"When it comes to high-wire crops, advancements in climate control, technology, and genetics often take center stage, while one crucial factor tends to get overlooked: labor," say Marco Joseph and Ben van den Bos from Marco Joseph Consulting. They explain that while having a better climate, state-of-the-art technology, and superior crop varieties are all elements for success, the role of skilled labor cannot be underestimated. "Plants are living organisms with rhythms that, when respected, can lead to predictable, high-quality yields. This is where well-trained, efficient workers come in."
The importance of labor
Marco and Ben explain that even the most advanced greenhouse, the best climate control system, or the most genetically enhanced seed will not yield their full potential without skilled hands to guide them. As Ben explains, "Having the best genetics, technology, and climate is important, but if the quality of labor is sub-par, you will not get the maximum result from all of these factors."
"If the workers don't maintain proper plant rhythms or make mistakes in plant maintainance, the entire system's potential is reduced," he says. "With a focus on quality labor, growers can optimize the conditions set by technology, ensuring maximum yields and crop quality."
Impact on plant health
According to Marco and Ben, the difference between a high-quality harvest and a mediocre one often boils down to how well workers perform the tasks, such as twisting, lowering, pruning, leaf cutting and harvesting. "Each of these steps directly impacts plant health, fruit quality, and ultimately, yield."
Twisting
Marco explains that, when twisting the plant, one of the most common mistakes is causing the plant's head to break, which leads to a loss of at least two trusses for the yield per plant. "Twisting the head while applying the twine, leads to unnecessary stress on the plant. This is especially detrimental in warmer conditions, where the plant is already under strain."
Lowering
"Lowering the plant is another crucial task that impacts both fruit yield and ease of harvesting. Lowering the plant too much causes fruits to hang too low for an efficient harvest, leading to increased labor costs. Conversely, lowering the plant too less can result in fruits being placed out of good reach, again adding extra costs for the grower. The key is to maintain an even height across all plants to ensure uniform growth and yield."
Pruning the cluster
Timing is everything in pruning the cluster, Ben says. "If done in the right time, pruning has a positive effect on the development of the remaining fruits. The fruits are ripening more equally per cluster, which leads to a more predictable yield. Furthermore, if pruning is delayed too long, the plant's wounds become larger, increasing the risk of disease."
Cutting leaves
Cutting leaves needs to be done carefully to avoid damaging the plant. "Damaged plants will suffer a loss in yield and the risk of disease spreading throughout the crop will increase. Workers must perform these tasks with care and attention to detail to avoid these costly mistakes."
Harvesting
Finally, harvesting must be done at the right time. "Harvesting too late reduces the shelf life and reduce its energy balance, affecting future growth. A consistent, timely harvest contributes to a more predictable yield and helps balance the plant's energy."
With such tasks being so critical to the plants' quality, worker skills matter. As Marco points out, workers who perform tasks with precision and regularity produce both higher-quality crops and faster results. This is because skill leads to fewer mistakes and more efficient work. "If you look into sports, you can see that athletes who are well-trained outperform those who are not," Marco says. "The effect is the same in agriculture. With training, you can automate routines on a higher level. The result is both increased quality and quantity."
Training for success
One of the ways to ensure the quality of labor is to invest in training. As Ben suggests, "From my experience, training people on a maximum of two different skills helps a lot to improve overall performance. Teaching employees too many skills at once only divides their attention and leads to lower proficiency in each task." By focusing training efforts on specific tasks and matching workers to jobs they are good at, growers can improve both quality and quantity.
The argument against this approach is that workers will have less variety in their tasks, which can lead to dissatisfaction. However, Ben counters, "The workers are doing something they're good at, and therefore, they enjoy it more. By allowing workers to focus on what they do best, they not only become faster and more efficient but also gain greater job satisfaction. This leads to a more motivated workforce and ultimately contributes to the success of the entire operation."
Increasing yield and quality through labor
In conclusion, Marco and Ben believe that the success of high-wire crops depends on many factors—climate, technology, genetics, and importantly, labor. "By focusing on improving the quality of labor, growers can ensure that the advancements in climate control, technology, and genetics are fully realized. Skilled workers who can perform essential tasks with precision are crucial for maintaining plant health, increasing yield, and ensuring high-quality produce."
Therefore, investing in worker education, regular training, and providing clear tasks that match their strengths will yield dividends in both productivity and quality. As both Marco and Ben have observed, when workers are well-trained and in tune with the plants they care for, the results speak for themselves—higher yields, better quality, and lower labor costs. "It's time to stop overlooking the importance of skilled labor and start treating it as a key pillar of agricultural success."
For more information:
Marco Joseph
Dipl. Ing. Gartenbau (FH)
+49 7531 3614997
[email protected]