New device to measure the digital footprint of a plant

Pharmaplant is a specialist for innovative cultivation systems and supports growers and investors in the selection of plant species, the procurement and further development of suitable plant genetics, the creation of profitability models and the optimisation of cultivation protocols. The company from Artern has been cooperating for years with RHENAC GreenTec AG, which develops patented and customisable LED technology for use in plant research, breeding and production. This is used, for example, in the Phyto-Container, a mobile plant chamber, or also in the conversion of conventional plant lighting in existing growing rooms. The lighting system used enables the reproduction of sunlight as well as the individual composition of different light spectra. RHENAC's lighting technology, together with PHARMAPLANT's optimised cultivation protocols, forms a turnkey package for vertical farming.

This year, RHENAC GreenTec AG will present a new analysis tool at the trade fair, which is currently in the testing phase and will be ready for series production by the end of the year. The measuring device was developed together with the TU Munich for the continuous analysis of sports turf and can be used for all other plants. It uses parameters such as UV stress markers, photosynthesis markers and light-cold-dry stress to determine the "digital footprint" of the plant in order to calculate its needs. The analysis tool communicates continuously with the plant exposure technology, for example, so that it only has to supply as much energy as the plant can process. The flexibility of the CLS (Complete Light Spectrum) exposure technology also allows individual parameterisation of the light composition. In this way, not only can the use of energy be optimised, but the need for crop exposure technology can also be specified more precisely, as each individual lamp can be programmed to meet the individual needs of the crop and there is no need to change lamps.

Detailed information on new farming systems will be provided by the workshop "New path from plant to product", which will take place on 26 September at Vertifarm. Dr Urs Fischer, Managing Director of Pharmaplant, will introduce the topic with a keynote speech on the potential of vertical farming in the food, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries.

Visit us in Hall 4, Stand B 18

About RHENAC GreenTec AG

RHENAC GreenTec AG, located in Hennef develops and produces innovative LED plant lighting systems for a wide range of applications with scientific support. These range from use in plant research and production, for example in biomass production and indoor and urban farming, to lighting systems for sports turf. The service includes the consultation and planning of a project, the development and production of the lighting systems and the commissioning on site.

About PHARMAPLANT GmbH

PHARMAPLANT Arznei- und Gewürzpflanzen Forschungs- und Saatzucht GmbH is a modern research, development and consulting service company in the field of production and quality assurance of herbal raw materials with bioactive ingredients. Both in the context of industrial contract research and in state-supported projects, the main topics are cultivation/domestication of new plant species, breeding of medicinal, spice and tea plants, development and optimisation of cultivation systems, clarification of the causes and avoidance of contamination of the harvested products as well as consulting and auditing of special crop farmers and their customers. The team of scientists is interdisciplinary and the experimental work is carried out in laboratory, greenhouse and field trials.

Source: