The Plantalyzer, the grower’s instrument for the most accurate crop estimation.
In seven stories, we will tell you about the partners involved, the unique system, the very latest technology, the various components and how they work. With the Plantalyzer you will manage to get the most accurate crop estimation and solve the daily puzzle. In this sixth story we explain what is involved.
Story 6: ”Phenotyping”
The development of the Plantalyzer is not an isolated case. It is part of the ongoing digitization strategy within the entire Royal Brinkman Group. A specific choice was made to digitize cultivation and harvesting, also known as phenotyping.The underlying idea? To automate and digitize cultivation and harvesting.
CEO of Royal Brinkman Ton van Mil explains why Royal Brinkman is investing in digitization: “There is an underlying social trend in digitization. This leads to an increase in data-driven products and services. Royal Brinkman responded to this trend years ago with the launch of its webshop. We see opportunities to translate digitization into further unburdening our customers in their primary business processes, including cultivation and harvesting. In the not too distant future, we expect that modern cultivation companies will no longer be able to do without.”
The digitalization strategy within Berg Hortimotive Group is currently translated into the Smart Greenhouse Logistics program. In this program, Berg Hortimotive’s product range is gradually becoming more intelligent. Berg Hortimotive sees opportunities to expand the functions of the products into information collectors and information carriers. Customers can use this information to optimize their processes and bring simplicity to their work.
Zooming in on the Plantalyzer, what opportunities are there for this harvest forecasting robot in digitizing cultivation and information collection? Andreas Hofland, General Manager of HortiKey, explains: “In the previous story, fruit quality monitoring was already mentioned. We have also started a project to be able to map out deviant behavior of plants. This project ties in with the previous phase in which the vision software of the Plantalyzer was developed.”
Royal Brinkman’s MyScout app and crop health advisory services also fit well with the digitization strategy. By linking information, growers can expect the right information earlier and better in order to take the right corrective actions.
The Royal Brinkman Group is ready for the future and, thanks to the multiple disciplines in its group, can help the grower further in the field of digitalization in horticulture.