On July 20, 2018, at the Hotel Biały Dwór in Biała Panieńska, a meeting for greenhouse tomato growers was held, organized by Monsanto (owner of the De Ruiter brand), Grodan, Prayon and Bioline, whose exclusive distributor in Poland is HORTICO. About 150 people took part in it, and the topics concerned both production technology and trends among tomato consumers.
At first, Dr. Marta Repelewicz-Szybkowska from De Ruiter presented the results of a consumer test for the raspberry tomato variety Tomimaru Muchoo F1, in which this variety took the first place in terms of taste. Then Dr Katarzyna Tykarska-Duchowska, representing the same company, informed that De Ruiter is also working on other tomatoes of this type, which resulted in, among others, a variety tested for two years in Poland, which will be offered under the name Fujimaru Muchoo F1 – characterized by strong vigor and intended for cultivation in modern high-construction greenhouses. During the presentation, the advantages of grafting tomato varieties on the sleepers were also mentioned, which allows for a strong root system and the top of the plants, which makes the plants less susceptible to dry top rot and produces better quality fruit.
In turn, Mieczysław Banach from the Grodan company presented new solutions in the production of substrates in the NG2.0 technology, allowing for faster first irrigation and improved water distribution throughout the entire volume of the mat. Among the products recommended by Grodan, a double-density mat – GT Master 10 cm deserves to be highlighted due to the exceptional benefits for the user.
In the second part of the meeting, the representative of Prayon, Mr. Kurt Verhelst, devoted his speech to the presentation of Hortipray® micronutri Fe, a new product on which PRAYON has been working for the last few years. He presented the latest, very beneficial for gardeners, results from polyphosphate fertilization in soilless crops and emphasized that in the near future these compounds should replace the commonly used iron chelates, the impact of which may be very unfavorable on the environment. In the citations that he used from the research carried out in the Netherlands, it was observed that the use of these polyphosphates, in addition to the excellent iron nutrition, resulted in a higher level of calcium in the fruit, which significantly reduced the incidence of dry top rot. In addition to Calcium, research has confirmed a higher content of Iron and micronutrients such as Zinc or Manganese in the fruit, which reduces production costs. Another advantage that the gardener obtains “on the occasion” of using Micronutri Fe is the maintenance of better patency of irrigation systems and disinfection, which reduces the risk of infection with viruses possibly transmitted through the medium.
Then Sylwia Domańska and Caroline Ried from the Bioline company during the lecture entitled “Cucumber protection program with the use of previously used and new biological protection products and new solutions in the biological protection of tomato” discussed the threats posed by Skośnik tomato (Tuta absoluta) and the possibilities of biological plant protection in greenhouses, while observing the commonly observed decline in the effectiveness of chemical agents against this pest. The advantages of using the pheromone trap Zentinel and Macrolophus pygmaeus are presented – which, apart from the tomato leaflet, are also effective against the greenhouse whitefly, leaf miners and spider mites. A new, very effective, pheromone-based trap for the ISONET T miter, which is already used in England, was also mentioned. Sylwia Domańska has also devoted a lot of attention to the use of Kruszynek common – a new insect in the Bioline offer that feeds on the larvae of Skośnik tomato. This product is called Tricholine and is the only insect used in greenhouse crops to control Tomato Moth. All Bioline products are distributed in Poland by HORTICO SA.
The meeting ended with a gala dinner and a dance evening, the star of which was Piotr Denisiuk, a participant of the Got Talent Poland.
