Philips has introduced a new LED lighting concept – Philips GreenPower, specially designed for interlighting.

LED interlighting is the ideal energy-efficient solution for lighting in between the plants. The GreenPower LRD modules give off very little heat and so require no active cooling. They are simple to install in any new or existing greenhouse. The LED interlighting modules have LEDs on both sides, so they can light two rows of plants at once. Depending on the required light level, two or more modules can be positioned above one another. Read More »

Advance Profile Tech Pty Ltd (APT), the manufacturers of the ‘Sure Grow’ hydroponic trays and accessories, has been bought out by Extrusion Technologies International Pty Ltd (ETI). Managing Director of ETI, Gary Brodie, will run the APT factory for a short time at its Banyo, Qld, location before amalgamating the APT operations with those of ETI at a much larger factory in Yatala, Qld. The three extruders and two mixers at APT will be added to the eight extrusion lines of ETI. Read More »

The use of biological products in European glasshouses is redefining the horticulture landscape. These products recognise the symbiotic relationship plants have with beneficial bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere (root zone) to enhance root growth and maximise nutrient uptake, so that plants can reach their full potential in terms of vigour and quality. The move by commercial growers towards such products is being driven by increasing governmental pressure to eliminate the use of pesticides and fungicides to produce a ‘clean and green’ product. One range of products to make its way to Australia is the Wise-Use range of biological products. Read More »

Natural pyrethrum has been around for hundreds of years and it is such a great insecticide, organic chemists of the 1960s and 1970s began to tease apart the molecules and synthesise them using various alcohols and esters. Now there are hundreds of these derivatives and as a group, they are called pyrethroids – or synthetic pyrethroids.

The variations are many; some are more light-stable and therefore more residual than others, which may have a quicker knockdown, and there are variations in the effects on the pest organism to give the manufacturer an edge for a particular problem. Read More »

Seed company Lefroy Valley has launched a new-look, innovative website (www.lefroyvalley.com), which is clean, fresh and easy-to-use. The improved functionality was spurred on by the company’s desire to provide customers with up-to-date product information, so that they can make the best choice in products.

The new site incorporates a number of significant improvements to support its users, including clear navigation based on user needs, and allows end users to find Lefroy Valleys’ products more easily. The new website engages more directly with end consumers who purchase Lefroy Valley products, and strengthens current relationships with business-to-business partners.  Read More »

The purpose of the HortiWeek Technical Trials is to provide both national and international horticultural entrepreneurs with the most complete impression of Dutch horticultural technology, where producers and various research centres showcase the latest technologies in practice. Compared to the first Technical Trials, the number of visitors more than doubled with a total of around 850 visiting one of the Technical Trials’ locations. This time the focus was more on opening green sites where the visitors could admire technology in practice at first hand. There was also a route in Oostland with Wageningen UR and GreenQ Improvement Centre acting as the ‘central stations’. Read More »