First CE-Line unit installed at Gitzels Nursery

A technical installation that independently takes samples of the irrigation and drain water: not once a week but eight (!) times a day. And it doesn’t stop at taking a water sample, the sample is also analyzed in real time for the nutrients present. The results allow you to manage fertilization much faster. That is the added value that the CE-Line measuring system brings.

Analyzing water samples by external laboratories has been commonplace in horticulture for years. A grower takes a water sample every week or every two weeks and only receives the result after a few days. The fertilizer recipe can be adjusted based on this result, but as a grower you are always behind the times. With the CE-Line measuring system at the nursery, the nutrient balance is measured much more frequently. These measurements are immediately available within a digital platform where all measurements and insights can be found.

With the CE-Line measuring system, we build data that benefits the cultivation of our crops.

– MIKE GITZELS, GITZELS NURSERY

Launch at Gitzels

The first Celine measuring system has been put into use at Gitzels Nursery in Wervershoof. It is a real-time and inline installation in which all functionalities of the measuring system are installed. The system cleans and calibrates itself, making the measurements as reliable as in the laboratory. Mike Gitzels is responsible for Innovation and Development at Gitzels Nursery. “We see great opportunities for real-time measurements. At our plant nursery, adequate management of our fertilization is of great importance. With the CE-Line measuring system we build data that benefits the cultivation of our crops.”

Lab technology

“The technology in the CE-Line measuring system has been used in laboratories for years, but now we are bringing this technology directly to the water space.” These are the words of Wilco Dijkstra, CTO of startup CE-Line in Heerenveen. “CE-Line uses capillary electrophoresis technology, which allows both macro and micronutrients to be measured. Because all nutrients (also known as ions) are different, CE-Line technology can determine which nutrients are present and in what quantities. So we measure ion specifically. The frequency of these measurements can be chosen by the user.”

Innovation

The CE-Line measuring system is a valuable innovation for the real-time control and digitalization of fertilization in horticulture. Royal Brinkman and CE-Line BV, a startup from Heerenveen, have joined forces to introduce the system in horticulture. Remco Zuijderwijk, product specialist Digital Tools Royal Brinkman: “The results of the CE-Line measuring system will provide new insights into the field of fertilization. We will then investigate how the grower handles this data. Consider more frequent adjustments to the fertilizer recipe and the effects on cultivation when managing the data from the CE-Line measuring system. Together with CE-Line, we want to take a big step towards digitalization in the field of fertilization,” says Remco Zuijderwijk.