Do you know when your plant is evaporating? Is your crop under stress? Is your plant getting water at the right times? What is the photosynthesis of the plant like?

The extensive range of Growlab plant sensors can give you direct answers to these important questions. The systems record the microclimate in the vicinity of your crop and reactions such as evaporation and stress of your plants. This gives you greater knowledge and understanding of your crop. Measuring around and on the plant is a trend in which Growlab is playing a leading role.

The range of plant sensors consists of the following products:
Sensiplant
Plantivity
Plant temperature camera
WET sensor
Aqua Manager
PAR sensor

Sensiplant: The easy, wireless solution for pot plant cultivation
Many growers determine soil humidity by manually lifting random pots, removing the container and assessing the root area. This is very time-consuming and sometimes makes it almost impossible to control the greenhouse as a whole. Therefore some plants then get too much water, others not enough, resulting in growth disorder, reduced quality and sometimes plant loss. Also, different people determining soil humidity can also mean irrigation becomes irregular. Sensiplant is the best solution.

Click here for a two minutes animation about Sensiplant

Sensiplant summary:

• continuous insight into soil humidity of all representative containers in the greenhouse
• precise irrigation for all plants
• simply place and replace sensors
• significant time saving
• time-savings provide scope to easily increase your greenhouse production scale
• a profitable network solution for your company

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Plantivity: Information about your crop’s growth activity
The Plantivity is the first sensor to tell you directly about your crop’s growth activity. From now on you can see at a glance what for example the effects are of a shade screen or lighting on the growth of the plant.

How does the Plantivity work?
The ‘eye’ of the Plantivity is constantly directed at a representative leaf at the top of the crop. The sensor sends signals to the leaf and receives data directly in return. With these data the Plantivity can read how much (growth) light the leaf is converting into energy for growth (photosynthesis). In short: how actively the plant is growing.

Analysing data
The conclusions of the Plantivity can be shown both graphically, in table form, and visually. You can see at a glance whether the plant is under stress. And if you want, you can be alerted when the stress level goes too high.

Who can use the Plantivity?
On introduction of the Plantivity the software is suitable for tomato and rose crops. The correct modules for Phalaenopsis and Gerbera will be introduced after this. You can use the Plantivity even if you are not using the Hoogendoorn Economic. In this case the sensor comes with a Growlab software package and a separate PC.

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Plant temperature camera: transparent processes inside the plant
Today you are probably still using room temperature as a basis for controlling and regulating the climate of your greenhouse. Now it may well be that the room temperature is too low, but the plant feels perfectly all right at the time. That minimum pipe increase was perhaps not entirely necessary. And what is the best time to close the energy curtain, when it is too cold outside or when the plant is cooling down (too quickly)?

What does the plant temperature camera record?
The Plant temperature camera uses infrared to record the temperature of the plant. The plant and the room temperature react differently to given events. If there is strong incoming light, the plant will cool its own leaves by evaporation and it may therefore be that the plant temperature is lower than room temperature.
By measuring the plant temperature the processes inside the plant become more transparent and it is possible to regulate more specifically than with conventional methods based on room temperature.

Automatic calculation of evaporation pressure
The evaporation pressure can be calculated by measuring the plant temperature in combination with room temperature and relative humidity.
The evaporation pressure is the difference between the vapour pressure in the air and the vapour pressure in the stomata of the plant. It gives an indication of whether the plant is able to exchange sufficient air with its environment. If a plant is unable or barely able to do this, then its temperature will rise and it will (maybe) find itself under stress.

What can you connect the camera to?
You can connect the Growlab Plant temperature camera directly to the climate computer or to the Growlab system. The camera is supplied with a special bracket that is easy to fix to the greenhouse leg. The whole system is splash waterproof and therefore perfect for mounting under the rain pipe.

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WET sensor: How damp is the soil?
Water supply remains a difficult process to control. You often have to “feel” the plant or pot to see if cycling is needed. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if there was a tool that could always tell you how damp the soil is?

Electronic moisture content measurement
With the WET sensor you can measure the moisture content of the soil electronically. It is determined between 0 and 100% in a volume of not less than 500 cc. With this information you can decide whether your plants still have enough water. You also gain an understanding of the decrease in the moisture content of the soil. The advantage of an electronic measurement is that the WET sensor needs no maintenance, as is the case for many other moisture sensors.

Salt content
In addition to moisture content the WET sensor also measures the salt content. The sensor measures the EC value in the same volume that the moisture content of the soil is measured.

Soil temperature
The soil temperature often determines root activity. In addition, too high a soil temperature is the basis for many germs. The WET sensor measures the temperature of the soil in degrees Celsius, so that intervention is possible if the temperature is too high.

Usable in which soils?
The sensor can be used in potting compost, mineral greenhouse soil, coir, rock wool and peat. You can if you wish stick the WET sensor in a pot, bury it in the soil or place it in a substrate mat.

Reading out data
There are two ways to read out the WET sensor data. The measurements can be read in by a separate computer using a Growlab measuring system. You can also connect the WET sensor directly to most climate computers.

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Aqua Manager: Insight into the water management of your crop
The Aqua Manager is a system for measuring the water content of your substrate. With this system you can obtain an excellent record of the water content of your substrate.

Complete system
The Aqua Manager is a measuring system that runs alongside your climate computer. It consists of a moisture sensor, a temperature sensor, a software package and all the connecting material required. The moisture sensor measures the water content of various substrates electronically. This water content is indicated as a percentage between 0 and 100%. With this information you can decide whether your plants still have enough water. You also gain an insight into the decrease in the water content of the substrate. The advantage of an electronic measurement is that the moisture sensor needs no maintenance, as for example with tensiometers.

For which substrates is the Aqua Manager suitable?
The moisture sensor is suitable for different substrates, such as rock wool, potting compost, perlite, coir, clay granules and peat.

Easy to expand
The Aqua Manager is based on the Growlab system. Consequently, it is very easy to add extra moisture sensors to the Aqua Manager.
Nurseries that work with roller containers or other ‘moving’ systems can expand the Aqua Manager with a wireless unit. This enables the moisture sensor to have a wireless connection to the computer and so there are no cables in the way!

Direct connection to substrate computer possible
If you want to connect the Aqua Manager directly to your substrate computer, we can supply an interface instead of the complete software package.

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