Stephan Persoon: “It was high time we had some competition”→ Page 05

How do innovations come about? Dijkshoorn describes the process as follows: “When the market needs a new product. And when you pool different people’s knowledge. That’s what we did here.” BVB Sublime is a substrate in which three parties - the base material manufacturer, the foam reducer and BVB Substrates - invested a great deal of time and energy over a three year period. And a select group of growers have played a valuable role in its further development.

Properties What exactly is it that the parties are launching on the market? BVB Sublime is made of Polygrow, a polyurethane foam with a high pore volume. BVB Sublime has been spe-cially formulated for use in horticul-ture, so it is extremely airy, hydro-

philic and retains its shape well. The material is inert, which means that it does not react with other substan-ces. Dijkshoorn: “The food safety of this substrate has been extensively tested and confirmed. Neither we nor our partners are taking any risks in this area at all.” It is also a very pure and consistent substrate because it is produced industrially. And it is so flexible that it can be transported compressed. We have also thought about its disposal. BVB Substrates has made arrangements with an in-ternational waste processing com-pany that guarantees 100% environ-mentally responsible collection.

The benefitsSo much for the properties of BVB Sublime. But how can it benefit vege-table-growing? “The resaturation of

the substrate is excellent. The qua-lity of the slab is maintained throug-hout the entire growing process. So the grower can optimally control moisture levels, control the crop well and grow in a more generative way. This is a big advantage for growers

in warm climate zones too. The trials at the Sint-Katelijne-Waver research centre in Belgium showed that avera-ge yields from three cucumber crops were 5% higher, and 7% higher from one tomato crop.→ Find out more on page 02

“BVB Sublime is the brand new substrate for the horticulture sector.” It’s called BVB Sublime. And it’s a completely new substrate for the international vegetable-growing industry. Trials with the poly-urethane foam substrate are indicating better resaturation of the slab, optimum crop controllability and higher yields. Director Jaco Dijkshoorn of BVB Substrates is convinced: “We’ve come up with something great.”

• Maximumyieldfromyourcrop

• Optimumcontrollability

• Moisturelevelseasytocontrol

• Canberesaturatedatanytime

• Plantsrecovereasilyafteradry

period

• Greatergenerativeeffect

• Easytouse

• Pure,manufacturedindustrially

• Inertproduct:doesnotreact

withothersubstances

• Doesnotbreak:flexiblematerial

• Availableworldwidethrougha

reliabledealernetwork

• Comeswithexpertadviceand

goodgrowingsupport

• 100%thermallyrecyclable

• Competitivelypriced

Homogenous substrate just the job for international horticulture→ Page 07

Can I grow on BVB Sublime in the same way as on rockwool?→ Page 08

How can BVB Sublime benefit the grower?

> New substrate increases yields at research station→ Page 02

SuSTAINABle

MAxIMuM yIelDexTeNSIVely reSeArCHeD

reSATurATe AT ANy TIMe

OPTIMuM CONTrOllABIlITy

SPeCIAl

BV B SuBl IMe IS A BV B SuBS T r AT e S PrODuCT

A continuous crop of tomatoes grown on BVB Sublime culminated in a 7% increase in yield. The yield figures from the cucumber crops show the same picture: first crop +3.2%, second crop +7.2%, and third crop +4.8%. Tomato researcher lieve Wittemans from the Sint-Katelijne-Waver vegetable-growing research station in Belgium explains: “We have not been able to demonstrate the in-crease in yield statistically, but if all crops are showing the same picture, these results are no fluke. Our conclusion is that the slab is more generative.”

