70 hectare of berry growing in Italy
Source: HD.com
Significant investments in these technologies were made in 2026. For example, the Italian company Combimetal Carrera completed 70 hectares of new greenhouse installations.
© Combimetal Carrera Srl These systems are designed to meet the specific technical and agronomic needs of farms, with the aim of streamlining operations and enhancing sustainability. The most popular design features a double row of eaves with about 28 inches of space between the gutters.
In a recent 3-hectare project in Basilicata, the multi-tiered vertical layout nearly doubled the usable area compared to a traditional open field. Double gutters generally increase the number of plants per unit area by up to 15 percent compared to traditional systems.
Why this matters: For operators, this is a water-management story. The useful signal is that direct substrate measurements can help cut drain loss materially without giving up yield or fruit quality, which is exactly the kind of controllable efficiency gain a facility can build on.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does substrate sensing matter in free-drain strawberry systems?
Because drain percentage tells a grower what already happened, while substrate moisture and EC data show root-zone conditions directly. That makes it easier to cut water loss without guessing.
What is the operator takeaway from this trial?
If the thresholds are understood well enough, growers can reduce drain water materially while protecting yield and fruit quality, which makes sensing an operational tool instead of a reporting tool.
