Monitoring plants

Improve your cultivation strategy

The CropObserver

Integrating the CropObserver in your cultivation strategy is the ideal way of improving your cultivation results. A review of the results of earlier clients shows a yield increase of 5-10%. A decrease of energy costs and/or decrease in total cultivation time has been proven in some cases as well, allowing for more cultivation seasons in a single year.

The CropObserver can be placed inside of the greenhouse or on cultivation plots and is compatible with LetsGrow and Hoogendoorn climate systems, so that it can link certain actions to specific values. Up to 28,000 measurements can be executed per day. All the data from the CropObserver can be monitored and compared with other climate data.

The CropObserver may also be implemented for research purposes; many growers struggle with finding optimal lighting strategies. By analysing the reaction of plants to their environment, the yield can be increased, or energy costs may decrease.

How does it work?

A laser beam is pointed at the plants via a mirror system that is controlled by the built-in computer. The computer constantly (every 5 seconds) changes the position of the spot where the laser hits, yielding hundreds of spot measurements in a single cycle. It is programmed to measure the efficiency of Photosystem II at each spot. Furthermore, photosynthetic active radiation and global solar radiation (W.m-2 ) are measured. By using the data from the PAR light and the photosynthetic efficiency in light, the relative ETR (Electron Transport Rate) is calculated. ETR correlates with the uptake of CO2. This is particularly beneficial for getting a perspective on the progress and development over time.

From the number of measured positions containing chlorophyll, the projected leaf area can be calculated. Two LI-COR sensors are mounted in the top of the CropObserver: a PAR sensor and a radiation sensor.

We also offer rental options for the CropObserver. If you’re in doubt whether the system will match your strategies, or you want to perform research in your greenhouse, but don't want to make commit yourself to a specific piece of kit just yet, renting might be a great solution. Renting the CropObserver will also give you free access to our data analysis software and high-quality advice on how to use the system and how to read the collected data.