A "new era for strawberry production"

Grownetics

11 Jun 2026 — 1 min read

From there you can identify trends, predict future performance and take actions to reach the target." © HortiDaily Lise Maibom (Grodan), Vera Theelen (ISFC, Delphy), Joost Scholten (Delphy) and Tom Stenzel (CEA Alliance) Data-driven irrigation and higher yields Lise Maibom, Business Development Manager at Grodan, presented recent results from strawberry trials using stone wool substrates combined with GrowSens monitoring hardware and software. The system enables detailed monitoring of water content and EC levels while supporting a structured irrigation strategy.

"We also achieved a 26% increase in yield per square metre," Lise reported. Gas consumption was reduced from 13 m³ to 4.1 m³ while maintaining commercial production standards.

"Dry air is easier to heat than wet air, which then also contributes to lower energy use." © HortiDaily Biological control and green production The trials were conducted without chemical crop protection (100% green, as Vera stated), relying instead on intensive scouting, biological solutions, biostimulants and UV-C treatments against powdery mildew. "That is how we build the bridge between innovation and commercial reality." Delphy Open Day Growers and industry professionals will have an opportunity to see several of these developments firsthand during Delphy's Open Day, which will take place on Thursday afternoon, 11 June, at the company's research facilities.

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.

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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.

"We hope to be able to streamline operations, grow profits and improve our sustainability"

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