More and more tomato growers both in the Netherlands and abroad are opting to use diffuse glass in new greenhouses. A literature review was carried out to examine the effect of a diffuse greenhouse cover or a greenhouse cover with a different light spectrum on pollination and fruit setting in tomatoes. Information was also collected on the influence of the light spectrum on insects and bumblebees. This desk study was carried out on the request of Koppert Biological Systems. Unfortunately, the amount of information found on the subject proved to be limited.

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Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses magazine has closed owing to a decline in advertising revenue. According to the latest Standard Media Index (SMI) released in January, newspaper and magazine advertising spend has dropped significantly over recent years. The Index does not include direct advertising spend where the situation is far worse. Practical Hydroponics & Greenhouses (PH&G) has not been immune from the decline in advertising spend. Read More »

The 2018 Irrigation Australia Conference and Exhibition will be held at the International Convention Centre in Darling Harbour, Sydney from Wednesday 13^th June to Friday 15^th June 2018. The event will be a three day Exhibition and Conference. This is the only conference in Australia that is solely dedicated to advancing and promoting the entire irrigation industry value chain, presenting issues relating to, or impacting on irrigation in Australia. Read More »

Shoppers will soon find it easier to buy Aussie food with new Country of Origin Labelling standards set to become compulsory on 1 July 2018. Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources David Littleproud said the system means shoppers can easily choose clean, green Aussie produce and support Australian farmers.

“Aussies want to choose fair dinkum Aussie produce and our Country of Origin Labelling changes will help them,” Minister Littleproud said. Read More »

At least 20 wine producers in Tasmania’s northern Tamar region are the latest to be affected by the state’s worsening outbreak of fruit fly. Biosecurity Tasmania’s confirmation late on Tuesday of five adult fly and larvae detections in a backyard orchard in George Town, near Devonport, meant the existing control zone to halt the movement of potentially infected produce was expanded further east, to Beechford and Lefroy, and south of Beaconsfield. About a dozen wine producers were already affected by the previous control zone east of Devonport, implemented soon after the pest was detected at Spreyton and on Flinders Island.

Source ABC News

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A large climate cell with endless racks of microgreens illuminated with soft pink or white light works 24/7 to bring delicious microgreens to the kitchens of some of Amsterdam’s top restaurants. GROWx is one of Europe’s most known vertical farms and its offering of more than 20 microgreen varieties has quickly earned its spot within Amsterdam’s top 10% restaurants. At the moment it is only microgreens and only for the city of Amsterdam but the ambitions of GROWx’s founders are to re-invent agriculture for urban areas. ‘This revolution can’t come fast enough’ says the CEO and Co-Founder, Mr John Apesos. Read More »

Specialty Australian berry producer, BerryWorld Australia, has launched premium raspberries within six months of announcing its presence in the premium berry category with strawberries. Grown under polytunnels at Stanthorpe, southern Queensland, BerryWorld’s first raspberries arrived on supermarket shelves in mid-January. Raspberries are the second of three berry lines to be produced by BerryWorld Australia – a joint venture between leading fruit producer Piñata Farms and global berry brand, BerryWorld Group. Blackberries will follow in 2020. Read More »