“BVB Sublime is more generative and therefore more productive”

Table 02: Fruit shapeSubstrate/fruits

ribbed Slightly ribbed

Not ribbed Angular Squat fruit height

Average fruit height

elongated fruit height

rockwool 0 61 39 0 68 32 0

BVB Sublime 0 35 65 0 45 55 0

% of fruits

Table 03: Cucumber production figures, 1st crop 15/02/2009 - 29/04/2009Substrate yield relative yield Number of fruits relative number

of fruitsFruit weight

(kg/m²) (%) (#/m2) (%) (g)

rockwool 22,3 100,0 57,6 100 386,4

BVB Sublime 23 103,2 58,9 102,3 389,7

Table 04: Cucumber production figures, 2nd crop 15/05/2009 - 07/08/2009Substrate yield relative yield Number of fruits relative number

of fruitsFruit weight

(kg/m²) (%) (#/m2) (%) (g)

rockwool 32,5 100,0 80,1 100 405,4

BVB Sublime 34,8 107,2 84,6 105,6 411,3

Table 05: Cucumber production figures, 3rd crop 31/08/2009 - 12/11/2009Substrate yield relative yield Number of fruits relative number

of fruitsFruit weight

(kg/m²) (%) (#/m2) (%) (g)

rockwool 16,3 100,0 42,4 100 383,9

BVB Sublime 17,0 104,8 43,4 102,5 392,5

How did the tomato trial take place?“In 2008 the supplier of the base materials for the substrate asked us whether it was possible to grow tomatoes on polyurethane foam. First of all we searched the literature for previous experience. Then, the same year, we planted a row of tomato plants on the new substrate between rockwool. We noticed back then that the substrate was slightly drier. So we controlled the watering in a diffe-rent way in the larger-scale 2009 trial. In 2009 we trialled two versions of the new substrate alongside a popular rockwool substrate. The results we are now discussing relate to the most recent version of the substrate, which growers are using in the 2009-2010 season. The setup of the tomato crop trial is shown in table 01.”

What was the difference in watering between BVB Sublime and rockwool?“The settings were based on light and plant dis-tance. Up to June the watering regime was compa-rable overall, but BVB Sublime was watered more frequently, in smaller sessions and spread more throughout the day. We decided to do this because otherwise the moisture content of the substrate

These are fantastic figures indeed. In 2010 the practical trials in the Nether-lands and abroad will show whether these results can be achieved again,” says Dijkshoorn.

The futureThe level of interest in BVB Sublime in practice can be seen from the many reactions we received from growers

in the autumn of 2009. Dijkshoorn: “As many as 51 growers are currently trialling BVB Sublime, some of whom are using it in half or all of their green-houses. In addition, we are launching pilots in Spain, Greece, Canada and Korea. We are supporting all these trials intensively because we want to develop and share our knowledge. So we have taken on a growing adviser

specifically for this purpose. What is the best way to control your crop? How can you get the maximum yield from it? We will find out in 2010. We have every confidence that together we have developed a fantastic pro-duct. And at a competitive price. This confirms our reputation as an inno-vative substrate specialist. And we are extremely proud of that.”

dropped too far between watering sessions. In the summer BVB Sublime was watered more overall. We started drip irrigating ear-lier and continued longer. We also added an additional night-time watering session. In the autumn we allowed the slab to shrink la-ter than the rockwool slab. There was a fair bit of watering, but the total amount was not much more. I certainly think this strategy was the right choice. We also controlled the cucumber trial in the same way.”

“The yield from the tomato crop was 7% higher. How do you assess that?“That’s quite a significant increase, although we have not been able to demonstrate it statistically. But the picture was the same in all four trials - one tomato crop and three cucumber crops. And that even took us by surprise. Because back in 2008 the question was whether it was possible to grow tomatoes com-mercially on polyurethane foam. Obviously we are not getting the most out of the crop at the research station. We are controlling it fairly moderately so as to ensure the trial comes to a successful conclu-

sion. Growers growing on rockwool in practice may well be able to get more out of the rockwool sub-strate than we do. But 7% is still a big difference. Now we need to corroborate these figures in prac-tice. It is important to mention that the difference in yield was achieved from week 27 onwards, after the longest day, when watering on rockwool substrate becomes more critical. The weight of the fruits from the different substrates was also roughly the same. The yield data can be seen in figure 01.”

How were the quality and shape of the fruits?“We assessed the quality of the fruits on 19 May, 20 July and 16 October. The quality is comparable with those grown on rockwool. I find the figures on the fruit shape particularly interesting. The fruits grown on BVB Sublime are slightly less squat and less ribbed than those grown on rockwool. These are characteristics of a generative crop, so this con-firms the generative properties of the slab. The data on fruit shape can be found in table 02.”

