Optimised autonomous steering of greenhouses on both global and local level
In this workshop, we explore the development of digital and data-driven crop management in greenhouses in general and in tomato cultivation in particular. We will discuss the roadmap towards autonomous greenhouse systems, the role of digital crop support, and the application of advanced data-driven lighting and crop strategies in modern horticulture. We will use concrete insights from the ‘Remote Precision Growing’ project as a case study.
Speakers
Paolo de Heer is working as data science consultant at the Digital Built Environment department of TNO. His research interests are artificial intelligence and optimisation, and he is currently the lead of the ‘computational models & tooling’ technology line of the department. In the High-Tech Greenhouses team of TNO, he advises on algorithms and modelling. Further more, he is also leading the AI team of the unit Mobility & Built Environment. He has a strong operational & long-term view, connecting people and knowledge through his extensive network and knack for effective and inspiring communication.
I am Niels van der Geest, graduated in Biosystems Engineering from the University of Wageningen and currently working as a cultivation engineer at Delphy, the Netherlands, with the focus on Greenhouse Vegetables. As cultivation engineer, I develop data-driven cultivation management tools that support growers in making data driven decisions!
Ir. Eric Poot has been manager of Delphy Improvement Centre in Bleiswijk since April 2024, where he leads applied research in greenhouse horticulture. With his team he focuses on the development and application of knowledge and technological innovations within cultivation systems, with the aim of making the sector more sustainable and future-proof. The Improvement Centre is also a leader in testing and demonstrating new varieties and technologies for high-tech greenhouse cultivation. Before his position at Delphy, Poot worked for years at Wageningen University & Research (WUR). Poot is an advocate of knowledge sharing and cooperation between research, business and education. He emphasizes the importance of integral approaches, in which factors such as light, climate and energy consumption are jointly optimized, and in which digitalization plays an essential enabling role. His vision is that horticulture makes an essential contribution to a healthy diet and the well-being of people worldwide, and that knowledge and technology play key roles in achieving sustainable food production.
As a crop advisor, I act as a sparring partner for the grower. I assess the crop, describe its condition, and advise the grower on how to respond using climate control, irrigation, and nutrition strategies.
I have always had a strong interest in new developments. Topics such as new (green) crop protection products, Plant Empowerment, autonomous growing, and LED lighting are examples of this.
Through Delphy, I now regularly work abroad. It is both enjoyable and interesting to combine business with pleasure.