Fresh-cut products need much service time, manpower and benefit an increased risk for manufacturers and retailers. The price difference to the standard products is still relatively large. It is not yet fully understood by German customers that cost for convenience products are quite high.
The cultivation of glasshouse vegetables in Germany can be divided into three main
products: tomatoes, field salad and cucumbers. Since 2003 the greenhouse acreage of these vegetables has grown continuously: tomatoes by 23.4%, salads by 4.5% and cucumbers by 17.5%.
1. Background
Biohof Aga was built in 2010 and is one of the most modern greenhouses in Europe. The organic farm is adapted for handicapped workers and collaborates with another farm that breeds chickens and collect eggs. Biohof Aga grows mainly organic tomatoes, cucumbers and salads, and sorts out the eggs coming from the farm. Biohof Aga is a production facility of the association “Lebenshilfe Werkstätten Gera gGmbH”.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of ferti-activator Sanbio PLANTA on productivity of cucumber variety ´Proloog F1´.
2. Materials and methods
Table 1. Basic data
| Season | 2014 |
| Location | Germany, State Thuringia, Gera-Aga  Picture 1: Production site |
| Direction | South-Southwest |
| Organization | Biohof Aga |
| Organic standard | Naturland |
| Crop | Cucumber |
| Variety | Proloog F1 |
| Trial field | 1 block system, size 2 ha |
| Soil quality | 34-60 |
| Crop rotation | 2014: Tomato |
| Fertilization | Organic fertilizer only: compost, poultry dung |
| Pesticide | None |
| Irrigation | Drip irrigation |
| Pollination | Humblebee |
| Test product | Sanbio PLANTA, manufactured by SANBOS GmbH, Germany |
| Dosage | 1.5 kg/ha, 300 l water/ha |
| No. of applications | 1 |
| Date of planting | 04/2015 |
| Date of application | 06/2015 |
| Date of harvest | 09/2015 |
| Scoring | Ripening, plant health, yield |
Table 2. Product presentation of Sanbio PLANTA
| Product name | Composition | Description | Application |
| Sanbio PLANTA | Activated blend of natural seaweed, nutrients, trace elements, selectively and adapted highly effective natural bacterial cultures and mycorrhiza fungi, activated by SANBIO Biocatalytical Stimulation Technology | Fertilizer and biological activator (certified in France, Germany, EC, USA)Stimulation of plant growth and immunityBetter protection against fungal diseases and biotic and abiotic stressBetter control of factors favorable to plant growthBetter germination and growth of vegetation and development of roots and shootsColonization of roots by beneficial microorganismsBetter mobilization and assimilation of nutrientsEarly flowering and maturationIncreased production and improved quality | Dosage: 1.5 kg / ha in 200-500 l of water No. of application: 1-2 Mode of application: Soil application Stage of application: 3-5 leaf stage |
3. Results
3.1 Yield
Table 2. Productive performance
| Treatment | Control (untreated lot) | PLANTA (treated lot) | |
| Harvested weight | kg/m2 | 44.4 | 51.1 |
Figure 1. Total weight of harvest (kg/m2)
3.2 Plant health
Picture 2. Six days earlier ripening of the treated plants
Picture 3. Untreated rows (left side) and treated rows (right side)
Picture 4. Strong wilt disease on the plants in the untreated rows (Control)
Picture 5. Healthy plants in the rows treated with Sanbio PLANTA
Picture 6-7. Good quality of the cucumbers from the treated rows
4. Conclusion
The present study shows significantly positive effects of SANBIO PLANTA on productive performance, plant health and sensitive parameter:
- Higher harvest (+15.1%)
- Earlier ripening (6 days earlier)
- Good plant vigor
- Healthier plants (no wilt disease observed).