water still drains from the slab because it is not contained by the walls of the packaging. Evaporation also plays a larger role in drying out when the mat is fully exposed. In the long term, however, the average water content between mats with and without packaging tends to converge, as the water has had ample time to fully distribute throughout the mat. This difference in water content and interaction with the substrate also affects the concentration of nutrients in the slab during the different phases of cultivation."
Together with the team at Tomatoworld, further targeted trend studies on MossWool, in conjunction with SenseNL's sensors, will be conducted in the next growing season.
For more information:
SenseNL
Tel: +31 (0)85 876 8909
https://www.caramet.com/
[email protected]