Polytunnel manufacturer and berry grower, Haygrove, is collaborating with climate control software specialists, Ostara, to conduct trials assessing the effects of polytunnel automation on the growing environment.
The trials, based at Haygrove's site in Ledbury, UK, compares two systems: simple polytunnels with manual venting and sensor monitoring, and Haygrove's polytunnels with automated vent control managed by Ostara's software. The trials began in June and will assess which polytunnel system can maintain the desired environmental conditions for the longest period of time over the growing season.
As climate change causes increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, more strawberries are now grown under cover as a barrier to protect plants from these destructive weather events. By adding venting to the polytunnels, growers can regulate temperature by keeping the environment warmer during cold periods and cooler during heat waves.
The trial aims to determine whether automated venting can maintain optimal growing conditions while reducing the labor costs associated with manual adjustments. Ostara allows growers to set target ranges for temperature, humidity, and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and the vents are automatically adjusted to maximize the time spent within these ranges.
VPD is a key metric for growers and is defined as a measure of the difference between the moisture in the air and the maximum amount of moisture the air can hold. Managing VPD is important because it helps growers control the amount of water plants lose through evaporation and transpiration, ensuring optimal conditions for plant growth.
At the end of the growing season, the trial results will be published, revealing which system performed better and enhanced the growing environment.
For more information:
Ostara
[email protected]
www.ostara.io
Haygrove
haygrove.com