What advice would you give growers gro-wing on BVB Sublime?“If possible, I would change the watering regime. A few growers reported that BVB Sublime worked well with the same watering regime as for rock-wool. So that seems to work too.”

What is your conclusion?“BVB Sublime is a generative slab which produces a higher yield. In 2009-2010 the cucumber trial, who-se yield data is shown in tables 03, 04 and 05, will be repeated.”

Jaco Dijkshoorn

Director, BVB Substrates

Continued from page 01

Table 01: Setup of tomato crop trialCultivar Admiro (De ruiter Seeds)

Grafting Tip-grafted

rootstock emperador (rijk Zwaan)

Sowing date 03/12/2008

Planting date 02/02/2009

Planting distance 55 cm

extra stems 1 : 4

No. of stems/m2 2.84

Trial area 198 m²

Side shoots removed 10/09/2009

First harvest 16/04/2009

last harvest 15/11/2009

Figure 01

BV B SuBl IMe IS A BV B SuBS T r AT e S PrODuCT 0 30 2

“After the longest day, it is more difficult to grow dry enough on rockwool. On rainy days the slab stays too wet, so the roots get too little oxygen and we lose root hairs. So I am definitely keen to try out a new substrate. I am pleased BVB Substrates have taken this initiative. They are a very reliable com-pany, one that stands for quality. So I am happy to be testing their alternative.”

Moisture uptake“Last year I tested the previous version of BVB Su-blime between rockwool using the same watering regime. It did well; it performed just as well as

rockwool. I am currently setting up another trial with the latest version of BVB Sublime. The repre-sentative and I have compared both versions, and the moisture distribution in the new slab was even better. The water absorption at the top of the slab was good too. That is important to ensure good root development throughout the whole slab.”

Reliable substrate“Another big advantage of BVB Sublime I have found is that the structure of the slab is the same all year round. That does not happen with rockwool. What’s more, BVB Sublime is made of flexible material. So

it does not get damaged during handling. I hope the slab will live up to expectations. It would be great if the advantages translated into higher yields.”

“I have been involved in research my whole life. Dif-ferent growing methods, different crops, and there-fore substrates as well. So I liked the sound of a trial. This year is the third year I have been growing on this material. Last year I had BVB Sublime in half the greenhouse, including a few of the latest gene-ration slabs. The crop did best on those.”

No time lag“What is so good about the slab? The crop is easy to control because the slab reacts so quickly. For example, a lower EC in the irrigation water is quick-ly reflected in a lower EC in the drained water. There

is almost no time lag. That is particularly beneficial in the summer. And if you have a couple of dark days there will be quite a lot of nutrients in the slab. Then if it turns hot suddenly the irrigation increases. With rockwool the EC will rise before it drops again. Then the minerals will have accumulated in the dark weather. With rockwool there is a time lag of half a day; with BVB Sublime it happens after as little as 90 minutes. So you can avoid quality problems in the summer, particularly with tomatoes.”

Great regenerative capacity“BVB Sublime also seems to make it easier to increase

irrigation in high temperatures. It is not so easy to drown the crop. On the other hand, growers don’t have to worry about the slab drying out. Even in an emergency you’re pretty safe with BVB Sublime. If you get a power cut during hot weather or if the unit breaks down, you still have half a day to intervene. I simulated that with a trial last year. What I noti-ced was that the regenerative capacity of the crop and the substrate was very high. After half a day the plants started to wilt, but the crop had recovered within 15 minutes of watering. The slab resaturates very well.”

“I am always open to new things, so I am happy to take part in a trial. Last year I was asked to attend a growers’ meeting organised by BVB Substrates. At the meeting they asked us what we would look for in a new substrate. For me it is important to be able to lay the substrate between rockwool without having to make any changes. And for a new substrate to be tested by a lot of different growers. They obviously listened, because BVB Sublime meets both of these criteria.”

