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Future of flower bulb cultivation, sustainable & innovative

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🎬 Multilingual subtitles
✍️ By: Team BC1.NL
The largest contiguous flower bulb region in the world is located in the northern part of North Holland, in the Netherlands. This beautiful landscape, full of colorful flowers, is not only a treat for the eyes but also a breeding ground for innovations in sustainable cultivation.Mark en Joris Teeuwen zetten zich in voor duurzame bollenteelt

Fieldlab Bol: The future of flower bulb cultivation

At Fieldlab Bol, bulb growers are working with various partners to develop new, sustainable cultivation systems. The goal? To cultivate flower bulbs that meet the highest quality and sustainability standards. Everyone, from growers to traders, is involved.

Challenges and innovations

Michel Jansen is programma manager van Fieldlab BolResearch in the agricultural sector is dependent on the seasons. This means that every new method must be carefully tested within a limited time frame. Changing weather conditions, such as this year’s wet spring, make it even more challenging. Nevertheless, they persevere, because innovation requires flexibility and perseverance.

Inspiring prospectsThijs van den Berg van Boltha BV, ziet duurzame vooruitgang met de inzet van de laser weeder.

Participant Thijs van den Berg from Boltha expects that the next five years will bring more insights than the past fifty years. This demonstrates the determination and optimism within the sector.

Pioneers in action

De laser weeder, een milieuvriendelijke vorm van onkruidbestrijdingImpressive results have already been achieved. For instance, Boltha BV uses a Laser Weeder for mechanical weed control. This robust machine recognizes and destroys weeds with a laser beam, without the use of chemicals. This technique is already successfully applied in the United States, and now our bulb growers are discovering the benefits as well.

Alex van Haaster van Kapiteyn HorticultureAdditionally, companies like Kapiteyn Horticulture are working on breeding stronger crops, and cousins Mark and Joris Teeuwen have found a way to disinfect the soil without chemical agents.

Progress through collaboration

With every step they take, they come closer to fully sustainable flower bulb cultivation. Fieldlab Bol shows that collaboration and innovation are the keys to success.

More information about sustainability in agriculture

In the series Digital FarmingNHN, you will find information about the research conducted in Noord-Holland Noord. The series consists of four parts. In Part 1, the challenge we are introduced to a grower, an agricultural research center, and an agricultural consultancy. In Part 2, Data processing we see what data is collected and how it is processed. In Part 3, Applying site-specific techniques we take a closer look at the processing of collected data and meet the creator of the project. In Part 4, Achievements and Future prospects during Demo day the results are shared and the importance of further research are made clear.

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Frequently asked questions

This is a short summary of the film — watch the video above for the full story.

How does the laser weeder combat weeds?
The laser weeder is six meters wide and has thirty laser beams that are aimed at weeds using mirrors, guided by a deep learning model and a constantly optimized algorithm. Each weed is hit in its heart, causing the sap flow to boil so the plant dies off. The machine can control weeds in all sectors.
What is Fieldlab Bol?
Fieldlab Bol is a collaboration that supports flower bulb growers in making bulb cultivation more sustainable. The growers themselves contribute ideas and choose projects they believe in, after which they receive support from Fieldlab Bol. Results and information are shared within the project and, where possible, applied directly by growers.
How does drip irrigation work in bulb cultivation?
In drip irrigation the drip hoses are placed underground, so they cannot blow away and are not damaged by birds or vermin. Water and fertilizers are released through small holes in the hoses, making them available to the bulbs. By analyzing the soil and the plants, growers respond precisely to the plant's needs, so they never give too much and there is no leaching into the environment.
Why does Kapiteyn breed new varieties?
At the Kapiteyn company, robust, strong varieties for the future are bred in the breeding greenhouse, capable of delivering a good end result with less chemistry. The goal is a healthy and vital calla tuber crop, because every bit of chemistry that can be omitted benefits the vitality of the calla's.
Where can I watch the full film?
These questions and answers are a short summary. Watch the full film with all insights, examples and background at https://www.bc1.eu/future-of-flower-bulb-cultivation-sustainable-innovative/
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