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Written by Jasper Verhoeven | Last update: 10-09-2020
Hygiene is a very important topic in horticulture: we are able to prevent bacteria, fungi and viruses from entering the greenhouse and, on the other hand, to keep them behind the door during the crop rotation with the help of various hygiene measures. The tomato hygiene protocol helps with that. In the protocol you will find the steps that need to be followed for optimal cleaning and disinfection during cultivation, as well as the measures that are be taken.
End of old cultivation
Use broad-spectrum means to end the old cultivation free of insects.
Clear greenhouse
Removal of crop residues, dirt, substrate mats, foil, etc. The drier the crop is when clearing out, the less plant juices are spread. Use your own or disinfected pull-out canvas. Be careful with plant juices! (think of leakage in containers or spreading over the territory, etc.) Thorough mechanical removal of dirt is essential for proper cleaning and effective disinfection.Glass cleaning (inside)
Cleaning the inside of the greenhouse roof and facades:
• Agent based on biological acids and natural plant extracts (ecological): Greenhouse Glassclean (dosage for normal pollution 5%) suitable for cleaning AR-coated glass (no etching effect). Please contact us for suitability per type of glass.
• Agent based on hydrogen fluoride: Flusol Forte (dosage for light pollution 3%)
• Agent based on ammonium hydrogen difluoride: Topcleaner (dosage for light pollution 5 - 10%) (see overview Glass cleaning)
Cleaning greenhouse space
After 5 - 10 minutes, spray the entire greenhouse area with plenty of water.
Objective: to remove glass cleaner and all organic material. Note: let the ecological cleaner work for 20 minutes before spraying it off.
Climate screen cleaning
For green deposits: close the cloth and spray it with Menno Ter Forte (spray after 1 day with plenty of water and let it dry well). An alternative is to inject with a stabilized hydrogen peroxide (Huwa-San).
Cleaning gutters
Depending on the pollution: use Hortisept Clean 1 - 3%. Preferably apply foam (foaming version is Hortisept Clean Plus). Rinse during 5 minutes with high pressure (warm) water (prevent the product from drying before hosing it off). An ecological alternative is FloorClean 5 - 10%. Choose Menno Ter Forte for lots of algae. Ask the gutter supplier about the warranty conditions.
Cleaning drip hose (inside)
At the end of the cultivation, assess the degree of contamination of the drip hose.
- Depending on the organic contamination, use a solution of 0.2, 0.5 or 0.7% Huwa-San. Fill the entire water system with it for at least 12 hours. Then rinse the entire system thoroughly. Check with hydrogen peroxide strips that the solution reaches the end of the system and after flushing that the peroxide is completely out of the system.
- Use 3% nitric acid for mineral pollution (product: nitric acid 38%). Read the detailed manual 'cleaning the drip system'. Pay attention to safety!
- Cleaning drip system (outside). If there is a green deposit on the outside of the hose, spray with Menno Ter forte (do not spray off).
- Replace the plugs or immerse them in a solution of nitric acid (pH <1; soak off dirt) for 24 hours.
- Then disinfect the plugs for at least 1 hour in a solution of MENNO Florades (4%).
Disinfect greenhouse space
When everything is dry, start disinfecting. Preferably foam the surfaces. Use the foam lance for manual foaming and for mechanical foaming with the spraying trolley with foam set. Do not forget the gutters, CO2 pipes, drip system, pipe rail system, concrete legs, and heating pipes.
Disinfect the entire greenhouse area with MENNO Florades (4%). Use at least 2,500 - 3,000 liters of liquid per hectare. Do not rinse the product.
Make sure that the entire greenhouse space is moist for as long as possible (air windows closed, dark day, low temperature) for the longest possible contact time.
MENNO Florades is a crop protection product and research is available on many pathogens (concentrations / exposure time). MENNO Florades has a broad effect, is gentle on materials (non-corrosive) and can also be applied as foam!
Foam has the advantage that it gets into cracks and holes, has a longer contact time and the treatment is better visible.
Foil
Pull in the film, pull gutter film over the gutters and lay substrate mats. Preferably choose full-field film. Extra attention to connection with concrete path.
Disinfecting greenhouse space (optional)
2 days before planting, spray the mats and foil with MENNO Florades or a stabilized hydrogen peroxide such as Huwa-San with a fine droplet. The Huwa-San can also be used via the fog or LVM. It is important that everything is dry (fired up) and well ventilated (be careful with AC foil)! Use control strips to see if no active substance is left in the planting hole.
Carts & Machines
- Pipe rail trolleys, spray robots and other equipment / machines need to be cleaned with 3% Hortisept Clean Plus using the foam applicator or hand foam sprayer. Vegetable juices and other pollution get loosened with this. The Floorclean can also be used as an ecological alternative.
- Use Nutriclean (HACCP approved) to clean the sorting machine.
- The foam applicator can easily be connected to a water hose (3 bar).
- Advantages of foam application: visual control and better adhesion. Prevent drying! Spray the product for 5 minutes. Prevent electronics from getting wet!
- After cleaning, disinfect the surfaces with (foaming) MENNO Florades (4%). Do not rinse.
Spaces
Cleaning of yard, concrete (paths) and floors of the shed and canteen can also be done with the foam applicator + Menno Hortisept Clean Plus (1 - 3%). Spray off after 5 minutes. Dirty floors can also be cleaned with the ecological Floorclean (1 - 5%, soak for at least 10 minutes). Spray off the dirt before drying. After that disinfect the abovementioned surfaces with (foaming) MENNO Florades (4%).
Small tools
Immerse small tools such as knives and scissors in a solution of MENNO Florades (4%) for 15 minutes. (Check the pH of the solution; product is effective at pH 3 - 4.5).Cleaning of the drip hose
During cultivation, dose Huwa-San (practical dosage with good water quality; 40 cc / m3) to combat biofilm and prevent the spread of pathogens. Among other advantages, Huwa-San shows good result in preventing the spread of crazy roots (Agrobacterium Rhizogenes).
Hygiene for feet & wheels
Use a Flexxomat (Person: PT or Transport: TT) for feet and / or wheels. The disinfection of hands and feet with a (URK) hygiene station is mandatory. Pay attention to the pH of the MENNO Florades solution in the slab. Effective at pH 3 - 4.5. In the meantime, regularly measure the pH with indicator paper.
Hands hygiene
Place a sink at the entrance for employees and visitors with the disinfecting soap Menno H (also soak plant juice). Repeat this at the start of work and after the breaks. Use Enno Rapid (hand disinfection benzoic acid with alcohol) when entering the greenhouse / shed and during work. Furthermore, it is suitable for interim disinfection of small materials.
Materials
Clean (Hortisept Clean Plus) & disinfect (MENNO Florades) materials during cultivation. Use the foam lance, foam applicator or hand foam pump.
Other
Make the rules clearly known, work with a visitor registration and provide guest overalls, boot covers and gloves. Draw up a protocol, make sure that this is known to the employees and make one person (per location) responsible for hygiene management. If you have any questions, please contact our HortiHygienz team.
Note: the advice in this protocol is based on product authorizations in the Netherlands.