Flexibility“We would also like to see more flexibility in water management. In the spring the substrate has to re-tain sufficient moisture, and in the autumn the slab needs to stay sufficiently dry. Rockwool often stays too wet in September, which can cause root pro-blems and crop damage. Last year we trialled the previous generation of BVB Sublime. It stayed too dry in the spring. The latest version has a different composition and seems to be much wetter. The crop got off to a much better start. We will have to see how it progresses.”

Exchanging knowledge“It is good that there are so many growers taking part in the trials with different crops and varieties, so that are a lot of test points. We ourselves will be carefully recording the yield and the accuracy of the trial to make sure we obtain reliable data. BVB Sub-strates is providing growing support and ensures an effective exchange of knowledge between growers. So this is a good way for us to build up knowledge.”

“I think it is a good thing that BVB Substrates is bringing out a new slab. I like to have a choice of slabs. Competition is always good. Why am I taking part in a trial for the second year running? Last year I grew a small part of my greenhouse crops on the new substrate, and I liked it. I didn’t see any particu-lar pluses or minuses; the crop just grew normally. I didn’t do a particularly detailed risk analysis, but I decided to take a chance on laying BVB Sublime in half my greenhouse this year.”

Watering more often“An advantage of BVB Sublime is that it is very easy to use. The material is strong and does not damage. Idiot-proof, you could say. And it is really good to grow on. In last year’s trial I didn’t notice much of a difference from rockwool. The slab was just slightly drier to begin with. The latest version of the slab,

which I have this year, seems to be better in that re-gard. We will see what happens. The slabs are con-nected to separate sprinklers so I can water them more often if necessary.”

Processing“I am also hoping this new slab will deliver cost be-nefits. I expect its handling costs to work out lower because the material is easy to dispose of. Waste has become big business.”

rochus van der Meer:

“BVB Substrates stands for quality”“BVB Sublime has the same structure all season long, it is reliable and it seems to make it easier to grow dry in the autumn.” Tomato grower rochus van der Meer describes why he is trialling the new substrate.

Jack Alblas:

“The slab reacts instantly”In the autumn of 2009, bell pepper grower Jack Alblas covered his entire growing area with BVB Sublime. Because he had already been trialling the material for two years, he was willing to give this a go. “My experience is that BVB Sublime is easy to control and is certainly no worse than rockwool.”

Stephan Persoon is very happy with BVB Sublime. “There have been no new develop-ments in substrates in recent years. It was high time there was some competition in the market. It keeps people on their toes,” says the entrepreneur from Bleiswijk.

Stephan Persoon:

“It was high time we had some competition”

Piet enthoven:

“The slab is very easy to use”Tomato grower Piet enthoven’s expectations of a substrate are simple. The slab must be easy to use, not too expensive and easy to grow on. “I hope this slab will work out less expensive.”

Name of company: Jack Albas

Size of business: 1,2 ha

Place: Honselersdijk

Crop: yellow bell peppers

Area of BVB Sublime: whole farm

Name of company: Personal Vision

Size of business: 7 ha

Place: Bleiswijk

Crop: red bell peppers

Area of BVB Sublime: 1300 m2

Name of company: Kwekerij Meer Camp

Size of business: 8,3 ha

Place: Made

Crop: vine tomatoes

Area of BVB Sublime: 750 m2

BV B SuBl IMe IS A BV B SuBS T r AT e S PrODuCT 0 50 4 BV B SuBl IMe IS A BV B SuBS T r AT e S PrODuCT

Name of company: Piet Enthoven

Size of business: 1,6 ha

Place: ‘s-Gravenzande

Crop: loose tomatoes

Area of BVB Sublime: circa 0,8 ha

Development of BVB Sublime to continue It goes without saying that we will continue to develop BVB Sublime even after it is launched. For example, we will be working with plant growers and seed distribution companies to establish the ideal composition for plugs and blocks. The first grower trials are already under way. If all goes to plan, BVB Sublime will be available for this use from August 2010 onwards. BVB Substrates is also actively investigating options for reu-sing BVB Sublime in agriculture and horticulture.

