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 Van Gog Nurseries is the first location where both nanobubbles and the silver-stabilized hydrogen peroxide Huwa-San TR-50 are used to improve the water quality during cultivation. These two techniques reinforce each other in addressing Pytium in cucmber cultivation. The combination of the two innovative techniques is showing good results. "'The way the crop is growing this year, I haven't seen that before. The fungal pressure has been reduced and the growht is more stable.''

Speaking is Maurice Ruhl, business manager at Van Gog Nurseries in Asten-Heusden: ''We grow high-wire cucumbers here on 12.5 hectares under assimilation lighting. In the summer months, we are increasingly faced with Pythium. In summer, the mat temperature rises and therefore Pythium develops faster. The number of plant protection products that we can use against this is decreasing. The fungus Pythium spreads through the water, which is why the focus last year was on improving water quality."

"Pythium is spreading through pouring water” 

- Maurice Ruhl, business manager at Van Gog Nurseries

Van Gog Nurseries took a ''two-track'' approach to improve water quality at the nursery. Maurice: ''Our starting water is not optimal, as there is a lot of iron in the well water we pump up. We are de-ironing and heating to disinfect the drain water, but by doing so, one is extracting a lot of oxygen from the water. To improve the quality of the pouring water, we switched to oxygen enrichment of the starting water by means of a Moleaer installation in combination with co-dosing silver-stabilized hydrogen peroxide during cultivation.'' The investment in these two techniques is the result of advice from hygiene specialist Jasper Verhoeven and technical specialist René Mondt of Royal Brinkman. In addition, crop protection specialist Roy Verlinden of Royal Brinkman is also closely involved because of the Pythium approach. 

Rene Mondt, technical specialist at Royal Brinkman, explains why Van Gog Nurseries choses oxygen enrichment of the starting pouter through the Moleaer system. ''Because of the low oxygen output water at Van Gog Nurseries, a lot is achieved by adding tiny oxygen bubbles to the water. The Moleaer system uses gas injection to create bubbles with a diameter of 100 nanometers. The Moleaer unit is used to treat a silo or basin, significantly increasing the oxygen content in the output water. Maurice: "We see the oxygen content increase by 10 to 15 miligrams per liter in the months after installation.

- Rene Mondt, Technical specialist

To break down the biofilm of algae, fungi and bacteria in the pipes, Maurice Ruhl adds Huwa-San TR-50 to the pouring water. Jasper Verhoeven: ''This disinfectant is a silver-stabilized peroxide. This makes this hydrogen peroxide more stable, longer lasting and much more effective than conventional hydrogen peroxide. It works through all the pipes right down to the last dropper. We assist Van Gog Nurseries with Roam Technology, the manufacturer of Huwa-San TR-50. We monitor the quality and make adjustments if necessary, based on regular water analyses at the nursery. Maruice Ruhl has noticed a significant decrease in the number of pathogens recently and is experiencing far fewer problems with Pythium.

- Jasper Verhoeven, Hygiene specialist

The unique combination of the two techniques for improving water quality at Van Gog Kwekerijen is showing good results. Maurice Ruhl: "We are seeing super nice and stable growth, the cucumber plants are doing very well. The way the crop is growing this year, I haven't seen that before. The investment in the Moleaer nanobubble system and the use of silver-stabilized hydrogen peroxide together give an excellent contribution in tackling and preventing Pythium."

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