Project

SmartKas: profitable ecophysiological and energetic plant culture in an intelligently controlled greenhouse environment

Acronym

SmartKas

Code

179V9108

Duration

01 January 2009 → 31 December 2012

Funding

Regional and community funding: IWT/VLAIO

Promotor

Kathy Steppe

Research disciplines

Natural sciences
- General biology
- Plant biology
Agricultural and food sciences
- Agricultural plant production
- Horticultural production

Keywords

conditioned greenhouse closed greenhouse stem diameter changes tomato production mechanistic model energy water status modelling stress detection plant sensors sap flow

Project description

Growing tomatoes in ‘conditioned greenhouses’ reduces energy costs, but also creates new climatic conditions. In the SmartKas project the reaction of tomato plants on the changing microclimate is monitored with plant sensors. These data are coupled via a mechanistic and integrated plant model to obtain insights in the overall plant reaction and to detect sub-optimal conditions for production.