The environmental properties of BVB SublimeWhat environmental properties does BVB Sublime have? R&D consultant Rob van der Hoeven explains some of them.First off, BVB Sublime is manufac-tured in an exothermic process for which no heat input is needed. Van der Hoeven: “A natural chemical re-action turns the liquids into foam. Because the process is 7 and does not need an external heat source, no additional CO2 is released.” Because the material is synthetic organic, it can also be easily ther-mally recycled. “The waste proces-sing company collects the material from the grower and uses it as fuel for waste incineration. We are also investigating how we can reuse the

material after the growing stage,” Van der Hoeven explains. The third environmental property is its compressibility, he says. “That is a major advantage in terms of trans-portation. BVB Sublime can be com-pressed at least three times without affecting the quality of the slab.”

RHP quality mark applied forBVB Substrates has applied for the RHP Foundation’s RHP quality mark for BVB Sublime. RHP stands for Re-geling Handels Potgronden (Regu-lation on Commercial Potting Soils). Because BVB Sublime is a new sub-strate, BVB Substrates is working closely together with RHP to have the material included in the certification scheme. We expect to be certified soon with this quality mark, which guarantees the quality of the product in the production chain from extrac-tion to processing by the potting soil producer. The inspections are per-formed by an independent organisa-tion, so the quality mark guarantees safety, security and quality.

“This is it!”The BVB Sublime being used by gro-wers in the 2009-2010 growing sea-son is not the first version of this new substrate. Three different foam ver-sions have been trialled over a period of almost 3 years. “The biggest chal-lenge was to make the material hy-drophilic. The latest version arrived on my desk in October 2008. The first thing I did was put it in a basin of water. The foam absorbed all the water in no time. And that’s when I knew: this is it!” recalls R&D consul-tant Rob van der Hoeven, describing his Eureka moment. The trials at the Belgian vegetable-growing research station at Sint-Katelijne-Waver in 2008-2009 were performed on this third and most recent version of the foam. A large number of growers trialled the second version in 2008-

2009. The latest tested version has been in use on all the farms since November 2009.

BVB Sublime and Polygrow BVB Sublime is made of a special polyurethane foam called Polygrow. Its specialised production process makes it a safe medium on which to grow plants. The base material supplier, the foam manufacturer and BVB Substrates developed the pro-cess jointly.

BVB Sublime offers growers in all climate areas useful benefits such as easy crop controllability and good slab resaturation. The latter can be particularly useful in warmer climate zones. “In the summer months gro-wers can temporarily leave their sub-strate slabs without irrigating them. BVB Sublime remains homogenous and uniform even after resaturation. Differences in the crop and overly wet slabs are avoided,” explains Van Gel-deren.

Inert materialCompared with natural substrates, BVB Sublime also has the great ad-vantage of being inert. Van Gelde-ren: “BVB Sublime does not bind nu-trients. This means that the grower

does not need to take the properties of the substrate into account in the feed water. Its pH value is also neu-tral.”

Easy to transportAn extra advantage in terms of ex-ports is that BVB Sublime is easy to transport and store. “This substrate can be transported compressed, which is a great advantage. In addition, BVB Sublime is flexible and holds its shape. It will not break or damage, which is a major advantage during transportation and storage,” explains Van Gelderen.

Trials In short, BVB Sublime is a substrate that can be used worldwide. For this

reason, BVB Substrates has been tri-alling it in green houses in different countries since 2007. Van Gelderen: “BVB Sublime stands up well against other substrates. In fact, BVB Su-blime seemed to produce better root development.”

Good supportTo gather more data, BVB Substrates will be running trials in green houses in Spain, Greece, Canada and Korea in 2010. “Various research stations are piloting BVB Sublime. That will deliver independent data. Our inter-

To ensure optimum remo-val of the old nutrient solu-

tion, an average drainage percentage of 30% is desirable. This delivers efficient EC replenishment and pH regulation.

“BVB Sublime perfect for international horticulture”BVB Sublime is a welcome addition for the international market gardening sector. “A substrate that remains homogenous in all conditions is a result,” says export manager Johan van Gelderen of BVB Substrates.

Growing on BVB Sublime

Are you a company based outside the Netherlands and would like more information

on BVB Sublime? Then please contact Johan van Gelderen on +31 (0) 174 53 54 20.

