Biosensors show yield gains in Dutch tomato trials for second consecutive season
Source: VFD.com
Biosensors show yield gains in Dutch tomato trials for second consecutive season For the second consecutive growing season, biosensors developed by Vivent Biosignals have been trialled in tomato cultivation at Tomatoworld in the Netherlands. © Thijmen Tiersma | VerticalFarmDaily.com Interested parties were given the opportunity on Wednesday, May 13, to view the test setup with Vivent's system in the Tomatoworld greenhouse.
More water, more production, more drain A striking outcome is that the Vivent-managed gutters received up to 13% more water than the control. Yield on those gutters was also higher, ranging from 2.4% to 15.2% above the control gutter.
Alongside higher water application and greater yield, drainage volumes were also markedly elevated, between 17% and 62% more over the full season on the Vivent gutters. © Thijmen Tiersma | VerticalFarmDaily.com Compared with research at Tomatoworld in 2025, major EC differences between the gutters did not occur.
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.
