More and more growers realize that analyses are indispensable to optimize their crops. There is a growing interest in research about water, nutrient solutions, soil, substrate, and crops. Analyses contribute to a better understanding of cultivation, giving a grip on plant nutrition, health and yield. To support global growers with sampling and research, Pauline Bugter and Ernesto Obando joined Eurofins Agro Testing in Wageningen this autumn.
Seven years ago, Eurofins Agro Testing established an independent greenhouse horticulture division. The laboratory company receives samples from all over the world. In Wageningen, however, it does more than just analyze samples. Eurofins is also actively involved in research by companies, test stations and universities.
In mid-September, we meet Pauline and Ernesto at the office in Wageningen and walk around the lab. The Business Unit Manager Horticulture, Sjors Beijer, is also present.
Pauline is the new International Horticulture Sales Manager and Ernesto is Horticulture Business Developer. Pauline will focus on Europe and will be seen 'in the field' there, Ernesto is focussing on non-European regions. "Our sights are set abroad. We see many opportunities internationally to support growers with improved cultivation insights," Sjors explains.
Pauline and Ernesto in the laboratory in Wageningen
Serving growers
Ernesto has broad experience in high-tech agribusiness. For greenhouse horticulture, he cites Mexico as an example, where he saw huge growth opportunities during his previous working visit. "You see companies there that want to grow from 60 to 600 hectares! That shows how big the opportunities are."
Pauline is also already familiar with the sector. She previously worked as a technical consultant in floriculture and hopes to be even more in touch with growers in her new role. "You see that growers are increasingly active in multiple countries. Eurofins wants to serve them as well as possible for cultivation sites abroad."
Testing with a purpose
Eurofins does so with a cluster of laboratories. Sjors lists them rapidly and counts 14 in Europe alone, including 2 in France. "And soon there will be 3," he corrects himself. It marks the growth the laboratory company is experiencing.
With his international experience, Ernesto sees differences between how analyses are handled in the Netherlands and abroad. "In the Netherlands, I see that growers have a clear objective in mind with an analysis, and they work proactively: having a sample analyzed at fixed times so that problems are prevented rather than repaired. Abroad, this is not always the case. Samples are taken less at regular intervals, often when problems are already visible, so you actually start acting too late. More regularity in analysis is an important starting point to make cultivation strategy more robust."
Basic package of tests
Eurofins offers a complete package of analyses for greenhouse horticulture. This package is called Horti Solutions. Among other things, there are various analyses focusing on water quality and plant nutrition in that package. Is the starting water of good quality? Does the disinfectant do what it is supposed to do? Does the supply of nutrients in the water and substrate match uptake in the plant? Having the water regularly examined in the laboratory gives quick insight into this.
"The turnaround time of our research is one day in many cases," Sjors points out. This is challenging for a company that is growing internationally, but thanks to a network of laboratories and good logistics lines, Wageningen succeeds. The processing time is also short for advanced research that cannot be carried out in Wageningen: "For example, we carry out analyses focusing on the microbiome at our laboratory in Hamburg, Germany. It's an analysis that is in high demand, partly because of root problems in peppers."
Collaborations and data integration
Given its international growth ambition, Eurofins is seeking international cooperation with local chain parties to serve growers well. In addition, the laboratory company is working on collaborations with suppliers, to whom data is supplied, among other things. "For a fertiliser supplier, providing customer data insight in its own platform is of added value. Eurofins sees opportunities for even more parties and products.
This is a development that was already driven at the start of the greenhouse construction division. Data from the Eurofins analysis app can be integrated into data platforms of climate computer suppliers, for example. This allows the grower to immediately see as much relevant data as possible in one platform, for example also on plant pathogens, another relevant analysis branch of Eurofins.
"In our department with plant doctors, they are the only ones who do get excited about viruses and complicated plant diseases," laughs Pauline. Eurofins' Plant Doctors specialize in testing plant material and unraveling deficiency symptoms. "They make an expert diagnosis in case of crop damage and inform the grower about it."
Proactive
Ernesto leaves is about to visit the Canadian Greenhouse Conference, and while he is there he will also immediately visit growers and suppliers in the region. This ties in with his ambition to start supporting growers with cultivation insights in an international context.
Pauline will also be taking to the field in the coming period. Asked what she hopes to achieve, her answer is: "I hope that when I visit the same grower in ten years' time, he will say that, thanks to our analyses, he has been able to run an optimal business all this time, despite the changing issues."
In doing so, Eurofins remains a laboratory, Pauline and Ernesto stress. "We are not consultants, and we will never tell growers what they should or should not do. That does not suit our service." However, Eurofins does support growers with data, reference values and fertilizer calculations on the basis of which entrepreneurs can take their own steps. For example, from growing strawberries outdoors to in a greenhouse, or from a small tomato crop in a tunnel greenhouse to a high-tech glass greenhouse. Greenhouse horticulture is growing internationally, and Eurofins, with a growing horticulture team, is happy to grow along with it.
For more information:
Eurofins Horti
Tel: 088 876 1014
[email protected]
www.eurofins-agro.com/nl-nl/glastuinbouw