Can I grow on BVB Sublime in the same way as on other substrates? The answer is simple: yes, you can. you can grow in exactly the same way as you always have done. Below you will find some growing tips to enable you to make optimum use of the properties of BVB Sublime. you can also obtain a complete growing guide from BVB Substrates.

Before planting, you can fully saturate the slabs with

your usual nutrient solution. We recommend drip irrigating for at least 24 hours to achieve full saturation.

The first time you will need to irrigate on BVB Sublime is

half an hour to an hour after sunrise. After sunrise, you can start irrigating based on light or shrinkage levels. The time to stop is two hours before sundown. You can allow BVB Sublime to shrink by 5-7% overnight. If the water content of the slab falls too far, you may need to add an evening or night-time watering session. The ideal irrigation volume is between 70 - 100 cc per dripper.

During growth you must match your feeding to the

growing phase or growing period. You may be able to change the feed water by taking analyses of the nu-trient solution from the BVB Sublime slab. If you reuse the drained water, it is advisable to have this analysed as well. You do not need to take account of the substrate itself because it contains no nutrients and does not act as a buffer.

01 02 03 04

national agents will also be providing growing support based on a growing recipe we developed ourselves. We can provide the growers with all the information they need.”

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Want to find out more?BVB Sublime is published by BVB Substrates. If you have any questions on BVB Sublime, please con-tact BVB Substrates on +31 (0) 174 53 54 55 or email info@bvb-substrates.nl. You can find full details of BVB Sublime on www.bvb-sublime.com.

Publication detailsBrand and design management: Mariëlle van Buuren (www.merkendesignmanagement.nl)Copy: Karin van Hoogstraten (Zinnige zinnen)Concept and design: Maurice Fransen, Maaike van Kester (Strack | Style & Concept)Photography: Photostudio G.J. VlekkePrinted by: Kapsenberg van Waesberge

DisclaimerThis newsletter has been compiled with the greatest of care. However, no rights may be derived from the information contained in it.

Can I grow on BVB Sublime in the same way as on rockwool?Yes. Sublime is based on the same specifications as rockwool. Except that it allows you to be more flexible with irrigation. The water absorption properties in particular are better, so it is easier to resaturate and drain.

Is BVB Sublime suitable for all crops?In theory, yes. In 2008-2009, tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers were grown on BVB Sublime. The results were good. We expect this to apply equally to other products, but so far no others have been tested.

Is BVB Sublime more expensive than other substrates?No, BVB Sublime will be on sale at a competitive price in 2010.

Will there be sufficient quantities of BVB Sublime available in 2010?Yes. Both partners with whom BVB Substrates works are billion-euro companies with plenty of capacity. We can meet the demand from the marketplace.

Does the product carry the RHP quality mark?Not yet, because there is no certification scheme available for this substrate as yet. But it is currently under development and we expect BVB Sublime to be awarded the RHP quality mark soon.

There was a foam substrate on the market ten years ago. Is this the same one?No, absolutely not. Back then a substrate was developed based on residual foam from the furniture industry. It turned out to contain traces of fire retardants which were damaging to plants. Furthermore, the old substrate was not designed to absorb moisture. BVB Sublime, on the other hand, is a new, pure and industrial product that has been specially developed for use in horticulture.

Does BVB Sublime increase yields?Trials at the Sint-Katelijne-Waver research station in Belgium showed substan-tially higher yields from a tomato crop (+7%) and three cucumber crops (average +5%) compared with standard substrate. But this is just a first trial. In 2010 we will find out whether these figures can be achieved on a large scale in practice.

Is this slab easy to use?Yes, absolutely. It is light-weight and extremely flexible, so it cannot break. What is more, the slab does not irritate the skin and the drippers are as easy to insert as they are in other substrates.

FAQs

Coldenhovelaan 10

2678 PS De lier

Postbus 48, 3155 ZG Maasland

The Netherlands

T +31 (0) 174 53 54 55

F +31 (0) 174 53 54 50

e info@bvb-substrates.nl

www.bvb-substrates.nl

Established in 1908, BVB Substrates is an international supplier of substrates. One of our key objectives is to supply our customers with the very best possible substrate, with the focus on sustainability and future-oriented crop-growing.

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